Sage, CdM open at home

The Sage Hill School boys’ tennis team was not awarded one of four seeds in the upcoming CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs Monday, despite being ranked No. 1 in the division for much of the year.

The Lightning, along with Corona del Mar High, Newport Harbor and Estancia, all begin the playoffs on Thursday.

Sage Hill (13-9), led by Academy League singles champion Kevin Wang, was ranked No. 1 in Division IV in the coaches’ poll released April 28. However, in the final poll, the Lightning dropped to No. 7. Sage Hill, which shared its first-ever Academy League boys’ tennis title with Whitney, will play host to Santiago of Corona in the first round Thursday at 3 p.m.

“I guess it’s hard for you to have a No. 1 seed when you haven’t won your league,” Coach A.G. Longoria said, referring to the fact that Whitney was seeded No. 1 from the league over Sage. “We like our chances. We can live with it.”

In the Division I playoffs, Corona del Mar (14-4) plays host to Trinity League No. 3 Servite in the first round Thursday at 3 p.m. CdM, which finished second to defending CIF champion University in the Pacific Coast League, is led by UC Irvine-bound senior Fabian Matthews, the league singles champion.

Newport Harbor (8-7), which finished in fourth place in the Sunset League, received Division I’s only at-large playoff berth. The Sailors, who had juniors Daron Arnold and Josh Tuz win the league doubles title, will play at top-seeded University Thursday at 3 p.m.

Estancia (11-4) will open the Division IV playoffs at Almont League champion Mark Keppel of Alhambra on Thursday at 3 p.m. The Eagles, who finished second in the Orange Coast League, are led by two-time league singles champ Bradley Fisher.

MATT SZABO may be reached at (714) 966-4614 or by e-mail at [email protected].