Titans capture South Bay League title

By Phillip Brents

CHULA VISTA, May 23, 2002 -- Bonita Vista High’s boys tennis team left its imprint on this year’s Mesa League championships by scoring the top singles player and top two doubles teams in finals action at Southwestern College.

Baron senior Abbie Behar defeated Sweetwater senior Vicem Munoz 6-1, 6-3 to earn recognition as the league’s top singles player while the tandem of senior Nick Raue and junior Voltaire Navarro defeated Bonita Vista teammates John Victoria and Van Nguyen 6-1, 6-4 to claim the doubles title.

Behar, a four-year prep veteran who will attend college in Boston this fall, completed the season undefeated in league competition.

Raue, who is bound for the Air Force Academy, and Navarro were selected as Mesa League Co-Athletes of the Year.

Baron coach Ernie Gapud pointed to the leadership of both Raue and Navarro as instrumental in the team’s 12-0 conference record.

"Nick is a good student (4.82 college-weighted grade-point average) and still finds the time to play tennis. Voltaire will be back next year. They both encouraged younger players on the team and showed them how to focus during matches. Voltaire and Nick supported the leadership of the team," Gapud said.

Chula Vista junior Jesus Cardoso defeated Southwest’s Abraham Cuevas 6-2, 6-2 to finish third in singles while Chula Vista’s Ricardo Guerrero and Nick Weatherall defeated Montgomery’s Dwayne Galan and Emil Buenafe 6-0, 7-6 (7-3) to finish third in doubles.

In South Bay League finals competition May 23 at Eastlake High, the Titans finished with the top three singles players. Senior Hideto Aoki defeated junior teammate Marco Banuelos 6-1, 6-4 to win the rights to this year’s singles championship and, in the process, Athlete of the Year recognition while Eastlake’s Jason Manalac defeated Castle Park’s Victor Guerrero 6-1, 6-1 to finish third.

The Titans finished 8-0 in league dual competition.

"It was satisfying to get three out of the four semifinalists in singles and the top three places all going to Eastlake. It shows their hard work paid off," said Titan coach Mike Parker.

Hilltop, the South Bay League’s runner-up team, swept the doubles championship as Juan Jimenez and Alexis Ayala defeated teammates Alfredo and Daniel Barajas 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 and the team of Aaron Guzman and Alejandro Hinojosa defeated Eastlake’s Mike Guzman and Mike Kim 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 for third place.

Mesa League Finals
May 23, 2002 at Southwestern College

Singles
 Championship: Abbie Behar (Bonita Vista) defeated Vicem Munoz (Sweetwater) 6-1, 6-3.

 Third place: Jesus Cardoso (Chula Vista) defeated Abraham Cuevas (Southwest) 6-2, 6-2.

 Semifinals: Behar (BV) def. Cuevas (Sow) 6-0, 6-1; V. Munoz (SuHi) def. Cardoso (CV) 6-0, 6-4.

 Quarterfinals: Behar (BV) def. Rubio (Sow) 6-0, 6-0; A. Cuevas (Sow) def. S. Munoz (SuHi); V. Munoz (SuHi) def. Adame (CV) 6-3, 6-2; Cardoso (CV) def. C. Tiu (BV) 6-2, 6-3.

 First round: Behar (BV) def. A. Green 8-0; Rubio (Sow) def. J. Mock (CV) 8-6; S.Munoz (SuHi) def. B. Rodriguez (BV) 8-5; Cuevas (Sow) def. Cisneros (Sow) 8-5; V. Munoz (SuHi) def. L. Parowick (BV) 8-2; Adame (CV) def. Olivares (Mont) 8-2; C. Tiu (BV) def. Thongkham (SuHi) 8-1; Cardoso (CV) def. Pett (Mont) 8-3.
 
 Doubles
 Championship: Voltaire Navarro-Nick Raue (Bonita Vista) defeated John Victoria-Van Nguyen (Bonita Vista) 6-1, 6-4.

 Third place: Ricardo Guerrero-Nick Weatherall (Chula Vista) defeated Dwayne Galan-Emil Buenafe (Montgomery) 6-0, 7-6 (7-3).

 Semifinals: Navarro-Raue (BV) def. Galan-Buenafe (Mont) 6-0, 6-1; Victoria-Nguyen (BV) def. Guerrero-Weatherall (CV) 6-1, 6-1.

 Quarterfinals: Navarro-Raue (BV) def. Rodriguez-Yen (CV) 6-0, 6-1; Galan-Buenafe (Mont) def. Ayala-Camara (Sow) 6-1, 6-1; Guerrero-Weatherall (CV) def. Le-Blackman (SuHi); Victoria-Nguyen (BV) def. Lee-Pacheco (BV) 6-0, 6-1.

 First round: Navarro-Raue (BV) def. Rodriguez-Dabu (BV) 8-0; Rodriguez-Yen (CV) def. Letran-Dechico (SuHi) 8-5; Galan-Buenafe (Mont) def. Gonzalez-Camacho (BV) 8-3; Ayala-Camara (Sow) def. Bechar-Villavicencio (CV) 8-5; Guerrero-Weatherall (CV) def. Calaharrano-Liwanag (Sow) 8-0; Le-Blackman (SuHi) def. Westfall-Auran (SuHi) 8-2; Lee-Pacheco (BV) def. Metra-Rull (Mont) 8-4; Victoria-Nguyen (BV) def. Martinez-Ortiguerra (Mont) 8-3.
 

All-Mesa League Team

Voltaire Navarro, 11, Bonita Vista

Nick Raue, 12, Bonita Vista

Abbie Behar, 12, Bonita Vista

John Victoria, 12, Bonita Vista

Van Nguyen, 10, Bonita Vista

Vicem Munoz, 12, Sweetwater

Jesus Cardoso, 11, Chula Vista

Abraham Cuevas, 12, Southwest

Dwayne Galan, 12, Montgomery

Emil Buenafe, 12, Montgomery

Ricardo Guerrero, 11, Chula Vista

Nick Weatherall, 11, Chula Vista

 Athletes of the Year
 Voltaire Navarro (Bonita Vista)
 Nick Raue (Bonita Vista)
 
 Team champion
 Bonita Vista Barons (12-0)

South Bay League Finals

May 23, 2002 at Eastlake High School

Singles

Championship: Hideto Aoki (Eastlake) defeated Marco Banuelos (Eastlake) 6-1, 6-4.

Third place: Jason Mañalac (Eastlake) defeated Victor Guerrero (Castle Park) 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles

Championship: Juan Jimenez-Alexis Ayala (Hilltop) defeated Alfredo Barajas-Daniel Barajas (Hilltop) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4

Third place: Aaron Guzman-Alejandro Hinojosa (Hilltop) defeated Mike Guzman-Mike Kim (Hilltop) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Athlete of the Year

Hideto Aoki (Eastlake)

2001 Feature stories

All-CIF teams