Leach’s Game Has Few Faults : Laguna Beach Star Keeps Looking for Improvement

He has grown three inches--up to 6-foot-3 now--since last year. His long legs carry his lean frame around the tennis court with such grace that it’s difficult to imagine that Jon Leach of Laguna Beach High School is only a sophomore.

“I kept growing, and I didn’t turn into a spaz,” Leach said.

Indeed, Leach’s two-year record in singles sets stands at 124-3 and he has advanced to the championship of the Southern Section singles tournament two years in a row. Last season, he became the first freshman to win the title since 1952. This season, he lost in the final to Alejo Mancisidor, an older, more experienced player from Palm Springs who is a veteran of clay-court play in Spain. Mancisidor defeated Leach, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.

If anything, the loss showed that Leach, The Times’ player of the year for the second consecutive year, is fallible. He had been so dominating, so seemingly without fault, that at first, it was a shock to see him beaten. But the reality is that Leach is still learning the game. After all, he is only a 16-year-old sophomore.

“He’s got to come up with that one big shot,” Laguna Beach Coach Bob Walton said. “Once he gets an opening, bang. And it’s all over. He’s still developing that one shot.”

Given his overpowering play during his first two seasons, one wonders what Leach’s play will be like once he really masters the game.

This season has offered hints of what might be.

Leach’s forehand, already a staple of his game, has become stronger. His serve, too, has improved.

Leach also is beginning to wonder how good he could be. After losing to Mancisidor two weeks ago, he said he is considering giving up basketball. He played center on the Artists’ junior varsity team this winter.

But it might be time to start “getting serious about tennis,” as he put it. Serious? That’s bad news for future opponents.

“Basketball gives me a chance to get out of the sport for a while,” Leach said. “I’m still doing something physical. It’s not like I’m sitting around.

“Next year, I think I’ll try to get better for college and the bigger tournaments.”

And that’s really bad news for opponents.

1989 ALL- COUNTY TENNIS TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Singles Jon Leach Sr. Laguna Beach Randy Ivey Sr. Woodbridge Brett Hansen-Dent Jr. Newport Harbor Doubles Rob Atkin Sr. Corona del Mar Doug Schulein Sr. Steve Lappin Sr. University Jamie Price Sr. Mark Olliver Sr. San Clemente Rob Williams Sr.

SECOND TEAM

Singles Willie Dann Jr. University Dax Peterson Sr. Mater Dei David Roditi Fr. Dana Hills Doubles Andrew Duncan Jr. Sunny Hills Hans Ereklens Sr. Adam Jarrett So. Mater Dei Jason Harnett Jr. Lee Kirner Jr. Laguna Beach Aaron Bauer Sr.