Even if you are not a fan of tennis, the excitement of a good doubles match is undeniable. On Wednesday at Claremont High School, fans were treated to one thrilling match after another.

Three sets were decided by tiebreakers with exciting break points and high-speed net play. But in the end, the Pack prevailed with a 14-4 victory over visiting Valencia High School in the first round of the Division I CIF Team Championships.

The competition was a lot closer than the lopsided score would suggest, as Coach Kathy Settles said, “That is what you expect from CIF play.” The Claremont boys perfectly executed the team’s plan, which was to come out strong and get an early lead.

“[Valencia] came out looking good, but basically abandoned ship because we came out so strong. So, congratulations,” Coach Settles told her team after the match. “You executed the plan excellently.”

In all fairness to the Tigers, the score would have been closer, but seeing the writing on the wall, the coach pulled some of his top players so more seniors could get court time.

The great matches were not limited to doubles, with Claremont’s number-one and two seed singles players taking all three sets.

Number-two seed Jason Weisman had a particularly good day, defeating Valencia’s number one seed Matthew Cuan, 6-1. Number one seed Leyton Bohren had a much tougher time with Cuan, coming back from a 3-4 deficit to win 6-4. Weisman gave up only one game all day. Junior Josh Rivera also won all three of his sets, completing a sweep of singles.

“Usually when Leyton has a tough match I struggle,” Jason Weisman said after he breezed past Cuan. “But it was easier than I thought. I had some fresh strings after my grandpa strung me a new racquet.”

His grandfather, Arnold Weisman, was in attendance and said he strings all of his grandsons’ racquets, including those of Jason’s twin Andrew Weisman.

The new strings may have helped as Andrew Weisman and his doubles partner Ben Stapp won all three sets, including a thriller against number one seed Daniel Detcheu and Jacob Pan that closed out the day’s competition.

Neither team could break serve despite quick net play and an unfortunate three double faults in one game by Weisman. Fortunately for the Pack, Weisman and Stapp saved their best play for the tiebreaker, which they won 7-4.

“We work hard all season to get to this point, we set out to achieve certain things and it is nice to meet that goal,” Coach Settles said. “We have a tradition at CHS of great tennis and it is gratifying to continue that tradition.”

The next step will be a challenge for Claremont as they take on number four seeded Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills Estates on Friday.

Last week the Pack made an impact in the Palomares League CIF prelim tournament. Bohren won the singles title last Friday defeating teammate, Jason Weisman, 7-6, 6-3, in the final.

On the doubles side, junior Andrew Weisman and sophomore Stapp dropped only 5 games en route to the title. They defeated the Ayala team of John Park and Lance Tayag in the final, 6-0, 6-1. They will compete in the CIF Doubles Tournament at a site to be announced.

On Thursday league officials awarded Andrew Weisman and Stapp the Palomares League doubles MVP title, and Bohren was named the singles MVP. Weisman and Stapp only lost one set, posting a 15-1 regular season record, while Bohren was undefeated in league play at 26-0.

The CIF Individual Singles Tournament will begin on May 24 at a yet undisclosed location.

Swimming

Claremont High School girls and boys swimming will compete in the CIF championships at Riverside City College on Friday.

Toby Jackson and Sophie Jackson will both be competing individually in the 100 butterfly.

Girls teams will be in the 200 medley relay, 200 free relay and 400 free relay. Swimmers who qualified are Aurora Sheridan, Sophie Jackson, Mary Margrave, Emily Marks, Katherine Worsham and Charlotte Poliquin. Alternates are Diana Zhen-Zhang and Natalya Strash.

Boys will race in the 200 free relay with Sanjar Junisbai, Skyler Scheetz, Thomas Jackson and Matthew McCarthy representing the Pack. Alternates are Alexander Stockwell, Paul Henley and Hopper Cocke.

At the Palomares League Finals last week, Claremont had very good results. Poliquin, Margrave, Sheridan and Jackson finished first in the girls 200 free relay and third in the 400 free relay.

Other top results include: Jackson, second place in the 100 fly; Sheridan,  third in the 100 free; Marks, fifth in the 100 back; Alisa Shklyarova, fifth in the 100 breaststroke; Margrave, fifth in the 100 free; Poliquin, sixth in the 200 free; Sydney Struve, eighth in the 500 free; and Strash, seventh in the 100 fly.

Boys top results include Thomas Jackson, third place in the 100 fly; McCarthy, seventh in the 50 free; Junisbai, seventh in the 100 back; Stockwell, 10th in the 500 free; Scheetz, 11th in the 50 free. Also boys took a fifth in the 200 free relay.

Boys Volleyball

Claremont advanced to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 championships by defeating Righetti, 3-0, on Monday at CHS.

The second round game was at Crossroads in Santa Monica after press time on Thursday.

Baseball

Claremont pulled off yet another win,  defeating Diamond Bar, 4-3, on Monday at CHS. With the win Claremont’s remarkable turnaround continues with a Palomares League record of 5-9. One month ago Claremont had not won a single league game.

The Pack got on the board first, getting three runs in the fifth inning, but the Brahmas tied the game in the sixth.

Claremont got one more run in the seventh for the win.

Jake Holcroft had three hits and one run. Both Cory Smith and Chase Corrington had doubles.

Boys Golf

Claremont had their senior day last week at Marshall Canyon Golf Course in La Verne. 

The team saluted captain Matt Lach, a four-year letterman with a 4.33 overall GPA who is headed to UCLA in the fall. Ethan Moreno, a three-year letterman with a 3.67 overall GPA, will attend University of Arizona in Tucson.

And, lastly, captain Corbin Steinert, who only played golf this season, has 3.97 GPA and will attend Kansas State University in the fall.

—Steven Felschundneff

steven@claremont-courier.com