The boys’ tennis team lost 4-3 to Torrey Pines High School in the semifinals of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Regional Team playoffs on May 17, and they lost 15-3 to Corona Del Mar in the semifinals of the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section (CIF-SS) Open Division playoffs. This is the furthest the team has made it in either tournament since they won the CIF-SS Open Division and the CIF Regional Championships in 2021. The team finished the season with an overall record of 17-4 and a league record of 6-0, winning their 28th straight Mission League championship.
Program Head Bo Hardt said the team was able to improve this past season, but the work is far from over.
“Our team grew because we added some good freshmen to the team and a couple guys improved during the off-season,” Hardt said. “For next season, we are going to improve on everything. Our players need to get better. They will all be in the gym and training together in the off-season. Other teams have better players,and we need to catch up. In the past, guys were free to train on their own in the off-season. That time is over.”
Singles player Alex Nickoll ’25 said the team was a tightly knit group by the end of the season but were disappointed to fall short of their ultimate goal.
“Throughout the season, the team got a lot closer,” Nickoll said. “Every grade level interacted well, and our team’s trips helped to connect the team. By the end of the season, we all were very comfortable with each other and united with the common goal of winning CIF. Unfortunately, we were not able to do so.”
In April, the team traveled to the McCallie Shootout event in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where they lost 7-0 to McCallie (TN) and beat Hinsdale (IL) 4-3. Doubles player Edwin Luhnow ’25 said the trip was very helpful for the team both on and off the court.
“The trip to Tennessee was a great bonding experience for the team,” Luhnow said. “From the flights to the team dinners, there were a lot of moments where the team was able to come together. Even though we faced some really tough opponents, the level of play at the tournament was really high, and it was good preparation for the rest of the season.”
Individually, Nickoll placed second in the Mission League tournament in singles. In doubles, Teddy Ingold ’24 and Andrew Kurgan ’24 reached the finals, while Colin Kennedy ’24 and Christian Stubbeman ’25 reached the semifinals of the Mission League tournament. Ingold and Kurgan also advanced to the round of 16 in the CIF-SS Doubles Championships.
Nickoll said the team will be working hard during the off-season to reach its goals next season.
“Right now, we have really strong players at each grade level,” Nickoll said. “We all have specific things we need to work on, but overall, we want to become better, stronger and more fit than the competition. I have been particularly impressed with the freshman class and can’t wait to see how good they will be next year. There are a few other very strong and young teams, so we have to outwork the opposition to put ourselves in the best position to succeed.”
