The accomplishments and plaudits are accumulating for Yucaipa High sophomore Olivia Lewis.
Lewis is now the IE Varsity Girls Tennis Player of the Year. This comes on top of a year in which she won the Ojai Tennis Tournament Junior Girls 16-and-under division, was the Citrus Belt League titlist, and made the Top 16 at the CIF Southern Section singles tournament.
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“I think that I did pretty well,” Lewis said.
Yucaipa coach Scott Salinas was more outspoken.
“She is the most dedicated athlete I have ever had at Yucaipa High School,” Salinas said. “Her practice/tournament schedule is one of a kind, going all over the country. Even doing all that, she maintains excellence in the classroom. Olivia is a mentor to the other girls on the team and is always playing in front of a large crowd. She has very high expectations for herself, and this has kept her focused so she can reach her next goals after high school.”
Lewis was a force during the high school post-season. She won four consecutive matches to capture the CBL title, then won three consecutive to make the CIFSS Round of 16. She finally fell to Kiara Deng of Mark Keppel, 4-6, 6-7 (5-7).
That was on top of her sterling effort in April at Ojai. Lewis won five consecutive matches without losing a set. Included was a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Cassie Blakey of Palos Verdes Estates in the finals.
“I think I’ve improved in all areas – my all-court game,” Lewis said. “My style is offensive and aggressive. I like to take the ball early, to strike first. It’s just my competitive personality.”
Lewis, 16, is a dynamo – a 5-foot-11, blonde-haired nightmare for opponents, who tracks down shots with her long strides and generous reach.
She is also agile and limber, having taken ballet at a young age.
“It helped with my coordination and footwork,” Lewis said during the season.
Her impressive deeds have not gone unrewarded. She was recently named a five-star recruit by tennisrecruiting.net.
“It’s cool,” Lewis said. “It’s an accomplishment that I’ve been working toward for a long time.”
The only remaining rung for the Thunderbird to climb is to be named a blue chip (top 25 in the nation).
Also accomplished off the court, Lewis has a 4.5 grade point average with three honors classes.
High-level tournaments, no-joke academics … it’s a lot of pressure for a girl who has not yet reached her 17th birthday. Fortunately, Lewis has an outlet.
“I bake a lot,” she said. “Anything really. I find it therapeutic. Tennis and school can be stressful, but when you bake, it doesn’t need to come out perfect.”
— JOHN MURPHY
IE VARSITY COACH OF THE YEAR
David Gomez, Arlington
Gomez played for and was an assistant to longtime Arlington tennis coach Eric Biddle for a handful of seasons before taking over the programs at his alma mater six years ago. The Lions finished the 2024 season with a 17-3 record and captured the Ivy League championship in unbeaten fashion. Arlington outscored opponents 149-31 across 10 league matches, and the program produced the Ivy League’s singles champion and runner-up, and the doubles runner-up. Arlington qualified for the Division 2 playoffs — the highest division the program has competed in — and was 1 of 2 Inland teams to advance to the CIF Southern Section quarterfinals this year.
— ERIC-PAUL JOHNSON
IE VARSITY FIRST TEAM
Singles
Shelby Gross, Rim of the World, Sr.
Miranda Le, Chaparral, Sr.
Olivia Lewis, Yucaipa, So.
Aileen Nguyen, San Dimas, So.
Selah Park, King, Fr.
Madison Truong, Ayala, Fr.
Doubles
Karis Adan, Los Osos, Jr.
Sofia Andrade, Los Osos, Jr.
Nika Cait Crisostomo, Claremont, Sr.
Farah Ghafarshad, Claremont, So.
Jodean Millan, Los Osos, Jr.
Makayla Vo, Los Osos, Sr.
IE VARSITY SECOND TEAM
Singles
Ahana Giri, Citrus Valley, Jr.
Victoria Herrera, Great Oak, Sr.
Kaylee Lopez, Los Osos, Sr.
Madison Nehme, Citrus Hill, Sr.
Maya Nehme, Citrus Hill, Fr.
Julia Torres, Arlington, Sr.
Doubles
Ava Flanagan, Great Oak, Sr.
Chloe Lee, Great Oak, Sr.
Kaylee Joe, Redlands, Sr.
Gabriela Wainz, Redlands, Jr.
Ashlyn McGreevy, Great Oak, Sr.
Samantha Huang, Great Oak, Jr.
— ERIC-PAUL JOHNSON
