To win their opening round playoff match against Mayfair (Lakewood), Santa Ynez tennis coach Larry Popkin needed two things to happen.

He needed the Pirates to get off to a strong start and he needed an all-league doubles player to do well at number two singles.

Mission accomplished.

Winning five on the first six sets in round one and riding a three-set sweep by freshman Miles Seemann, Santa Ynez defeated Mayfair 12-6 in a CIF Division IV first round match at Santa Ynez High on Thursday afternoon.

Santa Ynez, the top seed from the Los Padres League, earned a tough draw with Mayfair, a number two seed out of the Suburban League. The Monsoons finished 10-2 in the league behind first place Cerritos, who is the top seed in all of Division IV.

“We talked about first round play over and over again the last couple months,” Popkin said. “The first round has become a big deal for us and has paid off big. The response of our team in the first round has been great.”

Number one singles player Juan Ferrer played his usual sparkling tennis, sweeping through his sets 6-2, 6-1, 6-0. But Popkin was forced to change things up behind Ferrer. Singles player Evan Ineman had a slightly injured ankle, so the coaching staff moved him to No. 1 doubles with Brandon Mann and moved Seemann - an all-league first teamer - to the No. 2 singles spot.

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“Miles played doubles all year, but we moved him to singles this week,” explained assistant coach and father Walt Seemann.

Miles' mother was a very good player in her own right. Lisa Blacksure-Seemann was a doubles player who has competed in the Australian Open.

Seemann, a teaching pro at Alisal, said the move was to protect Ineman's injury and to allow him to still make a contribution.

“Miles responded well, losing only four games in three sets,” Seemann continued.

“I like singles, but with Curtis (Cole) I've been doing good,” Miles Seemann explained. “And Curtis has done well with other people too.”

Seemann won his three sets 6-3, 6-1, 6-0, while Cole -with partner Mason Van Valin -took two-of-three sets 0-6, 6-3, 6-2.

“His whole game improved from the very beginning of the year,” Popkin said about Seemann. “Playing with somebody like Curtis Cole - gave him the maturity on the court and the calmness.

“Miles is an unusual ninth-grader and his potential is endless. I'm so impressed with his total game - the mental and the physical. Mental is just as important.”

Ineman favored well moving back to doubles, winning his three sets with partner Brandon Mann 6-4, 6-4, 6-1.

“You have to remember he was the MVP in doubles last year, he's the ultimate doubles player,” Popkin said. “As a senior I gave him the choice and he chose singles. And he has done well there.

“But he is probably the best doubles player on the team. Curtis and Evan - whoever we put them with, it has brought out the best in every player.”

Miles Seemann has a confidence well beyond his age and was able to control the play in all three of his sets. And he was able to use some doubles techniques in his singles game as well.

“I go to the net a lot just like doubles where you are supposed to go to the net,” he explained. “So I usually hit approach shots, come to the net and finish the point off.”

His father echoed the strategy.

“Doubles can really pay off in singles too,” Walt Seemann said. “When you get a short ball you can get a good approach and put it away. But you have to be a little more patient in singles than in doubles.”

The Pirates will next play a second round match at Estancia in Costa Mesa on Saturday. The Eagles (12-5), the No. 2 seed from the Orange Coast League defeated Mark Keppel 13-5 in their first round meeting.

May 9, 2008