University High of Irvine and Menlo School received the top seeds in their respective boys tennis regionals in the CIF USTA State Championships, looking to produce a rematch from their March 15 semifinal showdown at the All-American Invitational.
The section champions first have to survive their respective two-day, eight-team regional tournaments May 23-24, in order to advance to the state final May 31 at the Sierra Sport and Racquet Club in Fresno.
University captured the inaugural state title last season under veteran coach John Kessler with a 6-1 victory against California High of San Ramon.
University High of Irvine won the inaugural CIF state boys tennis title last year with a 6-1 victory against California High of San Ramon | Photo courtesy of University High
The Trojans have won the past two Southern California regional titles and four overall championships since the event began in 2013.
Menlo School has secured 11 Northern California regional crowns since the competition started in 2004.
The Knights won regional championships in 2022 and 2023, before California High produced a 6-1 triumph against Homestead to secure last year’s Northern California title.
University (25-1) captured its fourth consecutive CIF-Southern Section Open Division title Friday with a 10-8 victory against Harvard-Westlake at the University of Redlands.
The Trojans have secured 16 section championships in program history.
University will compete Friday in its regional opener at Claremont Club against No. 8 Buchanan, the Central Section Division 1 champion.
Canyon Crest Academy, the San Diego Section Open Division champion, will square off Friday against Southern Section Open Division semifinalist Peninsula.
Harvard-Westlake is scheduled to face San Diego Section Open Division runner-up Torrey Pines.
JSerra, which lost in the Southern Section Open Division semifinals, will take on L.A. City Section Open Division winner Palisades.
The Southern California regional semifinals are also scheduled for Friday, with the championship match to be played at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Claremont Club.
Menlo School (26-1) awaits the winner of a play-in match Wednesday involving Lowell High from San Francisco and a representative from the Oakland Athletic League to determine its opponent Friday at Broadstone Sports Club in Folsom.
Menlo School won its 18th CIF-Central Coast Section boys tennis title to earn the top seed in the Northern California Regional playoffs | Photo courtesy of Menlo School
The Knights, coached by Francis Sargeant, won their 18th Central Coast Section title in program history Friday with a 6-1 victory against Harker School at Bay Club Courtside in Los Gatos.
California, the back-to-back North Coast Section Division 1 winner, looks to return to the state final and will take on Northern Section Division 1 champion Pleasant Valley in Friday’s regional opener.
Granite Bay, the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 champion, squares off against North Coast Section Division 1 runner-up Amador Valley.
Harker School will attempt to earn a rematch against Menlo School in the regional final, but first has to prevail Friday against Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 runner-up Davis Senior.
The Northern California semifinals are Friday, with the regional championship expected to start at 1 p.m. Saturday at Broadstone Sports Club.
University produced a 4-2 semifinal victory against Menlo School at the All-American Invitational, before falling 4-3 to Punahou School of Hawaii in the final. The Knights rebounded to take third with a 4-2 triumph against Memphis University Prep of Tennessee.