Change is positive for Patriots
Viewpoint tennis squad enters playoffs as top seed in Division V
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

The Viewpoint School girls' tennis team has finally found a division it likes.

After previously competing in CIF-Southern Section Division III and Division II, the Patriots found a home in Division V this year.

For the first time in school history, the Patriots won the Liberty League's team championship, as well as individual titles for singles and doubles play.

"It was good and bad when we learned we were moving from Division II last season," senior Brittany Beisswanger said. "On one hand, people were telling us we weren't good enough and we didn't belong. On the other hand, we knew we had a chance to finally do well at CIF in the new division."

Beisswanger and her senior teammate, Farah Samarrai, proved they belong by winning the doubles championship last Wednesday at the doubles prelims in Burbank.

Beisswanger and Samarrai have posted a record of 35-3 on the year, including their victory in the championship over the team's No. 2 doubles pair, junior Harley Joffe and sophomore Sam Spielfogel.

Joffe and Spielfogel are 24-11 on the season.

Sophomores Emily Mischel and Crystal Arnold also contributed for the doubles this season by going 27-7, good enough for third place in league.

"This season our overall depth is great," Viewpoint head coach Travis Kikugawa said. "But obviously, we win and lose with our doubles play, which we put a lot of emphasis on. And from day one, our doubles teams have delivered."

Viewpoint took the singles title thanks to its No. 1 player, senior Samantha Young, who's 36-6.

Young said having Kikugawa as a coach has helped her game.

"He always tells us to try harder and never give up," Young said. "He is a great coach. I became the No. 1 singles player on the team my first year, and he made me feel real comfortable with that role right away."

Kikugawa said it's been nice to see the team do well this year and credited a lot of the success to his five seniors- Gaby Massoth, Natasha Tan, Samarrai, Beisswanger and Young.

"I gave them the moniker the 'Fab Five' during their first year," Kikugawa said. "I've coached them since they were in junior high, and I've been very impressed this year in their ability to always find a way to win. It's rare that you get a class that's as solid as the one they are a part of. I'd be lying if I told you they didn't have a big part in establishing the tennis program at Viewpoint."

According to Beisswanger, one of the turning points for Viewpoint came when the team made it to the CIF-SS semifinals in her sophomore year. Another was when the team played Brentwood High last season.

"Last year we were playing Brentwood, and in the past we could never beat them because they were very good," Beisswanger said. "We finally beat them, and that's when we knew we had a pretty good team ourselves."

Kikugawa agreed with Beisswanger.

"That game was a huge turning point for us," Kikugawa said. "We were put in a tough conference that season with powerhouses like them (Brentwood) and Campbell Hall. You could see after that game the chemistry and competitive fire of this team really take off."

According to Samarrai, experience was a big factor as well.

"We are kind of an older team this year, and I think that helps us," Samarrai said.

"We've been playing together for a while now, especially Brittany and I as doubles partners. We've been playing tennis together since first grade, so we know what each of us can do and how each of us can help while playing."

Viewpoint has had a lot of success this season, and with another tennis powerhouse just down the street in Calabasas High, the area has become a hotbed for talent.

Samarrai said people shouldn't compare the two schools.

"We get as much recognition as we deserve," Samarrai said. "I mean, Calabasas and our team are two different schools playing in two different levels, so it's impossible to compare."

Viewpoint, the top seed in Division V, begins the playoffs today against Archer. Kikugawa believes the team can go far into the postseason, but a possible secondround match against Oaks Christian looms.

"It has been great to win a league championship, but I tell my team there's still a lot of tennis yet to be played," Kikugawa said.

"I'm really pulling for the girls for a lot of different reasons. It would be a fitting way to send all five of our seniors away with a championship. They are all going to be missed in their own way."