Longoria

A.G. Longoria's curiosity was piqued on his morning commute more than a decade ago. Driving on the 73 toll road to his job as professional tennis coach at Mission Viejo Country Club, Longoria couldn't help but notice the mounds of dirt off to the side in Newport Coast. Then he received a phone call from Ken Stuart, who owns the Palisades Tennis Club and was on the athletic committee for this new campus. "I read this article in the Daily Pilot about this incredible school they were going to build," Longoria said.

Sage Hill School tennis coach A.G. Longoria has been named 2007 California High School Tennis Coach of the Year, the California division of the United States Professional Tennis Assn. announced at its recent awards dinner in Manhattan Beach. Longoria, who coaches the boys’ and girls’ teams at Sage Hill, has been at the school since its inception in 2000. His teams at Sage Hill, which competes in CIF Southern Section Division IV and is part of the Academy League, have won four league titles.

NEWPORT BEACH ? The words were simple, yet stern coming from A.G. Longoria, the Sage Hill School girls' tennis coach. "Here we go," he said, not shouting but loud enough to be heard. "One point at a time." He was talking to his No. 3 doubles team of Salen Andrews and Raya Tasker, who were involved in a thrilling set with Walnut at the Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club Tuesday. Andrews and Tasker, who were playing in just their seventh set of the season together, trailed, 5-1, in a tiebreaker to 10, but started to rally.

Bryce Alderton In his fourth year as the Sage Hill School boys tennis coach, A.G. Longoria has seen the maturation of a program that won its first CIF playoff match a year ago and has eyes on even greater prizes this season. The Lightning return five from last year's squad that went 9-8 and finished third in the Academy League. Longoria said Sage Hill can make a strong run for the league title this season. "Whitney and Fairmont played in the [Division V]

The Newport Beach Breakers won't be the only team playing World TeamTennis in Newport Beach this summer. Sage Hill School will have two teams in the High School World TeamTennis Summer League. The matches will be played at the Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club and will coincide with the Breakers' July season. "It's been really exciting," said A.G. Longoria, the league's commissioner who started it up five years ago. "It's a good way to get ready for the next season. Coaches love it because they get to see incoming freshmen and it's a good way to experience with doubles lineups."

One of the two local high school boys’ tennis teams in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section playoffs expected to be alive in this round. The other program wasn’t so optimistic of its chances. Corona del Mar achieved its goal. Sage Hill School has surprised itself. Each school doesn’t want its respective playoff run to end today. The third-seeded Sea Kings (18-2) travel to second-seeded Santa Barbara (16-1) for a Division I semifinal match at 3 p.m. The Lightning (10-10)

Richard Dunn When possibility thinking, Sage Hill School boys tennis coach A.G. Longoria sees his program as a virtual paradise with private-school amenities in the hub of a tennis hotbed. "We had 50 kids out for the tennis programs in boys and girls this year, and I told the athletic director and head master that a third of the school either plays varsity or junior varsity tennis," Longoria said. "It's a very small school. This is only our third year (with a varsity team)

CERRITOS - Each coach pulled out all the stops Tuesday in a key Academy League boys' tennis match. Sage Hill Coach A.G. Longoria put his top singles player, senior Robbe Simon, at No. 3 singles. Whitney Coach Wes Williams split up his top doubles team of Gabe Cupino and Alex Pham, putting them with other partners to try to bolster his overall doubles strength. Maximizing the number of sets won - or even games if it came to that - is nothing new for Longoria and Williams.

After a sterling senior class from a year ago graduated, Sage Hill School girls’ tennis coach A.G. Longoria could feel like he is starting over. But he doesn’t. The future looks bright for the Lightning, even after losing talented graduates like Sarah Geocaris, Stephanie Langer, Alle Hsu, Erica Spivack, Carissa Cummings and Salen Andrews. Included in that group are the top two singles players and four of the top doubles players from last year. That senior class helped Sage make it to at least the CIF Southern Section Division V semifinals for three straight years, winning the championship in 2005.

