At the Biszantz Family Tennis Center, Fountain Valley High School senior Katelyn Nguyen played what might be her final competitive tennis match on Wednesday morning. This seemingly ordinary event, however, marked a significant moment in the school's tennis history. Coach Harshul Patel proudly announced that Nguyen and junior partner Kendra Ly became the first doubles team in program history to reach the round of 16 at the CIF Southern Section Individuals tournament. It was just one part of an extraordinary season for Fountain Valley, which achieved the highest ranking - No. 5 in the Open Division - in its history.

Leaving a Mark

Nguyen expressed her pride in putting Fountain Valley on the map. "Before, people were like, 'Fountain Valley who?' Now they’re going to be like, 'Fountain Valley, oh, dang.' " Her journey with the team has been one of growth. As a freshman, the team was in Division 3, and by her senior year, they reached the Open Division. In her sophomore year, the Barons made it to the Division 2 title match before losing to Beverly Hills. 1: The duo started their round of 16 match against Lyric Wilson and Betty Chen of Sierra Canyon with a slow start. They battled to 3 - 3 in the second set, showing their determination. "We just needed to warm up a little bit, but they’re obviously really good players," Nguyen said. "It was just the attitude, the mental [aspect] of it." Wilson served for the match at 5 - 4 in the second set, and the Barons earned a break. But Sierra Canyon returned the favor on Ly's serve, ending the match. 2: This season, Nguyen and Ly were the Sunset League doubles champions. Their success was a testament to their hard work and teamwork. They faced tough opponents throughout the tournament but never gave up. Their journey has inspired other players at Fountain Valley and beyond.

Polina Briggs' Journey

Corona del Mar junior Polina Briggs also made a mark in the individual season. She advanced to the penultimate day of the tournament but lost 6 - 1, 6 - 2 to Sophia Dumitrascu of Yorba Linda in a singles round of 32 match. Briggs, the Sunset League singles champion, felt the same sense of growth and improvement. The Sea Kings beat Fountain Valley twice in league and again in the Open Division quarterfinals before falling in the semifinals to top-seeded eventual champion Palos Verdes. 1: Dumitrascu, a left-handed player, was a bit too consistent for Briggs. Briggs admitted that it was her third time losing to the Mustangs standout, the first two coming in junior tournaments. "She has really good volleys," Briggs said. "It was kind of hard to come up to the net with her just because she kept hitting it so deep, so I feel like I have to work on that. I kept hitting it short, so it was easier for her to come in." 2: Despite the loss, Briggs was proud to have qualified for the tournament. "It feels good to qualify, obviously. I think I definitely could have played better, but it is what it is. It feels good to come here anyway and represent Corona del Mar."