BOYS' TENNIS: VIEWPOINT TAKES 4TH STRAIGHT TITLE.

Byline: ERIK BOAL

Special to the Daily News

CLAREMONT -- When Brandon Mischel went down with a leg cramp, he got up.

When Taylor Lesser fell behind by three games in the final set of his high school career, he overcame a 102-degree fever to catch up.

And with the Southern Section Div. IV boys' tennis championship on the line, Eric Leidersdorf stepped up to deliver the biggest win in Viewpoint of Calabasas history.

It all added up to the Patriots outlasting Cerritos 76-74 on games after the teams played to a 9-9 result Wednesday at Claremont Club, clinching Viewpoint's fourth straight title.

"It's a very special way to end," said Viewpoint coach Asif Azhar, whose team is the fourth in area history to win four championships in a row. "Not only that we won, but the manner in which the whole team came together. They went all out and they did it."

After losing his first twosets, Leidersdorf rebounded to defeat Calvin He 6-3 in front of a crowd of nearly 50, prompting teammates to storm the court in celebration.

"(The first two rounds) I was feeling like I hadn't pulled my weight for the team," Leidersdorf said. "But the bottom line is what counts. As a senior, to get a 'W' in the last match of your career is unbelievable."

Had it not been for the courageous efforts of Mischel and Lesser, Leidersdorf's chance might have never occurred.

After saving a break point in the ninth game of their second set en route to a 6-4 victory, Mischel and Jordan Parzick built a 4-3 lead in their final set, before Mischel's left leg cramped up.

"I was stretching as much as possible because I knew all we needed was two more games. But the trainers did a good job," said Mischel, who returned from the injury timeout to break Cerritos' (23-2) serve in the eighth game, before Parzick served out a 6-3 win for their third victory.

"Cerritos had the deepest doubles I've ever played against," Mischel added. "It was really tough, but Jordan and I knew we needed every set we could get."

After Troy List completed his three-set sweep, he took on the role of head cheerleader as Lesser and Jack Sanford rallied from a 4-1 deficit to tie Michael Lu and Justin Min at 5-5. Although Lesser and Sanford fell 7-5, they kept the Patriots (23-2) -- who received two wins from Jake Brougham -- in striking distance at 71-70.

"It was all about showing our energy and determination and pushing through it," List said. "It was more willing ourselves to victory than winning it."

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