Marina boys' tennis storms into first CIF title match
OAK PARK — Marina High boys' tennis coach Chuck Kingman gave longtime assistant Cam Jones the honor of introducing the Vikings' lineup on Wednesday.
'He loves public speaking,' Kingman said facetiously before Marina played at Oak Park in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.
There was a good reason for the honor: Jones was celebrating his 79th birthday on Wednesday.
The Vikings' season has also transformed into something that might be decades in the making.
Marina rallied for an 11-7 victory, advancing to its first CIF title match in program history.
The Sunset League runner-up Vikings (16-3) will play Woodbridge (20-7), the No. 3 team from the Pacific Coast League, for the Division 1 crown on Friday at 5 p.m. at the University of Redlands.
'We've got to prepare, lock in,' Marina senior Trevor Nguyen said. 'We're really excited for this opportunity.'
Nguyen, Alejandro Hill and DJ Buckfeller combined to win eight of nine singles sets against Oak Park (15-1), which was undefeated heading into Wednesday's tilt. Nguyen's 6-4 win over Eagles senior captain Austin Lamy loomed large in the first round, with several Oak Park supporters watching and cheering just south of the court.
'Just the nerves of this opportunity that we're in, the semifinals, I was kind of nervous,' Nguyen said. 'I was like, what if I lose? I was playing tentative, but it changed a lot.'
What changed was Lamy's health. With Nguyen up 5-4, he drew Lamy into the net with a drop shot, then hit a lob over his head. Lamy went back to retrieve the ball and attempted a between-the-legs shot, but tripped and ended up injuring his hip.
He gamely continued to play with a pronounced limp but lost to Nguyen, then retired early in his second set against Buckfeller.
Marina, down 4-2 after the first round, took advantage. The Vikings won five of six sets in the second round to grab a 7-5 edge.
Two doubles tiebreakers, the final sets of the round to complete, proved huge. Marina's No. 1 team of seniors Justin Nguyen and Darren Le beat Oak Park's Jaivin Phabiani and Ayush Kodur, while the No. 3 tandem of juniors David Tran and Joseph Le topped Levi Jefferson and Angus Rein.
Players from both teams stood on the vacant No. 2 doubles court, turning their bodies back and forth to cheer on both matches simultaneously.
'My mind was like, our winning [as a team] is going to ride on this one,' Darren Le said. 'I felt like it was a pretty important match. I treated it like that, didn't let the noise get to my head too bad.'
Both tiebreaker scores were the same, 7-4, giving the Vikings a much-needed boost over the Coastal Canyon League champion Eagles headed into the final round of play.
'Those tiebreakers were huge,' Kingman said. 'I mean, that was really a turning point for our doubles today. Having those two wins provided us with a little bit more of a cushion. Our doubles has kind of struggled throughout the year, but they really came through today. They got the wins that we needed.'
After Trevor Nguyen and Hill breezed to 6-0 wins in the final round, the Vikings had nine sets, plus a big enough games advantage to know that they were through to the title match.
Kingman said his team seems to be peaking at the right time. There's just one more match to win for further team history, after Trevor Nguyen and Tran have set individual history by winning the CIF Individuals title last year and earning Ojai Tournament finalist accolades this year.
'It's a special group of guys, not just talent-wise,' Kingman said. 'This is a great group of young men.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Notre Dame commit Caden Crowell wanted this for Valparaiso. Well, he earned it. ‘It's a dream I've had.'
