Northwood's Yoshida makes it three in a row

IRVINE - Though they're from rival schools, they shared the same goal, and Tuesday they finished what they set out to do — win Sea View League tennis titles.

Northwood senior Junya Yoshida and Woodbridge's Mikey Zablan and Andre Halabi won the individual singles and doubles titles during league finals at Woodbridge High.

Zablan and Halabi beat Northwood's Eugene Kang and Parker Jung, 6-0, 6-2, making quick work of the Timberwolves' top team.

Yoshida defeated Foothill's Jonathan Huang, 6-3, 7-6 (5), to win his third consecutive singles championship. Huang defeated Yoshida twice during league play, 7-6 and 6-0.

"I'm really happy with myself," Yoshida said. "He was the No. 1 seed and he did well during the season. I was extra, extra motivated to win for the third time and avenge my losses."

Yoshida credited the support of his teammates, who hung around and cheered him on. They also mobbed him after he won the final.

Yoshida wasn't the only one finding motivation from the Timberwolves cheering section.

Halabi and Zablan said they used the crowd to get pumped up as well.

"They had the whole crowd cheering for them and we wanted to shut them down," Halabi said.

The Warriors duo pulled out to a 3-0 lead and never looked back. Zablan and Halabi led, 3-2, in the second set and closed it out by winning the final four games.

"We definitely wanted to match their energy," Zablan said of his opponents. "They are so positive we wanted to make sure we didn't get sucked down by that."

Zablan, a junior, and Halabi, a senior, each had their reasons for enjoying the victory. Zablan had lost twice before in the finals.

For Halabi, who won the singles title in 2006, it's the perfect way to close it out.

"I'm really glad it happened," he said. "It's a good legacy."

Contact the writer: ctobolski@ocregister.com