THE TIMES 1993 FALL ALL-COUNTY TEAMS : Optimism Comes Up Aces for Her

By DAVE McKIBBEN

Dec. 16, 1993 12 AM PT

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

ORANGE — If infomercial star Tony Robbins’ power of positive thinking is good enough for King Coach Barry Melrose and goaltender Kelly Hrudey, then El Modena tennis player Brandi Freudenberg figures it’s good enough for her.

“A lot of people would be like, ‘Oh, that’s all just a bunch of bull,’ but everything is really positive,” said Freudenberg, who was sold on Robbins by Bill DeRango, her coach. “When you have a good attitude and when people feel good about themselves, they’re always improving.”

Whether Robbins is responsible, Freudenberg is definitely feeling good about herself these days, and she’s certainly an improved player over last season when she was named The Times Orange County player of the year as a sophomore.

As a junior, Freudenberg was even better. She lost only one match all season--to Villa Park fresman Faye DeVera in the Century League finals--and advanced to the Southern Section individual singles semifinals before losing to eventual champion Amanda Augustus of Peninsula Palos Verdes.

Freudenberg lasted longer than any other Orange County singles player, and, as a result, she is a repeat winner of The Times player of the year award. In reaching the semifinals, Freudenberg handily defeated Valencia’s Jenny Gonzalez, her closest competitor for the award, 6-3, 6-1.

“I did better when the pressure was on this year,” she said. “The preseason seemed to be a build up to the CIFs.”

A nice showing in the USTA national indoors tournament, held a week before the section round of 16 play, didn’t hurt Freudenberg’s postseason success either. She reached the round of 16 in singles and lost in the doubles finals.

“The Indoors probably helped my mental game,” she said. “I’ve probably jumped up a good two levels in my play since last year. I have people come up and tell me, ‘You look like a different player.’ ”

Freudenberg said the biggest difference on the court is her newfound patience and confidence.

“I used to play too aggressively,” she said. “It’s been the hardest thing for me to be patient in coming to the net. Confidence had also been a problem for me. I knew I needed to step up my game. It’s been a long road.”

Freudenberg said that road is beginning to lead to more opportunities.

“I’m getting a lot of letters from colleges lately,” she said. “I think coaches want a player who has potential and is willing to change.”

ALL-COUNTY GIRLS’ TENNIS

BRANDI FREUDENBERG

Singles

El Modena, Jr.

Freudenberg saved her best tennis for the section individual tournament. She won four consecutive matches without dropping a set before falling to eventual champion Amanda Augustus of Palos Verdes Peninsula in the semifinals, 6-3, 6-3.

JENNY GONZALEZ

Singles

Valencia, Jr.

In compiling a 69-0 singles record, Gonzalez never lost more than two games until the section team finals, where she beat Pasadena Poly’s Miki Kanemitsu, 6-4. She reached the individual quarterfinals before losing to Freudenberg, 6-3, 6-1.

LAURA RUBEN

Singles

Mater Dei, Jr.

Advanced to the quarterfinals of the section individual tournament before losing to Camarillo’s Monique Allegre, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. While going undefeated in 51 sets during the season, Ruben, a transfer from Visalia, lost more than three games only once.

MARA COLAIZZI (Sr.), SARAH HAWKINS (Jr.)

Doubles

Newport Harbor

Two of the county’s best singles players during the season, Colaizzi and Hawkins teamed for the first time in the section individuals. They reached the finals before losing to Peninsula’s Nicole London and Amber Basica, 6-4, 6-3.

KELLY FOSTER (So.), TAMI DEMAREE (So.)

Doubles

Edison

Foster and Demaree played together much of the season and used their experience to upset two higher-seeded teams in the second and third rounds of the section individual tournament. The tandem finally was beaten in the round of 16.

JANAYE JOHNSON (Sr.), KATE KUNATH (Sr.)

Doubles

El Toro

Johnson and Kunath played singles during the season, compiling records of 50-7 and 45-11. They teamed in the individual tournament and advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Peninsula’s Jenny Cohen and Allyson Reeves.

THE SECOND TEAM

SINGLES

Faye DeVera

Villa Park

Fr.

Went 46-2 in singles; won Century League singles title

Sarah Denson

Irvine

Fr.

Won Sea View singles title; went 47-4 during regular season.

Dana Rudolph

Sunny Hills