Valparaiso senior left-hander Caden Crowell had been waiting for this day for more than a year. Ever since Crown Point ended the Vikings' 2024 season in the first round of sectionals, the Notre Dame commit wanted another shot. 'I've had a countdown for this game since they bounced us out last year,' Crowell said. 'This one has been circled on my calendar for sure.' Crowell made the most of his opportunity on Saturday, delivering a dominant two-way performance to lead Valparaiso to a 5-0 win over Crown Point in the Class 4A Griffith Regional championship game at the Steel Yard in Gary. The Vikings' win secured their first regional title, and the history of the moment was not lost on Crowell. 'It's a dream I've had forever to win a regional and leave a legacy here,' he said. 'This was a huge win for us, but we've still got a couple more games to win.' Crowell (5-0) went the distance for the Vikings (23-5), who were ranked No. 8 in the final 4A coaches poll and will play Fort Wayne Snider (24-6) in the semistate semifinals. He allowed just four hits and two walks and struck out 10 as he lowered his ERA to 0.34. Crowell also helped his cause against the No. 3 Bulldogs (27-5) by going 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. 'He came in with the idea to dominate, and that's exactly what he did, either with a bat in his hand or the ball in his hand,' Valparaiso coach Todd Evans said. Crowell's ERA is indicative of his season-long success on the mound, but he wasn't having as much luck at the plate through the first five games. He had one hit in his first 18 at-bats. The distance between his .056 average at that point and his .449 average last season weighed on his mind. 'Early in the year, I was putting too much pressure on myself because I hit a lot better last year,' Crowell said. 'But now I'm just kind of going out there, swinging the bat and having fun.' Crowell raised his average to .350 with his three hits against Crown Point. That trio included a first-inning double to the wall in left. For Crowell, hitting to the opposite field was a specific point of emphasis in the offseason. 'I was working on getting more bat speed and hitting breaking balls the other way,' he said. 'He left me a change-up in the middle of the plate, and I hit it over the left fielder's head.' Crowell's extra-base hit helped Valparaiso take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, continuing a trend of early run production. 'Right now, that just seems to be what we're doing,' Evans said. 'We're hitting the ball well early on in the game, and then our pitching staff and defense can shore it up.' Crowell also doubled and scored in the third, providing more than enough cushion for him, according to Valparaiso senior catcher Max Reaume. 'Straight gas,' Reaume said of Crowell's pitching. 'He had a great day on the mound. His breaking stuff was in the zone, and he made them swing the bats. You can't ask for anything more as a catcher. He makes my life easy.' Crowell's performance also makes life easier for Evans, who would like to see Crowell pitch a few more times before he goes to South Bend. 'Caden's going to be playing at the next level, and right now he's just trying to win every game possible before he has to do that,' Evans said. 'Hopefully, that's about three more games.'
Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Uncommitted Daniel Coyle delivers three big hits as St. Laurence rolls past Lemont. ‘Never give up.'
A varsity starter since he was a freshman at St. Laurence, junior infielder Daniel Coyle has been one of the Catholic League's most productive hitters throughout his career. But while several of the conference's stars have scholarship offers from major colleges, Coyle's recruiting so far has been quiet. That's just motivation for Coyle, who still has a point to prove. 'I love playing with that pressure on my back to keep going and show everyone what I can do,' Coyle said. 'I love when people doubt me, honestly. People see me and they're like, 'Oh, look at that short kid.' 'I'll prove you wrong any day.' Consider Coyle's point made on Saturday. He came up with three big hits, including an RBI double, and scored two runs as the host Vikings rolled to an 11-1 win over Lemont in six innings in the Class 3A St. Laurence Sectional championship game. Danny Donovan had a two-run double for the top-seeded Vikings (34-5). Adrian Perez went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, Wisconsin-Stout recruit Connor Marino finished 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI and South Suburban College commit Ben Geary was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. It's the first sectional title since 2021 and seventh overall for St. Laurence, which will take on Simeon (20-12-1) at 5 p.m. Monday in the Crestwood Supersectional at Ozinga Field. John Strzechowski allowed four hits and six walks but just one run over 4 1/3 innings to earn the win as he consistently pitched out of jams. 'As soon as the coaches gave me this game, I was so fired up,' Strzechowski said. 