BOYS' TENNIS NOTEBOOK: T.O. MIGHT FACE CEILING ON SECOND.

Byline: Lauren Gustus Staff Writer

With freshmen in the top two singles spots, the Thousand Oaks High boys' tennis team overcame perennial Marmonte League power Westlake 11-7 in the teams' first meeting this season. But the Lancers remain in the same position they were last spring.

``I've been the boys' coach since '94-95,'' Dave Assorson said. ``We have always been second fiddle to Westlake. We've come in second place I don't know how many times.''

The worst a young Thousand Oaks (7-2) team can finish is even with Westlake. But both teams will likely end up second behind the Marmonte League's newest player: Calabasas. This year is the Coyotes' first in the Marmonte League. They beat Thousand Oaks on games in the teams' first meeting - without their No. 1 singles player, Gary Sacks.

``Gary has been absolutely on fire,'' Calabasas coach Mark Behrman said. ``He's playing the best tennis I've ever seen him play, bar none.''

The Lancers' No. 1 singles player, freshman Sam Querrey, will get a chance at Sacks next week - April 8 at Calabasas. Querrey has lost just one set this season, to Jason Mossembecker of Camarillo.

``I knew he was a talented junior player for a couple of years prior to high school,'' Assorson said. ``You never knew what high school the kids are going to go to. You never know. There's ways of getting to different high schools. ... I was thrilled when he decided to come to Thousand Oaks.''

Freshman Robby Diamond plays No. 2 singles for the Lancers and junior Blake Toland is in the third spot.

--Outta the way: It's a two-team race between Arcadia and Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta in the Pacific League after Hoover of Glendale pulled away with the title, and the Southern Section Division I championship, last season.

The Tornadoes are all but out of the picture after five players from last year didn't return, most pursuing tournament tennis seasons. Senior Dylan Kim left to play lower-level professional tennis.

``I didn't recognize any players on their roster,'' said Valencia coach Annie Kellogg, whose Vikings beat Hoover 16-2 in a nonleague match.

Crescenta Valley is led by senior Stanley Sarapanich, who has played No. 1 singles for the Falcons for four years. Before Tuesday's 12-6 loss to Arcadia, he had dropped just four games and hadn't dropped a set.

``He's a tournament player,'' coach Sarah Wiggins said. ``A top junior player. He's a kid who expects to make a career out of it.''

--Movin' on up: Usually, it's the Southern Section that has stronger tennis programs, and this year is no exception.

But homegrown talent has helped the City Section make gains on its counterpart.

City champ El Camino Real of Woodland Hills (8-0) has No. 1 singles player Bruce Aiken healthy after he sat out the regular season last year with a broken thumb. The USC-bound senior, who has yet to lose a set, hopes to play tennis for the Trojans.

Granada Hills (7-1) has lost just one match this season, to El Camino Real, and is anchored by Phil Weisburd at No. 1 singles. Chatsworth's No. 1 player, Dan Dver, decided to switch from baseball to tennis over the summer and has held his own against Weisburd and Aiken.

``He's obviously a very gifted athlete,'' coach James Araujo said. ``And he loves the game.''

Eagle Rock (8-0), Poly of Sun Valley (7-1) and Reseda (5-1) are all having great seasons.

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