Sage, CdM earn seeds

There’s one thing about always expecting to be near the top. Then there’s not being used to it.

Sage Hill School has been accustomed to being ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in girls’ tennis for the past five years. Estancia not so much.

But once again, Estancia finds itself competing against the elite as one of four Newport-Mesa area schools in the CIF Southern Section girls’ tennis playoffs, for which pairings were released Monday.

For the second straight year Estancia (12-5) is in Division I. The Eagles open at Harvard-Westlake (8-8), the No. 2 entry from the Mission League, Thursday at Studio City Golf and Tennis Center at 2 p.m.

“We just don’t belong in Division I because we’re one of the smallest schools,” said Estancia Coach Rachel de los Santos, whose team finished behind Orange Coast League champ Laguna Beach. “We’re stuck in Division I because Laguna Beach is in our league and [it] won it all two years ago. Before we moved into Division I, we were in Division V.

“We lucked out last year when we played Redondo Union in the first round, but then we lost to [Corona del Mar], 18-0, in the second round.”

This time, Estancia won’t have to face CdM as soon as the defending section champ is on the other side of the Division I bracket.

The Sea Kings (16-2) received a No. 3 seed, something Coach Brian Ricker expected with their only losses coming against No. 1 Dana Hills (21-1) and No. 2 Troy (14-0) this season. CdM opens at home Thursday at 2 p.m. with Fullerton (11-4), the No. 3 entry out of the Freeway League. Ricker said it will be a tough road for his Pacific Coast League champs if they plan to claim another section title.

But not as rigorous as that of Newport Harbor. The Sailors (14-5) are in a Division II wild-card match today at 2 p.m. at Glendale (10-5), the No. 3 representative from the Pacific League. Getting to the first round won’t be easy for Newport Harbor, which finished third in the Sunset League.

Sage Hill (13-4) received the No. 2 seed in Division IV and opens at home at Balboa Bay Racquet Club Thursday at 3 p.m. The Academy League champ will play the winner of today’s wild-card match between Antelope Valley and Cypress.

“It was very important for us to hold onto the No. 2 [ranking] all year long because we won’t have to play anyone ranked until the final, if we get to the final and play top-ranked Valencia,” Sage Hill Coach A.G. Longoria said of the school from Placentia that won the Empire League. “We’re trying to get to our third straight section final.”

The Lightning appear as if they can make a run at it again despite having nine seniors graduate from last year’s team that lost to Valencia, 10-8, in the section final. Only one letterman returned — junior singles player Jaclyn Smrecek.

But other players have stepped up like singles player Julia Blakeley, helping the Lightning win their fourth league title in five years and inspire confidence that it can win the school’s second section championship.

Ricker has had a similar situation at CdM. Off last year’s “super team,” that went 24-0, five players were lost to graduation and two decided not to play this year. But CdM keeps thriving. Giving the Sea Kings a one-two punch in singles are sophomores Hailey Hogan and Melissa Matsuoka. Making up the No. 1 doubles team are juniors Karen Ishii and Lindsay Zotovich.

“We don’t have any seniors in our starting lineup,” Ricker said. “After the first round, things will get tougher. Northwood should move on to the second round and [its] the Sea View league champion. Then we’ll mostly likely have Mira Costa in the second round on Saturday. We beat Mira Costa, 10-8, at home this year.

“After that it will most likely be Troy in the semis and if we get to the final, Dana Hills should be there. It won’t be easy.”

There’s no other team in the area that better understands that than Estancia.

The Eagles are led by junior No. 1 singles player Ellie Edles, the league champion, and the No. 1 doubles team of senior Abby Koff and junior Jennifer Johnston.

“I don’t know too much about [Harvard-Westlake of North Hollywood] other than [it] being from Los Angeles. You just don’t read too much about that school in the Orange County papers,” de los Santos said. “We’ll do the best we can and hopefully give them a challenge.”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].