The Cupertino junior won the singles crown in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League to qualify as one of 16 players to win a spot in this week's Central Coast Section singles tournament at Aptos' Imperial Courts.

Hijazi was a key player for the Pioneers in their perfect run to the division's team championship this spring, and he helped Cupertino reach the semifinals of the CCS Division II team tournament. It was the third year in a row that the Pioneers qualified for the event, but the first time it beat anybody.

"For some reason, we went to CCS, but couldn't get past the first round," explained coach Manny Zarate, reflecting on his team's quick exits from the event in 2003 and 2002. "This year we got over the hump."

Cupertino put together a 16-3 record in 2002, but lost 4-3 to Sacred Heart in the first round. Last season, the Pioneers once again were 16-3 but were eliminated by Los Altos 5-2.

The Pioneers, who were 12-0 in El Camino competition and 17-1 overall this spring, were seeded fourth in the 12-team affair. After a first-round bye, the Pioneers defeated visiting St. Ignatius of San Francisco 4-3. Four days later they fell 6-1 to eventual champion Saratoga.

Cupertino captured two singles matches and two doubles contests. Hijazi handled No. 1 singles and senior Anukul Shenoy won at No. 4, while sophomores Kento Takahashi and Mark Chu took the No. 3 doubles match.

"By the end of the match all eyes were on the No. 1 doubles team," Zarate said. "They were the only ones still playing."

Senior Daniel Do and junior Paul Gitnik had lost the first set 5-7, but recovered to take the second set 7-5, before closing strong to win the third set, 6-2, and give the Pioneers a different CCS fate than in the previous two seasons.

Other members of the Cupertino line-up are sophomore Lon Chang at No. 2 singles, senior Jayanth Parupalli at No. 3, and juniors Kishore Atreya and Shaoyi Zhang at No. 2 doubles. Freshmen Alex Nguyen and Phillip Chang have filled in at No. 3 doubles.

Zarate, who just completed his sixth year as the varsity coach, noted a big difference between this year's team and the previous two. Although a junior, this was Hijazi's first year on the team.

"He has played a lot of tournaments in the past, and really has not been available to be a part of a team," Zarate said. "A player of his caliber really helps the line-up."

After a first-round bye in the El Camino individual singles tournament, Hijazi won three straight matches for the title. He beat Homestead's Aaron Elbert 6-1, 6-2 in the finale.

Zarate put together his two senior singles players, Schenoy and Parupalli, as a doubles team to compete in the league tourney. They won three matches in a row, all in straight sets, before falling in the championship match to Fremont's team of Senthil Chidambaram and Dan Duong.

Prior to losing in the CCS semifinals to Saratoga, the Pioneers' only defeat of the season had been a non-league affair against Monta Vista.

The Matadors, like Saratoga, had competed in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL this season. They won the De Anza team title and earned the top seed in the CCS Division I tourney.

Sparked by Ken Kao, Brandon Low and Daniel Lee, Monta Vista beat Bellarmine and Aragon by 6-1 scores, before bowing to division rival Los Gatos 5-2 in the championship match.

Kao is one of 16 singles players gunning for the CCS individual championship this week, while Low and Lee are part of the 16-team competition for the CCS doubles crown.

The first two rounds of the single-elimination affair were set for May 25, with the semifinals and finals on May 27.