On paper, this probably should have been a rebuilding year for Northgate High's girls tennis team.

The Broncos graduated nine of the 12 players from their starting lineup, including No. 1 singles player Lauren Curry, a three-time league champion and third-place finisher at last year's North Coast Section championships. On top of that, longtime coach Verna Ogden announced her retirement from Northgate tennis after the Broncos historic run last season in which they won the Diablo Valley Athletic League and advanced to the semifinal round of the NCS team tournament for the first time ever. The Broncos also have no seniors.

With the regular season completed, this year has proven to be anything but a rebuilding year.

The Broncos were a perfect 12-0 in DVAL play and took home both the league singles and doubles titles for the second year in a row.

"We have some new freshmen and they've been a good addition," said sophomore Kimiko Kearney, the Broncos' No. 1 singles player. "I'm surprised how well we've done this year."

Kearney was 11-0 in regular-season DVAL matches and didn't drop a single set in that stretch. She followed that up by winning the DVAL singles tournament crown on Oct. 29 at ClubSport Valley Vista in Walnut Creek by beating Concord's Pauline Asuncion 7-5, 6-4.

The DVAL title gives Kearney an automatic berth to the NCS singles tournament, scheduled for Nov. 17-18 at Santa Rosa High School. This will be Kearney's

Advertisement
second NCS appearance — she played in the doubles tournament last year after winning the DVAL title with Kelby Tittel — but anticipates that this year's tournament will be much tougher.

"Singles is going to be a lot harder since it's the best (competition) in the area," she said, adding that she hopes to advance to the tournament's second round.

The Broncos also send the doubles team of juniors Kristen Curry and Sara Snowden to NCS. The pair beat teammates Stephanie Shimzu and Belinda Huang for the DVAL dobules title. With no seniors on the team, Curry and Snowden, the only returning juniors from last year's varsity team, took over as co-captains.

"They're really good leaders," said the Broncos' new head coach Lori Sakamoto, an assistant with the team last year. "They've planned a lot of fun things that the girls have all enjoyed."

The entire Northgate team, actually, is not done playing yet. With their DVAL team title, the Broncos will play at the NCS team tournament, beginning Nov. 10.