Foothill League boys tennis: Valencia caps perfection

By Dan Agnew

Posted: April 28, 2011 1:55 a.m.

All the pressure was on Valencia.

Going into Wednesday’s Foothill League boys tennis finale, it hadn’t lost a single dual match this season.

Its top singles and doubles players hadn’t dropped a set in league play.

Yet the Vikings were the more cool and collected team against West Ranch, making the shots when they needed to and winning enough close sets to take a 15-3 win at West Ranch High School.

It marks the fifth straight undefeated league season for Valencia (19-0, 10-0), a ninth straight league title and a 51st straight Foothill victory. read more ...

Foothill League boys tennis: Valencia too strong up top

By Dan Agnew

Posted: April 13, 2011 1:55 a.m.

When it came down to a couple of sets, the boys tennis team with more firepower at the top of the lineup held the advantage.

That team turned out to be Valencia, which bent but didn’t break against a resilient West Ranch squad in a 10-8 victory on Tuesday at Valencia High School.

The Vikings remained undefeated in Foothill League play, and West Ranch lost its first match of the league season.

“It’s just all in the head,” said Valencia doubles player Anders Jansson. “It’s such a mental game.” read more ...

Foothill tennis: Vikings prep for next phase

By Paul Putignano

Posted: April 1, 2011 1:55 a.m.

The Valencia boys tennis team has been on a tear to open Foothill League play.

Even though the Vikings continued their strong play against Golden Valley, Valencia head coach Annie Kellogg stressed the importance of continued improvement afterward.

The Vikings swept in doubles, beating the Grizzlies 15-3 on Thursday at Valencia High School, and will now head into the break focusing on developing their mind-set.

"The difference between a pro and the rest of us is they don't miss the easy balls," said Kellogg, who added that she plans to assign required reading over spring break. "The rest of us do. ... We going to work on our mental game and mental toughness. It's just trying to develop the whole player."

On Thursday, all facets appeared to be working, particularly in doubles. read more ...

Prep tennis: Familiar names on top

By Dan Agnew

Posted: March 20, 2011 1:55 a.m.

The ultimate measuring stick for Foothill League teams in boys tennis is actual league competition.

The next best thing is the Varsity Spring Smash, which featured all six Foothill teams as well as Granada Hill and Camarillo on Saturday at Valencia High School.

The host team was the big winner of the day, representing the winning singles player, the winning doubles team and taking home the overall points championship.

“We’ve been playing a lot,” said Valencia head coach Annie Kellogg. “They’re getting more confident in their games, and I think they’re improving a lot.”

J.R. Macalutas took home the singles trophy, defeating Camarillo’s Justin Anderson 8-5. read more ...

Prep tennis: Different and same

By Joey Gulino

Posted: March 2, 2011 1:55 a.m.

With just three returning starters from last year’s Foothill League champions, the Valencia boys tennis team is looking to develop its newcomers during the pre-league schedule.

The youngsters are coming along well so far.

The veterans aren’t too shabby, either.

Keyed by a sweep from No. 1 singles player J.R. Macalutas, Valencia beat San Marcos of Santa Barbara 11-7 on Tuesday at Valencia High School.

It was the second match in two days for the Vikings (2-0), who opened the season with a 15-3 win over Crescenta Valley on Monday. read more ...

CIF tennis: First loss is last loss

Valencia loses in second round to Beverly Hills

By Dan Agnew

Posted: May 12, 2011 1:55 a.m.

All it takes is a couple of points and it can all come tumbling down.

Valencia boys tennis dropped three neck-and-neck sets early in its CIF-Southern Section Division II match against Beverly Hills and couldn't recover, losing 12-6 at Beverly Hills High School on Friday.

The Vikings (20-1) lost their first team match of the season and were thus eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.

It started when Valencia lost five of the first six sets, three of them after leading early on.

All three doubles teams led by a game at one point in their opening sets but all ended up losing by a single serve break. read more ...

CIF tennis: More of the same

Valencia opens playoffs by doing what it’s been doing — winning

By Paul Putignano 

Posted: May 12, 2011 1:55 a.m.

 The Valencia boys tennis team didn’t lose a match during the regular season.

Nothing has changed in the CIF-Southern Section Division II playoffs.

Vikings senior J.R. Macalutas edged Atascadero No. 1 singles player Devin Barber and Valencia’s doubles ran the table in a 15-3 first-round win on Wednesday at Valencia High School.

The Greyhounds entered the match as the Pac-7’s third seed and coming off an 11-7 wild-card win over West Covina on Monday. read more ...

Foothill tennis: Rivals add to Vikings victory

By Cary Osborne

Posted: April 22, 2011 1:55 a.m.

The match was pretty much decided when both teams stepped onto the court.

This was going to be a Valencia boys tennis victory, and it was - a 16-2 win over Canyon at Valencia High on Thursday.

But the J.R. Macalutas-Jason Ferlianto matchup was supposed to be special.

And it was.

Arguably the top two singles players in the Foothill League had a match that could arguably be called the set of the year.

Macalutas owned the head-to-head career advantage at 2-1, including a 6-1 victory in their first meeting this season.

"Definitely, he's the person I play my best against," said the Valencia junior Macalutas. "I have a lot of respect for him."

Macalutas said this was a pairing he'd been looking forward to since last week and he took a 3-2 lead midway through the set.

Ferlianto, who dealt with back pain throughout the day, battled back into the match and ended up taking a 5-4 lead.

The Canyon senior also jumped ahead 6-5 and was up 40-30 with the serve.

Macalutas said that's the point where he took over. read more ...

Tim Myers: Prep sports shows lack of need for new high school

By Tim Myers

Posted: April 3, 2011 1:55 a.m.

In April 2006, the Hart Indians boys tennis team defeated the Valencia Vikings tennis team 11-7 when our oldest son, then a junior, played for the team.

Valencia and Hart would go on that year to share the Foothill League championship, splitting their two league matches in absolute dogfights, with Valencia winning the tiebreaker and getting the slightly higher seed in the postseason tournament.

Fast forward to March 2011.

Five years on, our youngest son, a sophomore, starts for the Valencia Vikings. They just completed the first week of league play. During that week, they defeated the Hart Indians 18-0, and more tellingly, 108 to 16 games.

Valencia won the Foothill League championship in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, not losing a single league match since. read more ...

Foothill League boys tennis preview: Vikings’ youth could open door

By Dan Agnew

Posted: March 22, 2011 1:55 a.m.

A team with talent is one thing.

Add depth and experience to the equation, and you’ve got a championship-caliber program.

To be precise, you’ve got Valencia boys tennis, which hasn’t lost a Foothill League match since April 26, 2006, an 11-7 defeat against Hart.

That makes it a 41-match winning streak for Valencia headed into today’s opening of league play, and it’s won at least a share of the last eight league titles.

The talent is plentiful once again in the 2011 season, but the Vikings (7-0) are far from the most experienced Foothill team. read more ...

Foothill League boys tennis preview: Recently singles

By Dan Agnew

Posted: March 22, 2011 1:55 a.m.

Athletes come in many shapes, sizes and abilities.

No matter the sport, there are always the types that were born with the talent and physique to advance to the highest levels of competition.

Some are flat-out bred to play from a very young age.

Then there are the athletes like Valencia senior Tayven Townsend, who never had anything handed to him as he worked his way through the ranks of high school and club tennis.

“As coach, you just can’t help but root for them on the sidelines because you know how much hard work they’ve put in,” says Valencia head coach Annie Kellogg. “And obviously sometimes they win, sometimes they don’t, but it’s always in the back of your mind that you’re really rooting for them.” read more ...