This year brought some school history for a pair of tennis programs, as the Millikan boys and Poly girls teams each won the first CIF titles in program history. Their accomplishments are No. 7 on our list of the top Long Beach sports moments of the year.
Millikan’s boys claimed the first of several CIF plaques that made their way to Long Beach in 2021, cruising through the Division 4 bracket as the top seed. The Rams were led by sophomore Andy Nguyen, a legacy of the program who is the fourth sibling in his family to play tennis at Millikan. After his freshman season was cut short, he won the league’s individual title as a sophomore and helped the Rams to the team title a few weeks later.
Head coach Tori Frapwell was in charge of both the girls’ and boys’ tennis teams simultaneously, making the accomplishment even more challenging and unique.
The Poly girls’ tennis team had a very different route through their D4 bracket, needing to win a wild card match just to get into the 32-team tournament. The Jackrabbits were dominant in their first four wins, however, winning by a margin no worse than 15-3 all the way through the quarterfinals.
The Jackrabbits made it to the Claremont Club for the finals and edged out San Dimas, 10-8, in an incredibly even match, making school history with the first CIF title in girls’ tennis. An impressive achievement for a school that has produced multiple Wimbledon champions, including the legendary Billie Jean King.
“It’s an honor to be a part of the Poly family and add to the lineage of championships, and just keep adding on,” head coach Douglas Schlueter said. “I’m honored to even be a part of this school, and our girls are amazing.”
Long Beach Poly Girls’ Tennis Claims First CIF-SS Championship!
