Riviera Tennis Club’s 12U team advanced to the finals of the Advanced Group Sectionals last weekend at StubHub Center in Carson.
The local squad finished first in its pool and reached the championship match, claiming second place out of eight teams (all of them division winners).
Coached by Paolo Caoile, the Riv Kids won the Satellite Southern California Finals in Indian Wells to move up to the Advanced division.
“I thought it would take one more season to win the division,” Caoile said. “Not only did they do that, they came in second in all of Southern California!”
The team consisted of Oliver Catanzaro, Nathan Caoile, Nicholas Arvin, Jonah Goodman, Lucas Unruh, Adrien Navarre, Michael Fourticq, Ethan Lai, Phillip Otero and Jordan Katz.
Arvin, a third-year Boy Scout, received special permission from Troop 223 scout master Michael Lanning to play championship day.
Against teams from West LA, San Fernando and Santa Clarita, the Riv Kids topped the regular season standings with a 7-1 record. Then, in the playoffs, they won eight of 12 sets against Angry Birds, RPTC Raptors and UCI White.
In the sectional finals Riviera faced Roland Garros-Vasileuski and lost 27-15 in games. Fourticq and Caoile won their pro set 8-3 at No. 1 doubles.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
