Tennis Anyone? Calabasas Boys Are a Perfect 13-0

Who says 13 is an unlucky number? The boys tennis team is a perfect 13-0 after defeating host Moorpark by a score of 18-0 on Thursday in a Marmonte League match, and the Coyotes, 7-0 in league, show no signs of slowing down.

“One thing I love about the team is they’re so bonded together and supportive of one another,” coach Kim Kinberg said. “Knock on wood because the season isn’t over, but we haven’t had any problems between the guys at all, none of that. I’ve been coaching tennis a long time, and that’s really rare.”

Calabasas plays again Tuesday in a key match against Thousand Oaks – the Coyotes already have defeated the Lancers once this season – and among the Coyotes key players are No. 1 singles player Brett Buford and teammate Jake Klein, along with doubles team Brett Ploussard and Adam Shapiro.

“Brett Buford is a big hitter with big ground strokes on both sides, a big backhand,” Kinberg said. “He is steady and very calm on the court, his demeanor.”

Buford, a junior, returns as No. 1, but Jake Klein is right with him. He’s a freshman with a big serve who plays more of a power game, and Klein is ranked among the top 16-under players in California.

Ploussard, a senior, is a 6-foot-1 lefty with a big serve and strong volley skills, and Shapiro is a converted singles standout.

What makes Calabasas’ streak even more impressive is the fact the Coyotes are without a home court because of ongoing construction on campus, so they’ve been forced to practice at , and home matches are being conducted at Agoura High.

“We’ve been displaced,” Kinberg said.

Perhaps Calabasas’ us-against-the-world mentality is helping.

“After the first set against Moorpark, one of the players come up to me and said maybe we should substitute so others can get a chance to play,” Kinberg said. “That’s amazing for kids to think about each other that way. A lot of them are really good friends off the court, and that has helped.”

Some of the other top players are Max Swerdlick, Nick Latman, Daniel Barrington, Adam Rapoport, Hunter Morris, Jason Shumacher, Branko Andrews and Adam Gabay.

BACK FROM THE DESERT

baseball team went 2-2 at the Coachella Valley tournament this past week – not bad considering the Patriots mostly were matched up against larger schools, defeating Desert Mirage 15-4 and Shadow Hills 10-5 and losing to Indio 15-0 and West Valley of Hemet 5-4.

“I think the whole thing was pretty beneficial to our team,” coach Frank Pontello said. “The one disappointment was the loss to West Valley because I think we could have beat them. We were pretty evenly matched. But if had won, we would have played La Quinta, and they’re a pretty big school, so we might have struggled. I’m pretty happy overall.”

Viewpoint leadoff hitter Alex Pachino impressed. The shortstop went 8 for 15, including 5-for-5 against Desert Mirage, finishing the tournament with three RBIs, three runs, a double and a triple.

Viewpoint (8-4) plays host to Yeshiva on Wednesday at 3 p.m., followed by a game Friday at 3:15 p.m. at rival Buckley in Sherman Oaks.

“Buckley is a big one because they beat us at their place last year,” Pontello said.

CALABASAS BASEBALL LOOKS TO GET BACK ON TRACK

After winning three baseball games in a row, Calabasas took a step backward Wednesday with a 5-4 loss at Thousand Oaks.

“We gave up four runs in the first inning, so that was a rough start, and it kind of set the tone for the rest of the game,” senior Jacob Fields said. “We tried to battle back, and we did battle, but they took the lead at the end and we couldn’t answer.”

Anthony Dicosimo hit a key two-run double in the sixth to forge a tie.

Calabasas (6-8, 2-5) looks to get back on track today at 3:30 p.m. against visiting Newbury Park.

“This is the next part of league where we play each other again, and we want to make some adjustments and finish strong to make the playoffs,” Fields said.