But the Los Gatos High School tennis team didn't mind the long drive home from Folsom near Sacramento on May 22—not after the Wildcats edged Saratoga High 4-3 to win the Northern California high school championship.

The title match pitted the two local teams—Los Gatos, champions of the Central Coast Section Division I, and Saratoga, champs of the CCS Division II—at the Gold River Racquet Club in Folsom. And it was a Los Gatos sweep in doubles competition that helped the Wildcats net the crown.

It was senior leadership that sparked the Cats to the team win. Senior Jon Teel won at No. 2 singles, then the Cats won three straight in doubles action with seniors Chase Huebner and James Lok, Lee Gerston and Tin Tran and Drew Froehlich and Greg Thaler all teaming for victories.

Teel was leading 2-1 in the first set at No. 2 singles when Saratoga's Kevin Kaiser suffered an injury and was forced to retire from the match.

Huebner and Lok combined for a tight 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) win over Brent Fong and Scott Juang at No. 1 doubles and Foehlich and Thaler nailed a close 7-5, 7-5 win over David Lee and Jeff Hathaway at No. 3 doubles.

Gerston and Tran posted a convincing 6-0, 6-1 win over Albert Chiang and Jason Daniel at No. 2 to complete the doubles sweep for the Cats.

Saratoga dominated in singles play with A.J. Kerin, Jeff Gast and Ravi Raghavan each claiming victories.

Kerin outlasted Brian Brogan of Los Gatos 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1 singles and Gast bat Patrick Brogan 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3. Raghavan beat Matt Solomon 6-3, 6-1 at No. 4.

The Wildcats, who lost a 4-3 heartbreaker to Menlo in the NorCal finals a year ago, opened the tournament with a 5-2 win over Monte Vista of Danville and beat Davis 5-2 in the semifinals to get the title match against the Falcons.

Los Gatos and Saratoga had split their two matches in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League before going on to win their respective CCS championships.

Gatos coach Todd Dissly led the Cats to a 22-7 season record that included their second straight CCS crown.

"It was an underachieving year," said Dissly, "but to come together and work hard and to believe in each other makes this championship really sweet."

Los Gatos edged league rival Palo Alto 4-3 in the CCS semifinals, then topped another league rival, Monta Vista, 5-2 in the title match.

B. Brogan won a 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 thriller over Ken Kao at No. 1 singles to start the Cats on to the road to the victory against the Matadors. P. Brogan nailed a 7-6, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles for the Cats.

Los Gatos won all three doubles matches. Gerston and Tran won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1, Huebner and Lok won 6-4, 6-4 at No. 2 and Thaler and Foehlich won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 at No. 3.

The Gerston-Huebner doubles team will now advance to the CCS doubles tournament set for May 25­27.