NEWPORT BEACH – The Laguna Beach boys tennis team has reigned over the Orange Coast League since the arrival of Coach Don Davis three years ago.
Those first two years, the Breakers powered their way to league titles thanks to the dynamic singles duo of Teague Hamilton and Morgan Lebby. But this season, with Hamilton and Lebby having moved on to college, Laguna Beach had to discover a new identity.
The Breakers (12-8, 8-0) grew up fast. The team started a lineup filled with underclassmen, and it still found a way to sweep the Orange Coast League finals.
Despite the loss of Hamilton and Lebby, their influence was felt by the team this year.
Sophomore Ryan Gee said his former teammates helped him build up his game. He spoke highly of Lebby, who served as his captain last year.
“I followed him because he was a leader and I wanted to be exactly like him,” he said.
Davis knew it would be tough to fill the void at the top of his lineup, but he saw an immediate response from his young players. They did the things necessary to become better, including hitting with each other outside of practice.
Davis called this team the most cohesive group he has had in his time at Laguna Beach.
“It’s been a very enjoyable season with these guys. Tennis is a very individualistic sport. Sometimes it’s hard to get kids to look past themselves,” Davis said. “That’s what has been wonderful about this group. They look more towards their teammates than they do towards themselves.”
Laguna Beach’s youth was well-represented at the CIF-SS Boys Individual Regionals at Corona del Mar High on Thursday.
Ryan Gee secured a first-round win over La Quinta’s Tri Luong, 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10). Freshman Ethan Gee teamed with senior Alex Duong to get past Peter Marquez and Alex Reyes of San Dimas, 4-6, 6-0, 1-0 (7).
Freshman Zack Washer also qualified for the singles draw, and Tim Nguyen and Sterling Dudley-Bowen made the tournament as the Orange Coast League’s doubles finalists.
Laguna Beach excelled this season due to a passion for the game and a commitment to each other. The enthusiasm allowed some of the younger players to make big strides.
One such example of this was Stuart Webb, who found himself in the heart of the Breakers’ lineup after he did not start at the junior varsity level last season.
The Breakers have had a lot of success off the courts as well. The Laguna Beach seniors (Jeff Spitz, Nguyen, and Duong) rank in the top five of their class scholastically.
Garden Grove ended the Breakers’ season in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 4 playoffs. With another year of growth under their belt, the Breakers are optimistic about making a deep run in the playoffs in 2015.