'The guys were fired up. I knew I've got the guys behind me to win a sectional championship with.' Oakton recruit Zach Corse went 2-for-3, while Missouri-St. Louis commit Matt Devoy reached base three times and scored on a sacrifice fly by Zane Schneider for second-seeded Lemont (30-8-1), which fell short of making it back to state after last season's runner-up finish. That run last spring included a 9-0 win over St. Laurence in a sectional semifinal, and the Vikings were certainly hungry for revenge Saturday. 'This felt great,' Coyle said. 'That hurt last year. I really thought we had a great team last year, but this year, we have an even better one. We're tough, we're gritty and we're going to do whatever it takes to win.' Those adjectives certainly apply to Coyle. Just ask St. Laurence coach Pete Lotus. 'He's played with my son, Mickey, since they were really young and I've seen Dan be the best player on the field since he was a really young kid,' Lotus said. 'Over the years, other kids have gotten bigger or a little more physical than him, but he's still the same player. 'He's one of if not the best player on the field every single day. I think he does carry that chip because some other guys might get more college looks than him. But he's a baseball player and we'll take him anywhere on the field.' St. Laurence scored four runs in the second inning and four more in the fifth. Coyle's RBI double in the fifth came right after Lemont had cut the deficit to 4-1. 'He never gives up,' Donovan said of Coyle. 'He's always working. He's the biggest leader on our team, I'd say. He gets all the guys going no matter what, even if he's playing bad. 'Today, he had big hits. He can do it all.' Coyle is hitting .324 with 39 runs, 16 stolen bases, three homers and 41 RBIs. Batting third in St. Laurence's order, he's certainly smaller than most people who bat in that spot. But that hasn't stopped him yet. 'I believe there's no one better than me,' Coyle said. 'When I get to the plate, all I'm thinking is 'This pitcher can not beat me.' I believe I'm the best one out there. 'Not cocky, but confident.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Minnesota Vikings Defender Mekhi Blackmon Delivers Strong Statement at OTAs on CB Room Concerns
Minnesota Vikings Defender Mekhi Blackmon Delivers Strong Statement at OTAs on CB Room Concerns originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Minnesota Vikings' OTAs were open to the media on Tuesday, and some players had to come to the defense of their roster. Advertisement It's the second week for the Vikings at OTAs as this is voluntary workout for the players. This is an opportunity for new players and veterans to get back into game shape and establish a routine before training camp begins next month. There have been questions surrounding the cornerback room after the team did not select one in the 2025 NFL Draft. One Vikings defensive back was not having any of the criticism of the room on social media. Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mekhi Rempel-USA TODAY Sports Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon spoke with the media on Tuesday where he shut down the social media talk of the cornerback room not looking as strong. 'We got a real good room this year. I see a lot of stuff on Twitter. We got a real good room from Zay, Jeff, you know we brought Theo back, TT. A lot of new guys coming in we got a real good room.' Advertisement 'Y'all know. A lot of people are concerned about our room. I would say we have a real good room. A lot of good people coming in.' Blackmon is making a return to the field after missing all of last year with a torn ACL injury. He was originally a third-round pick of the Vikings back in 2023. Some of those additions he was talking about were Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers, who entered their first year in Minnesota. Byron Murphy Jr. is the veteran in the room alongside Blackmon, who is expected to compete for a starting job. At safety, Harrison Smith is the veteran and leader everyone knows as he is back for potentially his final season in the NFL. Josh Metellus is expected to compete for the other safety job. Advertisement The concern with the room is that they lost their top cornerback, Stephon Gilmore, to free agency. This is a Vikings secondary that was the fifth worst against the pass in 2024, allowing 242 yards per game. There is a ton of potential in the room, but it will all fall on how newcomers Okudah and Rodgers play. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has been high on Rodgers all offseason and sees him as an every-down starting corner. OTAs are only in week two, so it's premature to come up with conclusions, but it's fair to say the Vikings' cornerback room has heard the criticism and is ready to prove the NFL wrong. Related: Vikings Named Landing Spot for NFC North Rival Defender Related: Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Dealt Josh Allen Comparison by Former Bills Teammate This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
