Palo Verde nears state berth

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999 | 10:49 a.m.

Although Palo Verde's boys tennis team captured the Southwest Division with a perfect league record this fall, it was the Panthers' two non-conference defeats that really helped them prepare for the playoffs.

According to coach Tom Froistad, his club used recent losses to Bishop Gorman and Bonanza as motivation for this week's 4A Sunset Region Tournament, with his players often staying late after practice to fine-tune their games for the event.

On Wednesday, that extra work paid off, as Palo Verde exacted revenge on Gorman with a 13.5-9 win over the longtime area tennis power. A victory today over Bonanza would put the Panthers into next week's 4A state tournament for the first time in the school's four-year history.

"Everything for us changed when Gorman beat us during the season," Froistad said. "We decided everything we were doing needed to be changed. These kids have worked their tails off."

The loss ends the Gaels' string of four consecutive state tournament appearances. Gorman has finished second in the state to Green Valley in each of the past four years and has been to state in eight of the past nine seasons.

"We've had a lot of success all these years, and now we have to rebuild," Gorman coach Adolph Huddleston said. "With all the new schools in town, we're not getting all the kids we used to."

After taking a slim two-point lead into the third and final rotation, Palo Verde put the Gaels away by winning four of the final six matches. All three of the Panthers' singles players -- Billy Nolan, Noel Todd and Houman Noyabhoussini -- finished with two victories, and the squad's three doubles teams contributed five total wins.

"Every one of these guys put in a lot of work and it paid off," said Nolan, a senior who is seeded third in the Sunset's singles draw. "A couple of weeks ago these guys beat us, but we worked hard and we were pretty confident today."

Bonanza reached today's Sunset boys final with a 14-8.4 win over The Meadows. The Sunrise's two boys matches were far more lopsided, with defending state champion Green Valley sweeping Valley, 22.5-0, and Silverado taking out Rancho, 17-5.5.

All was not lost for Gorman on Wednesday, as the defending state champion girls team advanced with an easy 20-2.5 victory over The Meadows. The Gaels meet Bonanza, a 19.5-3 winner over Palo Verde, today.

In Sunrise girls action, Green Valley had little trouble in a 21.5-1 win over Valley while Silverado earned a spot in today's regional final with a 16.6-6 triumph over Rancho.