SOUTHERN SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS: YEAR ENDS FLAWLESSLY H.-W. GOES 22-0, WINS TITLE.

Byline: Lauren Gustus Staff Writer

It was the same team Harvard-Westlake of Studio City had beaten twice already in Mission League play. And at this point, it was likely the Wolverines could have recited the lineup for Loyola of Los Angeles, and tacked on their styles of play and racket types as well.

But outside of the result - another victory, this time 14-4, for Harvard-Westlake - everything was different in the Southern Section Div. I final at the Claremont Club on Wednesday afternoon.

With the win, the Wolverines (22-0) made school history as the first team to win a Southern Section Div. I title. Viewpoint of Calabasas also made history, winning the school's first-ever title in any sport, with a 13-5 victory over Oakwood of North Hollywood, in Div. V.

Jon Greenberg, Harvard-Westlake's No. 1 singles player, knew there was more at stake than just another tick in the win column.

``We were much more motivated to win this time than the last two times,'' Greenberg said. ``We kind of assumed we'd win during the regular season but we weren't thinking that way today. We weren't nervous, like we were today, during the regular season.''

The Wolverines completed a perfect season, winning their 22nd consecutive match to finish the year unblemished. They did so without No. 3 singles player Winston Park, who was out with a shoulder injury. Bret Thacher, usually a doubles player, stepped into the spot.

Though Harvard-Westlake did not have Thacher in doubles, it lost just one of nine possible doubles points. Sam Wagner and Hiro Kobayashi swept at No. 1 doubles and Andrew Segal and Michael Vann did the same at No. 3. Jon Lieberman and Tim Root won two of three at No. 2.

``Our doubles did what they needed to do,'' Greenberg said.

Greenberg won three singles sets and Josh Lederman won two. He was subbed for the final set.

Loyola, which knocked off top-seeded Corona del Mar to reach the final, wasn't expected to have as much success as it did. During the awards ceremony Harvard-Westlake coach Chris Simpson noted the strength of the Mission League, which is often lost in the herd of strong Orange County based programs.

The same could be said for the Liberty League. Viewpoint and Oakwood, both Liberty teams, weren't considered the best in the Div. V field.

The Patriots, who after 35 years brought a section title back to Calabasas, tried to stay level but knew they had a strong chance at the title after beating Oakwood twice already in league play.

No. 1 singles player Geoffrey Chizever said: ``Every time we met before it was, 'Don't get overconfident.' But I don't think it's too bad to go in overconfident, especially when you're playing a game like tennis. I don't think we could've dealt with a team we've already beaten two times beating us today.''

Chizever failed to lose a set for the Patriots (21-2) all year, and has just one loss - last season - in his entire high school tennis career.

Besides Chizever, the No. 1 doubles team of Nigel Backmeier and Josh Bernstein swept at No. 1 doubles. Singles player Tyler Mullen took two of three at No. 2 singles.

Lauren Gustus, [phone]

lauren.gustus(at)dailynews.com

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No. 1 singles player Jon Greenberg won his three sets for Harvard-Westlake in the final.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer