VALENCIA THINKING DEEP VIKINGS ARE HOPING TO GO FAR IN PLAYOFFS.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Special to the Daily News

VALENCIA - Valencia High's girls' tennis team went unbeaten in the Foothill League for a second straight year on its way to a fourth consecutive league title.

Then, for good measure, the Vikings dominated the league singles and doubles championships Thursday, with singles champion Cassie Strange and doubles titlists Kristin Anderson and Monique Palmera defeating teammates in the finals.

Now their focus turns to the Southern Section Div. III team playoffs. Valencia plays host to Almont League runner-up Schurr of Montebello in a first-round match Thursday at 2 p.m. If victorious, the Vikings would play the winner of Thursday's Mayfield of Pasadena/Bonita of La Verne match Saturday in the second round.

It is in this phase of the season that Valencia coach Annie Kellogg believes depth and experience matter as much as, if not more than, ability.

That's good news for the Vikings, a No. 2 seed that returns nearly its entire roster from a team that last season reached the semifinals for a second consecutive season.

Strange, the team's No. 1 singles player, is 87th in Southern California in the USTA 18-under rankings. She is the only Viking in top 100.

Depth figured in Valencia going 89-1 in league doubles play. It also helped the Vikings overcome an injury to senior Alexa Strange (Cassie's twin sister), who has missed more than a month with a third-degree ankle sprain.

``You're going to run into some pretty tough (singles) players, so to really go far, you have to depend on all nine players contributing,'' Kellogg said.

The Vikings excel in doubles. League champions Anderson and Palmera (61-4) and runners-up Alessandra Horii and Carissa Eisler (55-8) were unbeaten in league play.

Anderson and Palmera give the Vikings a doubles combination that Kellogg believes could take the Vikings to the next level.

``They're a team that could step up,'' Kellogg said. ``They're going to need to step up and lead our team.''

Kellogg is hopeful Alexa Strange will be able to contribute. She's questionable for Thursday's match.

Kellogg said it was uncertain whether Alexa Strange would play singles or doubles if and when she does return. Her return figures to bolster a team well-positioned for another deep playoff run.

``We've got a great opportunity ahead of us,'' Kellogg said. ``I think if the girls compete and work hard the way they have all season, they've got a shot.''

--Surprise: Sophomore Holly Beaman and freshman Thalia Wilczynski lead upstart Saugus, the league's biggest surprise story. It was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Centurions, who finished in a tie for second place with Burroughs of Burbank.

Saugus was scheduled to play host to Pacifica of Garden Grove in a wild-card match Tuesday. The winner advances to a first-round meeting Thursday against top-seeded Brentwood.

Gideon Rubin, [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com

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Valencia High's Cassie Strange won the Foothill League singles title last week and is one of the reasons the Vikings are a favorite entering the Southern Section Div. III playoffs.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer