HomePublicationPasadenaPanthers Denied Title by Calabasas

Panthers Denied Title by Calabasas

Polytechnic varsity boys’ tennis team
Photo by Oscar Areliz / OUTLOOK
The Polytechnic varsity boys’ tennis team fell to Calabasas, 13-5, in the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship match at the Claremont Club last Friday. The Panthers include Kareem Ansari (front row, from left), Harry Foy, Renzo Soatto and Henry Slan. Back: Assistant coach Natalie Langan, Nick Yoong, Walter Corngold, Carson Yu, Mustafa Ansari, Kian Soltani, Ray Fleming, Spencer Wilson, Will Robles and head coach Sam Kang.

The Polytechnic varsity tennis team boasted an unbeaten record going into the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship match and it required a perfect performance from its players to top No. 1-seeded Calabasas.
The Panthers were solid in the first round of matches with two set victories but the Coyotes pulled away in the second to hand Poly its first defeat of the season, 13-5, at the Claremont Club last Friday.
“We had a great run,” said head coach Sam Kang. “We could have asked for more from our players. Even after [Calabasas] clinched, they still fought their hearts out until the very end. I’m really proud of all of them.”
The Coyotes depth proved to be too much for the Panthers, who managed only one win in singles play. Renzo Soatto and Walter Corngold contributed two doubles victories, and Harold Foy/Nick Yoong and Ray Fleming/Kian Soltani each won a set. Kareem Ansari was the lone Panther to win a singles set.
“At the end of the day, I think we put our best lineup out there and they put their best lineup out there and the ball was just in their court today,” said Poly assistant coach Natalie Langan. “I think both teams battled so hard.”
The Panthers (19-1 overall record) won the Prep League title but were denied their first CIF-SS crown since 1992. Poly last played in a CIF-SS championship match in 2006 and fell to league rival Chadwick.

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