Highlanders have now won six of seven
The Piedmont High School boys tennis team swept a pair of matches and has now won six of seven.
The Highlanders defeated host Marin Academy on April 22, 5-2. Lucas Smolko defeated Will Young at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 6-1. Nick King beat Amrik Chattha at No. 3, 6-2, 6-2. Kasper Jansson downed Hunter Price at No. 4, 6-0, 6-3.
The Wildcats took the No. 2 match with Rex Rutchik topping Nate Welch, 6-1, 6-0.
In doubles, Gianluca Bini and Willie Tenney beat Luke Aspatore and Leo Fawson at No. 1 in the day’s best match, 7-5, 5-7, 10-7. Hunter Fasteau and Joey Assalian defeated Sam Nemer and Alex McDermott at No. 3 in another good match, 6-3, 2-6, 10-5. Marin Acamedy’s Sebastian Lema and Tyler Hakman downed Luca LaForte and Emilio Misra, 6-2, 6-3.
Piedmont’s Joey Assalian returns a serve during a match against Alameda on April 23. The Highlanders have now won six of seven matches after a 6-1 victory. 
Piedmont’s Robert Piniella returns a ball during a doubles match against Alameda on April 23. Piniella and Joey Assalian recorded a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory. 
Nick King follows through on a serve in a match against Alameda on April 23. King defeated Amrik Chattha, 6-2, 6-2, as the Highlanders won the match, 6-1. 
Hunter Fasteau concentrates on the ball during a doubles match against Alameda. Fasteau and partner Joey Assalian dropped their match but Piedmont won the overall match. 
Piedmont’s Gianluca Bini teamed with Willie Tenney to beat Alameda’s James Chea and Remi Banducci in the top doubles match on April 23.
The next day, Piedmont beat visiting Alameda, 6-1. The Highlanders swept the singles, with Smolko defeating Colin Pero at No. 1, 6-1, 6-2. Welch outlasted Eddie Luo at No. 2, 2-6, 6-3, 10-7. King downed Kyle Banducci at No. 3, 7-5, 6-2. Misra topped Johnny Sanchez at No. 4, 6-2, 6-3.
Bini and Tenney beat James Chea and Remi Banducci at No. 1 doubles, 6-3, 6-1. Piniella and Assalian defeated Luke Saum and Cayden Dang at No. 3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. The Hornets’ Levi Pero and Keenan Chav downed LaForte and Fasteau at No. 2, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Piedmont was next scheduled to face Bishop O’Dowd at Merritt College on April 29. The West Alameda County Conference tournament is scheduled for May 2-3 at Chabot College.
All photos by Damin Esper