Locals bounced at junior sectionals

FOUNTAIN VALLEY — Several made it deep into the second week but couldn’t quite get over the hump.

The Huntington Beach contingent was gone after Saturday’s play at the 107th annual Southern California Junior Sectional tennis championships at Los Caballeros Sports Village.

Top-seeded Eric Nguyen of Huntington Beach fell in the semifinals of the boys’ 10 singles, 6-2, 6-4, to No. 3-seeded Connor Hance of Torrance.

“I wasn’t patient,” Nguyen said. “I was just trying to hit winners.”

Nguyen’s friend Max Cancilla, also of Huntington Beach, lost earlier Saturday in the quarterfinals of the boys’ 12 singles to Eduardo Nava of Woodland Hills, 7-5, 6-0. Cancilla, who won the boys’ 10s singles title at this tournament last year, was the No. 3 seed this year in the 12s.

He couldn’t quite hold on after opening up a 4-1 lead in the first set against the fast-charging Nava.

“He’s a hard hitter and he’s pretty good,” Cancilla said. “I just couldn’t close out the first set.”

Also Saturday, Ocean View High senior-to-be Katie Cecil fell in the Round of 16 of the girls’ 16 singles. She lost to No. 3-seeded Riko Shimizu of Ojai, 6-1, 6-2.

Cecil has teamed with her sister Melissa in the past, but Melissa just graduated from Ocean View and has joined the U.S. Navy. Katie Cecil is also encouraged now, though, because she’s come back strong after an ankle injury sidelined her for a couple of months.

“I felt like I was nervous out there,” she said after a 6-1, 6-2 Round of 32 victory over Hazuki Onaga of El Segundo. “I just stayed strong and tried to go for every ball ... I’m excited [to be back]. But it’s a lot of work. It’s just a lot of training.”

The Southern California junior sectionals is the largest junior tennis tournament in the country.