The Corona del Mar High girls tennis team had a remarkable season.
It remained undefeated until the very last game, when the Sea Kings ran into a team returning in the CIF State championship game trying to earn some redemption.
Northern California champion Los Altos defeated Southern California champion Corona del Mar 4-3 in the CIF State championship game on Saturday at Fresno State.
Corona del Mar, the CIF Southern Section Division 1 champion making its first state title appearance, finished the season 24-1.
The Sea Kings were able to combine strong senior and freshman classes to keep their season going until the last weekend of November. It ended with one final road trip, with the players carpooling with their parents to Fresno on Friday in preparation for Saturday's state championship game.
This was definitely my favorite season [at CdM]senior singles player Polina Briggs said in a telephone interview. I feel like we bonded so well and were all super close. We did our best in every match. I'm really proud of us for getting this far and competing at a high level.
The CIF State championship match followed the Southern California regional format, featuring four singles players and three doubles teams. It matched the top-heavy nature of Los Altos with the depth of CdM, with results that were perhaps predictable.
Corona del Mar took a 3-0 lead relatively quickly. Freshman Addie DiNicola earned a win at No. 4 singles, as did seniors Sasha Briggs and Isabel Roytman at No. 2 doubles and sophomore Madi Jackson and freshman Olivia Lew at No. 3 doubles.
Los Altos, which had lost to Palos Verdes in the CIF State championship game last year, relied on some of its studs to rally.
They definitely gave us a good challenge because they are definitely the best team we have played against, CdM sophomore singles player Julia Cross said. They are just super strong from the start. They have four really good players, and all of those players were able to get wins. This gave them four sets to help their entire team win.
Los Altos topped the CdM freshman tandem of Sienna Lynn and Brynn Patterson at No. 1 doubles in three sets, then won a trio of singles sets to top out the victory.
The Eagles' No. 1 seed Wake Forest engaged Bella Mariona and defeated CdM senior Emilie Lew in straight sets at No. 1 singles. Next, Los Altos defeated Emily Wu Polina Briggs 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 at No. 2 singles.
The final set to be completed consisted of No. 3 singles, with Los Altos Pallavi Mallampati securing a 7-5, 6-7, 6-0 win over Cross.
"I think we tried to pull off an upset in one of the singles matches, but it just didn't really happen," Polina Briggs said.
CdM coach Tyler Gaede, who led the Sunset League champion Sea Kings on the field during the final few weeks of the postseason as head coach Jamie Gresh recovered from hip surgery, said he was proud of the fight.
We did our best, Gaede said. The girls played and competed phenomenally. A few points go in a different direction, maybe things will shake out differently. But if you are stuck in two three-setters at the end of a match, you are competing very hard at that moment.
Roytman said having one more game with her team meant the world to her as a senior.
"I have always put everything into this team," Roytman said. I have made some of my best friends on this team, friends for life. To get to senior year and have such a good season, it's just a good time. This loss is bittersweet, 100%. To be honest, I didn't even expect us to get this far.
Although the team season is over, six Corona del Mar players will still advance in the CIF Southern Section Individuals tournament in both singles and doubles.
All Sea Kings CIF Individuals singles competitors Emilie Lew and Polina Briggs, plus the doubles teams of Lynn and Cross and Roytman and Sasha Briggs have advanced to at least the round of 32. Action resumes Wednesday at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center in Claremont, with round of 32, round of 16 and quarterfinals.
"I'm very grateful that it lasted this long, and I'm trying to hang on to it as much as I can," Roytman said. This is something to look forward to, where we can encourage each other to get as far as possible.