Tennis: Star-studded field is set for national team tennis

invitational

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - The 16-team field is set for the inaugural

Pavilions National High School All-American Team Invitational hosted by

Corona del Mar High, March 16-18, at Palisades Tennis Club.

Tim Mang, CdM boys tennis coach and executive director of the tournament,

said Brentwood, Beverly Hills and Fresno power Clovis West are the final

three schools to commit to the event.

North Medford, Ore., and Green Valley, of Henderson, Nev., dropped from

the tournament last week because of scheduling problems, and one other

spot needed to be filled to round out the contenders.

“Clovis West is the powerhouse that beats Mater Dei in football and

basketball, and it has an excellent tennis program,” Mang said. “It is

one of the top teams in that area. Also, we invited Brentwood, which is

one of the top Division II schools in CIF (Southern Section), and Beverly

Hills, which is very strong this year and returns a lot of its top

players.

The event is sanctioned by the National High School Tennis All-American

Foundation, which Mang founded in 1998, and features many of the nation’s

top boys tennis teams, according to the USA Today’s final 1999 rankings.

Corona del Mar, highlighted by Brian Morton and Cameron Ball, won the CIF

Division I title last year and finished No. 2 in the national rankings

behind Cardinal Gibbons of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

With the Palisades Club as headquarters, the invitational will host

several nationally ranked tennis teams from around the United States,

including private schools. It will be the most official national team

tennis championship ever conceived, Mang said.

CdM and Peninsula, No. 5 in the ’99 national rankings, are the top two

schools entered.

Teams from Arizona, Florida, Virginia, New York, Oregon, Colorado and

Connecticut, as well as California, are entered and eager to prove that

California, Texas and Florida are not the only states with traditionally

strong teams.

Cherry Creek, Colo., for example, has won 323 straight dual matches -- a

streak that dates back to 1970 -- and captured 26 of the last 27 state

championships.

E.C. Glass of Lynchburg, Va., ranked 15th nationally, No. 16

Harvard-Westlake of North Hollywood and No. 20 Brophy College Prep of

Phoenix, Ariz., are also entered.

The event, which kicks off with opening ceremonies March 16, will be

played at various clubs in the area, with Palisades hosting the March 18

title match.

Proceeds from the tournament go toward recognizing high school tennis

All-Americans via the National High School Tennis All-American

Foundation.

Tickets are available through ETM at Vons and Pavilions stores. Call

(888) ETM-TIXS or purchase tickets online at www.etm.com.