by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com

The Claremont High School boys varsity tennis program was guaranteed a Palomares League singles title Wednesday when junior teammates Caleb Settles and D.J. Brownlee met in the final of the league tournament at The Claremont Club.

Claremont High’s Caleb Settles hits during his Palomares League singles title game against teammate D.J. Brownlee on Wednesday at The Claremont Club. Courier photo/Andrew Alonzo

Caleb took the first set, 7-5, before D.J. battled back, 6-1, in the second to tie the match at 1-1. Caleb then won the third set in a close one, 7-5, to claim the singles title.

The Wolfpack then increased its trophy count when the team of senior Lance Lao and sophomore Mateen Ghafarshad defeated the Ayala duo of Brandon Vu and Nikolas Abu-Wisha to win the doubles title. Lance and Mateen won the first set, 6-3, dropped the next, 6-3, but refocused in the third, winning 6-1 for the title.

The road to the singles final was brisk for Caleb, who did not drop a single game during prelims Tuesday at CHS, sweeping Jack Swisher of Glendora 6-0, 6-0, then Bonita’s Nathan Aquirre by the same lopsided score.

D.J. had a tougher time Tuesday but was still dominant in prelims. He took Glendora’s Grant Cushman, 6-0, 6-2, then Sidharth Maharana from Bonita, 7-6 (with three tiebreakers), 6-1, to set up Wednesday’s match with Settles.

Lance and Mateen began prelims Tuesday with a two set sweep, 6-2, 6-0, against Ayala’s Luu and Hu before besting another Ayala duo 6-1, 6-1, in the semis.

For making the final of the flight A bracket, the four players will represent the Palomares League at the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section individual tournament later in May. After taking third in doubles, senior Alex Chang and junior Josh Bonner will be alternates. Tournament details are forthcoming.

The Palomares League tourney caps 2023 league play for the boys. D.J., in singles, and Caleb and Mateen, in doubles, were back in action after press time Thursday at the prestigious Ojai Tournament.

After Monday’s 14-4 victory over Diamond Bar, Claremont is 13-1 going into the postseason. The Wolfpack will learn its playoff fate when brackets go live at 11 a.m. Monday, May 1 at cifss.org.

After Claremont took the Division I CIF-SS title in 2021, the team competed in the Open Tournament alongside Orange County powerhouses the following year. Head coach Kathy Settles said the team will again be in the Open Division this year going into CIF-SS playoffs.