Late rally lifts Hedberg into State quarterfinals

SBCC's Sasha Hedberg won two matches on Friday to move into the quarterfinals of the CCCAA State Men's Tennis Championships.

The sophomore from Oxnard High swept Erik Martinez of Mt. San Antonio 6-1, 6-4 in the Round of 32 at Pacifica High in Oxnard at 8 a.m., then came right back to play at 11 a.m.

Hedberg fell behind No. 14 Bruno Figlia of state champion Irvine Valley 6-2, 5-4 and 30-love and was just two points from elimination. Then he changed gears and reeled off nine straight games to pull out a 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 victory.

"He started a little slowly, then settled in," said coach Randy Moharram. "It was really an amazing comeback."

Hedberg, the No. 5 seed in the South, is 12-2 in singles this year. He'll compete in the "Battle of the Sashas" in Saturday's quarterfinals, taking on Sasha Krasnov (No. 3 South), a freshman from the Ukraine who plays for Cerritos. The match will take place at the Ojai Racquet Club at 9:30 a.m.

In another Round of 32 match, SBCC's Emerson Sekban lost to Agustin Lombardi (No. 11 South) of Cerritos, 6-3, 6-2.

Sekban and Andrew Tufenkian, a freshman from Dos Pueblos High, dropped a Round of 32 doubles match to top-seeded Sam Cohen/Javi Velasco of Irvine Valley, 6-3, 6-3.