Piedmont High School’s boys tennis team faced two of the toughest squads in the West Alameda County Conference and came away with a split.
The Highlanders beat visiting Berkeley on March 20, 4-3. The teams split the four singles matches and Piedmont took two out of three doubles matches.
The Highlanders Arun Brahma and Monte Imburg beat Ben Taylor and Sasha Balusubruminian at No. 1 doubles, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-5. Nick King and Will Tenney defeated Bo Speins and Will Herndon at No. 2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. Berkeley’s team of Andrew Regan and Damian Rodl downed Hunter Fasteau and Kasper Jansson, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 3.
Piedmont’s Ben Breber beat Yanir Charney-Weintraub at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 7-5.
Piedmont coach Jim Landes said that Breber lost his first five games before sweeping Charney-Weintraub.
“Ben began slowly (that’s an understatement),” Landes said. “We had a brief chat where I happened to mention that this was a little crazy and he seemed to concur and won 13 straight games!”
The Highlanders Graham Alban defeated Elyasee Rais at No. 4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. The Yellowjackets Sze Ting Chew beat Lucas Smolko at No. 1, 6-2, 6-2. Berkeley’s Max Rodle downed Nate Welch at No. 3, 6-4, 6-0.
On March 19, host Bishop O’Dowd defeated Piedmont, 5-2. Breber was the only winner in singles, beating Elias Cross at No. 2, 7-5, 6-0. Neo Chai downed Smolko at No. 1, 6-1, 5-7, 11-9. Oliver Liao downed Fasteau at No. 3, 6-0, 6-1. Max Hamilton put away Jansson at No. 4, 6-1, 6-1.
In doubles, King and Alban beat Macello Sachelari and Jack Gonzalez at No. 3, 6-3, 6-4. Bishop O’Dowd’s Alex Byrd and Henry Hoffman beat Brahma and Imburg at No. 1, 6-1, 6-3. The Dragons Mateen LeClair and Lucas Tanaka defeated Welch and Tenney at No. 2, 1-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Piedmont hosted Mt. Eden on March 21. The Monarchs had just four players and the Highlanders won, 4-0.