All-Inland Boys Tennis: Claremont’s Caleb Settles and Mateen Ghafarshad are the IE Varsity Players of the Year

Claremont High School’s Caleb Settles and Mateen Ghafarshad, named IE Varsity Boys Tennis Players of the Year, share a moment on the court in Claremont on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

CLAREMONT — In the CIF Southern Section, each boys tennis league is allowed only two singles players and two doubles teams into its individual tournaments.

So with the Palomares League featuring three outstanding singles players, Claremont coach Kathy Settles had an obvious solution: combine her top two singles players for a doubles team.

Separately or together, Claremont senior Caleb Settles and junior Mateen Ghafarshad excelled, earning them IE Varsity boys tennis players of the year honors.

It is the third straight year Claremont got the award. Two years ago, Settles got it by himself, and D.J. Brownlee won it last year.

They played singles most of the year, with Settles going 45-3 and Ghafarshad going 44-4. And in doubles they went 16-2, making it to the finals of the prestigious Ojai Tournament, winning the Palomares League title and advancing to the semifinals of the Southern Section doubles tournament.

“They were definitely the best singles players in the area and the best doubles team. Chemistry is really important (in doubles),” Kathy Settles said. “I think what they appreciate about each other is Mateen fills some gaps for Caleb. And Caleb fills some gaps for Mateen. And they bring out the best in each other.”

Ghafarshad and Settles have known each other for about six years and started playing doubles together two years ago.

“I think playing the last three years (in doubles) helped develop that chemistry,” Ghafarshad said.

“We’re friends off the court. We’re also really competitive so we really want to win, and … we want to do it together,” Caleb Settles said.

Seeded No. 1, Settles and Ghafarshad advanced to the section’s doubles semifinals, where they fell to Trevor Nguyen and David Tran of Marina, 6-4, 6-3. They had defeated Nguyen and Tran earlier in the season, but Nguyen and Tran went on to win this year’s Southern Section doubles title.

Despite that loss, they both feel like they raised their level of play this year.

“I think my full game has improved since last year, which I expected,” Caleb said. “(It was) my ability to compete and find a way to win. Arguably we had a tougher schedule this year, and I felt like I had a more successful season than last year.”

Ghafarshad said playing more doubles has helped him make improvements in his game.

“I feel like my volleys improved a lot. I’ve noticed myself coming in (to the net) more in singles and being more comfortable at the net,” he said.

Ghafarshad expects to play more singles next year than this year, even though there is more unknown as the Wolfpack will have a new coach. Kathy Settles is stepping down as Claremont’s coach, but she won’t have to go far to watch her son play in college. Caleb will be playing for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, where her husband and Caleb’s dad, Paul Settles, is the head coach.

Caleb Settles finishes his Claremont career with four league titles: three in doubles and one in singles. He’s the first Claremont boys player to do that, Kathy Settles said.

“It’s pretty cool. I’ve been a part of four really good teams in my high school career,” he said. “As far as my senior year goes, it’s been a fun way to cap it off. Obviously, the result (in CIF-SS doubles) wasn’t the way I envisioned it ending. (But) I was happy overall with how it went.”

— PETE MARSHALL

IE VARSITY COACH OF THE YEAR

Trent Warren, Murrieta Valley

Warren guided the program to its most successful season in his 27th season at the helm. The Nighthawks finished the campaign with a 22-1 record and advanced to the CIF Southern Section finals for the first time in program history. Murrieta Valley won its first 22 matches of the year, and the lone loss was on a tiebreaker against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in the Southern Section’s Division 3 championship match. The Nighthawks didn’t just win matches. They were dominant, outscoring the opposition 345-69 during the season. Murrieta Valley reclaimed the Southwestern League title in unbeaten fashion by a combined score of 160-20.

— ERIC-PAUL JOHNSON

IE VARSITY FIRST TEAM

Laith Bannout, Redlands, So.

Alex Cho, Los Osos, So.

Mateen Ghafarshad, Claremont, Jr. (Co-Player of the Year)

Russell Kuo, Diamond Bar, Fr.

Logan Lao, Los Osos, Fr.

Ethan Lee, Los Osos, Jr.

Ian McGowan, Great Oak, Sr.

Owen Pearson, Murrieta Valley, Jr.

Caleb Settles, Claremont, Sr. (Co-Player of the Year)

Prubgeet Singh, Redlands, Jr.

Ronith Sreeram, King, Sr.

Brandon Vu, Ayala, Sr.

IE VARSITY SECOND TEAM

Kingston Bartsch, Murrieta Valley, Fr.

Keiran Bell, Murrieta Valley, Jr.

Joshua Bonner, Claremont, Sr.

Koji Cephas, Riverside Poly, Fr.

Roberto Federici, Murrieta Valley, Sr.

Liad Geldwert, Claremont, Fr.

Aidan Hever, Murrieta Valley, Sr.

Sidharth Maharana, Bonita, Sr.

Hayden Rentz, Redlands East Valley, Sr.

Dharmin Shodhan, Redlands, Sr.

Isaiah Sohn, Redlands, Sr.

Joshua Sorongon, Santiago, Sr.