Liana Korber is now in her third straight year playing at No. 1 singles for the Sage Hill School girls' tennis team. In a way it makes perfect sense. Korber definitely is her own individual. She's the one who wears the multicolor shoes while on court, the shoes that are purple, pink and neon yellow with turquoise laces. "I saw these shoes on a commercial during the French Open, and I ran to the computer," Korber said. "I had to get them. They're just very 'me.' It's almost as if they had consulted me on what colors they should use ... I often clash, but I think it works, because it's me. " Korber also is the one with whom Sage Hill Coach A.G. Longoria will often joke, because she's always running off to go to some concert.

CERRITOS - Each coach pulled out all the stops Tuesday in a key Academy League boys' tennis match. Sage Hill Coach A.G. Longoria put his top singles player, senior Robbe Simon, at No. 3 singles. Whitney Coach Wes Williams split up his top doubles team of Gabe Cupino and Alex Pham, putting them with other partners to try to bolster his overall doubles strength. Maximizing the number of sets won - or even games if it came to that - is nothing new for Longoria and Williams.

A.G. Longoria's curiosity was piqued on his morning commute more than a decade ago. Driving on the 73 toll road to his job as professional tennis coach at Mission Viejo Country Club, Longoria couldn't help but notice the mounds of dirt off to the side in Newport Coast. Then he received a phone call from Ken Stuart, who owns the Palisades Tennis Club and was on the athletic committee for this new campus. "I read this article in the Daily Pilot about this incredible school they were going to build," Longoria said.

A.G. Longoria took two unseeded high school tennis teams deep into the CIF playoffs in 2010. Longoria's Sage Hill School boys' and girls' teams may have been unseeded, but he makes sure they're never unprepared. Longoria has been named the California High School Tennis Coach of the Year by the United States Professional Tennis Assn. Newport Beach resident Rick Leach, a pro at Newport Beach Tennis Club, was named California Touring Coach of the Year. They received the honors during a luncheon Sunday at the USPTA's annual convention, at the Manhattan Country Club in Manhattan Beach.

Sage Hill School boys' and girls' tennis coach A.G. Longoria will be coaching a team in the World Team Tennis Junior Team Nationals for the second year in a row. This year the tournament will be played at The Barnes Center in San Diego, today through Thursday. The event is the brainchild of Billie Jean King. This is the 15th annual event featuring teams from the 16 United State Tennis Assn. sections of the nation. King will be in attendance throughout the event and each team will play two matches a day in a 16-team compass draw to determine the national champion.

One of the two local high school boys' tennis teams in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section playoffs expected to be alive in this round. The other program wasn't so optimistic of its chances. Corona del Mar achieved its goal. Sage Hill School has surprised itself. Each school doesn't want its respective playoff run to end today. The third-seeded Sea Kings (18-2) travel to second-seeded Santa Barbara (16-1) for a Division I semifinal match at 3 p.m. The Lightning (10-10)

NEWPORT BEACH — Sage Hill School boys' tennis coach A.G. Longoria and Cate Coach Robert Bonning stood side by side for an intense five-minute meeting after Tuesday's CIF Southern Section Division IV quarterfinal match at The Tennis Club. Why? They were conducting an official recount of total games won by each team because the two squads tied, 9-9, at the end of 18 sets. The result? With both teams crowded around, fans swarming and parents pacing in the background, Longoria announced that Sage Hill had won, 80-79.

NEWPORT BEACH — Unable to clinch the match in the second round, Sage Hill School Coach A.G. Longoria gathered his girls’ tennis players. “Time to turn on the lights,” said Longoria before addressing the team as it began to get dark at Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club Tuesday. Shortly thereafter, the Lightning turned the lights off on Cajon of San Bernardino. Sage Hill won, 13-5, in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs, making it the fifth time in six years the Lightning have advanced to the semifinals.