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It's a little early in the spring season to start crowning champions—especially since most teams have just started league play.
But the boys tennis team at Saratoga High School are already champs, even though the spring season is just a couple of weeks old.
Saratoga opened the year by winning the team title in the rugged 64-team Central California Tennis Championship tournament played Feb. 2728, hosted by Buchanan High School in Fresno.
The Falcons opened the tournament with wins over Vacaville (6-0), Bakersfield (5-1) and St. Ignatius (5-1) on Feb. 27, then came back a day later to top Palo Alto (5-1), Mitty (6-0) and Alameda (5-1) to win the team crown.
Leading the Falcons to the tourney title were singles standouts A.J. Kerin, Kevin Kaiser, Jeff Gast and Scott Juang.
Kerin, a senior, won six straight matches at No. 1 singles in the tourney, including a 7-6 (11-9), retired win over Phillip Kao of Mitty.
Kaiser, a sophomore at No. 2 singles, came through with a big 6-4, 1-6, 10-4 win over Jay Wong of Mitty, and Gast, at No. 3 singles, went 6-0 in the tourney, including a 6-2, 6-2 win over Eric Ramos of Alameda. Juang supported with a 5-0 record at No. 4 singles.
The Falcons picked up in the league openers where they left off in the tournament—posting clutch victories.
Saratoga opened the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division season with tight 4-3 wins over league powerhouses Monta Vista and Los Altos.
The Falcons opened the league season on the road against perennial league champion Monta Vista and pulled out a 4-3 victory.
Kaiser won a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 cliffhanger at No. 2 and Gast took a 6-1, 6-4 decision at No. 3 to lead the Falcons and Matadors locked in a 2-2 tie through singles play.
Jason Daniel and Albert Chiang teamed for a thrilling 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 come-from-behind win at No. 2 doubles and Jeff Hathaway and Brent Fong won 6-3, 6-4 at No. 3 doubles to help the Falcons claim the team win.
The Falcons improved to 8-0 for the year and to 2-0 in league play with the 4-3 win over Los Altos two days later.
Kerin started the Falcons on the road to victory with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles. Kaiser cruised 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2, Gast won easily 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 and Ravi Raghavan won handily 6-1, 6-0 at No. 4.
Saratoga lost all three doubles matches, but all were close decisions. Jon Ng and Juang lost 6-3, 7-5 at No. 1, Daniel and Chiang dropped a tough three-set nod 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 11-9 at No. 2 and Fong and David Lee lost in three sets 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 3.
Saratoga will try to maintain its winning ways this week. The Falcons visit Palo Alto on March 9, 3:30 p.m.
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