Success in boys’ tennis is not a surprising at Burbank High as the Bulldogs are traditionally strong.
After making a name for being strong in doubles in the 1990s, Burbank is now outstanding in singles play.
Thursday the visiting Bulldogs did not surrender a game in singles, in a 13-5 victory over rival Burroughs.
The win comes two days after Burbank topped Arcadia 10-8 to create a tie for the league title. Arcadia had not lost a match in league since 2013. Burbank also gets a share of league title, its first since 2007. Burbank once had a 14-year league championship streak from 1988 to 2001.
“I think we’re pretty stoked that the playoffs are coming. I think we’re ready for it. If we have a great mindset I think we can make it to the finals,” said No. 1 singles player Adam Ridaoui, who will be shooting to win his third individual league title next week. The cancellation of the season in 2020 prevented him from the chance at a fourth title.
Ridaoui, who is undecided on a college, said finally get a win over Arcadia was huge.
“I’ve played them for four years now and I got the (idea) on how they play and I think Amrith has got it too (Kodumuri),” Ridaoui said. “It takes a lot of practice beforehand to deal with Arcadia.”
Burbank (12-1, 11-1 in league), took advantage of a young Burroughs singles lineup as Bears coach Roy Bernhardt moved his top players down to doubles in an effort to win some sets.
Ridaoui, No. 2 singles player Amrith Kodumuri, who is just a sophomore and No. 3 player and freshman Raphael Lazaryev played against Burroughs Bevan Maxwell, Sean Konkle and Ari Pathak. Burroughs also had two substitutes in Theo Pynchon and Iulian Lundberg. None were able to crack the Bulldog trio, who won all nine sets by 6-0 scores.
In doubles, Burroughs (6-7 overall, 6-6 in league) team of senior Michael Fraser and sophomore Bernard Woods teamed up and earned a sweep. They defeated the Burbank team of David Kerimyan and James Basco, by a 6-3 score. They defeated the Burbank team of Edouard Oganesian and Dominic Aleman 6-0 and the team of Blake Lewis and Vamsi Chintha 7-6(7-3).
Burbank’s No. 2 doubles team of Oganesian and Aleman defeated the Burroughs No. 2 team of Zach Bary and Paul Vu 6-1 and the Burroughs No. 3 team of Vivek Bhakta and Kaiain Bates, 6-0.
