Whitney Waltzes Into CIF Boys Tennis Final

Several high schools in Southern California have cultivated winning traditions in specific sports over the past couple of decades. However, when it comes to boys tennis, very few have been CIF-Southern Section championship contenders in three different divisions under the same head coach.

Whitney is one of those schools.

The second-seeded Wildcats clinched a return to the CIF Finals for the first time in five seasons Monday following a 10-8 victory over Sage Hills in the CIF-SS Division 3 quarterfinals.

Whitney (22-1 overall, 9-1 in the Academy League) will face the winner of the other semifinal, Valencia or St. Margaret’s, for the Division 3 championship next Wednesday, 11:30 a.m., at Claremont College. The Wildcats played Monday to accommodate Sage Hills' Senior Day.

“It’s always exciting to get this far, especially with the boys to get past the quarters,” said Wildcats coach Wes Williams, who has taken his team to the quarterfinals or further in 14 of his 19 years at Whitney. His only CIF title came in 2003 in the Division 5 final.

Whitney actually clinched a trip to the CIF Final after the first round of competition against Sage Hills when the Wildcats scored six points in singles play, then rallied in the doubles competition to score four points for 10 of the 18 points needed for victory.

“The team consists of no superstars. That is one thing I think is important,” Williams said. “But we have very good players and 11 hard workers on the team. Everybody is dedicated to playing their best. That is the key, I think, to winning. Everybody has to try 100 percent.”

The Wildcats have been led all season by their Big Five—twins Ruthwick and Sathwick Pathiraddy, who are the No. 1 and No. 2 singles players; Vignash Sadras, the No. 3 singles player; team captain Alex Pham and Gabe Cupino, who play doubles.

The Pathiraddy brothers are juniors and have led the team through their dedication to the sport, Williams said.

“Ruthwick and Sathwick are very good players, but I’ve already told them that they are not very athletic but they are extremely hard workers. I believe that is more important in life than being athletic.”

Sadras, a sophomore, is another hard worker and also not too athletic, “but he’s very steady and more aggressive than the twins,” Williams said. Pham, a senior, is a three-year starter and “a guy who doesn’t know when to quit,” said Williams, while Cupino, also a sophomore, is “the most athletic player that I’ve ever come in contact with in my 19 years (as coach). He can do about anything he wants with his body.”

As for the CIF Final, Williams said he expects to employ the same strategy as he’s done before in the playoffs: get strong play from his singles players for six players, then attempt to go after the other team’s doubles players for another four points.

But don’t expect this to be the end of an era. Although the Wildcats again will be moved up a level, to Division 2 boys tennis next season despite being a Division 5 school, Williams, who lives in La Mirada and soon will turn 78, expects to be back for his 20th season next year.

“I have an 8-year-old daughter so I told the principal the other day that I want to come back next year,” Williams said, who also coaches the Wildcats’ girls tennis team. “I wanted to make sure that she can still come with me to practice.”

Chances are Whitney will welcome both of them back.