4 PILOTS ADVANCE IN INDIVIDUAL TOURNAMENT

Tuesday, May 15^th marked the first day of the L.A. C.I.F. CITY SECTION INDIVIDUAL PLAYOFFS for both singles and doubles.  In singles, Juan Tafolla was selected as one of only 56 players, out of close to 250 players in the city, to make the tournament.  In doubles, only 56 doubles tandems, out of close to 200 doubles teams in the city, were also selected to participate in the Individual Doubles Playoffs.  Banning entered three pairings: #1 Doubles Jacob Loy & Fernando Moncloa (tied for #1 in Marine League), #2 Doubles Andres Suarez & Fernando Ledesma, as well as #3 Doubles Jonathan Melgar & Oliver Arreaga.

Injuries Play Big Role in City Tournament Losses

Going into round one, the Pilots had to fight off a slew of injuries.  First off, Fernando Ledesma broke his foot (in a non-tennis related injury), forcing him and partner, Andres Suarez, to withdraw from the tournament, defaulting their first round match-up vs. Eagle Rock.

Juan Tafolla made his second straight appearance in the individual playoffs. Fresh off a victorious sweep in the team playoffs vs. University High, yet fighting off leg soreness, Tafolla went down in straight sets to his opponent from Eagle Rock.

Pilots Victorious in Historic 3-set Matches

#1 Doubles Jacob Loy & Fernando Moncloa faced a challenging team from Verdugo Hills.  Adding to the challenge, was a wrist injury to Moncloa.  After falling behind 4-1 early in the first set, Loy & Moncloa attempted a comeback, but fell just short losing 4-6.  The attempted comeback, however, sent a message: the Pilots had come to play.  The second set reflected that mood as Loy & Moncloa raced to a 5-0 2^nd-set lead.  These Pilots then finished off their opponents in the final two sets to take the match, in what proved to be a dramatic & dominant turnaround expected from one of the Marine League’s very best.

#3 Doubles Jonathan Melgar & Oliver Arreaga were chomping at the bits, when the tournament draw revealed that they would get a chance to avenge their loss to University’s #2 doubles during the team playoffs.  During that 1-set round-robin match, Melgar & Arreaga went down in a close 6-4 loss.  Dying to prove that they could take their opponents in a traditional best-of-3-sets match, the opportunity was now there for the taking.

The first two sets were very much a see-saw affair, as Banning & University exchanged several breaks.  After taking the first set, the Pilots saw their chances for a straight-set victory dashed, as they lost the 2^nd-set on a double fault, at deuce no less.  In the third set, things began to look bleak, as the Wildcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead.  Down 5-3, these two Pilots showed an incredible amount of determination, as they fought off several match points to extend the match, taking the last 4 games in a row to produce the dramatic & emotional comeback win.

The two victories represent the first time, in at least the past 10-15 years, that the Pilots have advanced more than one playoff entry into the round of 32.  This historic step, now places these Pilots among the city’s elite, and is symbolic of the tremendous progress the team has made over the last few years.  What also made these matches interesting is that they were the very last matches played during a long day of play (some matches began at 11:00 a.m.) , and they further extended the day, as both were done in three sets (ending at almost 5 o’clock).

The Playoffs continue on Thursday, May 17^th at the Balboa Tennis Center in Encino, with the first match scheduled at 12:30.  Loy & Moncloa are set to face a tough team from Van Nuys that was victorious over Narbonne’s #1 doubles, while Melgar & Arreaga face a Symlar team that defeated L.A. Wilson’s #1 squad.  Good luck Pilots! J

L.A. C.I.F. – CITY SECTION INDIVIDUAL PLAYOFFS

1^ST ROUND RESULTS – TUE. 5/15/07 @ BALBOA TENNIS CENTER – ENCINO, CA