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Sports

Local Tennis Players Head to Ojai Tournament

The CIF and junior divisions are loaded with Palisadians looking to make their marks.

The 111th Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament is being played this week in Ventura County and a number of Palisadians will begin play Thursday in the high school and junior divisions. Draws were released Tuesday and matches begin Thursday morning at sites in and around Ojai. 

It's been over 10 years since has won the Griggs Cup, awarded to the school with the most combined wins in singles and doubles, and Coach knows the Dolphins are a long shot to win it this spring.

" got a really tough first-rounder in singles and in doubles  and  play a strong team. would've had a good shot in the 16s, but he withdrew."

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Thornton faces Troy Chavez of Temecula Valley in the first round Thursday morning. Should he win, he would play either Mason Lewis of Oaks Christian or Nicolas Pollero of Santa Barbara in the second round at 2 p.m.

Licona and Pekar play Brentwood School's Adam Schwartz and Victor Vu in the first round Thursday at 12:30 p.m. The winner has to play again at 3:30 p.m. 

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, Oliver's brother, entered the qualifying draw of the men's Open division, but lost 6-1, 6-3 in the first round Tuesday to Brian Patrick Foley of Henderson, Nevada. In the same division, won his first qualifying match over Hong Lu of Sandy, Utah, but retired due to illness at 6-5 in the first set against Dante Saleh of Newport Beach. 

, who lives in Pacific Palisades but plays for Brentwood, is at the top of the bracket in the boys' CIF singles division and will take on Jake Douglas of Palos Verdes in the first round Thursday morning. 

Several other Palisades High players will be competing in other divisions. will play Oxnard's Corey Karen in the first round of the boys' 16s. Former Palisades High player is seeded No. 8 in the division and plays Derek Levchenko of Redondo Beach in the first round.

In the boys' 14s singles draw, will take on Vatsal Bajpai of Long Beach and will play Garrett Kurtz of Newport Beach in the first round Thursday morning while has a bye into the second round. 

has a first-round bye in the girls' 14s and fellow Palisadian has a bye in the first-round of the girls' 16s draw.  

, who grew up in Pacific Palisades and played for Brentwood School, will look to repeat as champion in the doubles division. As a freshman last year he teamed with Cardinal junior Greg Hirshman to capture the title. This year, Kehrer is paired with freshman Daniel Ho and they play USC's Peter Lucassen and Michael Grant on Friday at 4 p.m.

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