DeVera Finishes With a Double Play : Player of the year: Villa Park standout concludes her prep career by teaming with Becker to win section doubles title.

By DAVE McKIBBEN

Dec. 19, 1996 12 AM PT

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

VILLA PARK — Faye DeVera thought her decision to play doubles in the Southern Section individual tournament would prevent her from winning The Times Orange County player of the year award.

Instead, it helped her clinch the award for a third consecutive year.

“Faye already had a great singles career and she wanted to do something in doubles with a teammate [Katey Becker],” Brea Olinda Coach Bob Walton said. “That showed an awful lot of maturity on her part. When you tell somebody what a high school tennis player is all about, you couldn’t come up with a better example than Faye DeVera.”

Many Orange County tennis coaches echoed Walton’s sentiments. DeVera’s singles record of 50-1 was probably good enough by itself to earn player of the year honors. But when her section doubles title and her team-first attitude were added to the mix, DeVera was an easy pick.

“Wow,” DeVera said when told of her award. “I didn’t know if it was possible. That’s so exciting.”

Even more exciting for DeVera will be the opportunity to play college tennis in the Pac-10, probably the nation’s best conference for women’s tennis. DeVera signed a letter of intent last month to play for Arizona State.

“I’m really ready for the challenge,” DeVera said. “It’s going to be a lot different than high school.”

DeVera capped her high school career by teaming with Becker to win the section doubles title without dropping a set.

During the regular season, DeVera’s only loss came to Woodbridge’s Natalie Exon, 7-5. In her last three seasons, she won 149 of 151 sets in dual matches. But her most rewarding accomplishments are her Division II team championship she won as a junior and the individual doubles title she collected this season with Becker.

What will DeVera miss most about high school tennis?

“My teammates,” she said. “We’ve all become good friends. We get along so well and we have a lot of fun together. I’m going to miss that.”

What will Villa Park Coach Sue Gardiner miss?

“She’s such a team player and a neat kid,” Gardiner said. “I think I’ll miss her smile and her jokes more than anything.”

FAYE DeVERA

Singles

Villa Park, Sr.

DeVera was 50-1 in dual matches, giving her a 149-2 record over the last three seasons. She capped her career by winning the Southern Section individual doubles title with Katey Becker.

NATALIE EXON

Singles

Woodbridge, Sr.

After going 61-2 in dual matches, Exon won the Sea View League singles title and reached the semifinals of the section individual singles tournament for the second consecutive year.

NINA VAUGHAN

Singles

Corona del Mar, Jr.

A three-time Times Orange County first-team player, Vaughan went 62-7 in singles and reached the section individual singles semifinals before falling to eventual champion Zuzana Stunova.

WILLIAM LOU

Coach of the Year

Garden Grove

In his first two years at Garden Grove, Lou’s teams were 6-24. But the Argonauts have gone 35-5 the last two years, including this season’s 17-3 mark and second-round playoff showing.

DANIELLE HUSTEDT (So.), MICHELLE STIEFEL (So.)

Doubles

Woodbridge

Hustedt went 46-8 in singles. With Stiefel, she was 29-1 and reached the section individual doubles round of 16. Stiefel went 68-7 in singles and doubles sets.

MARGAUX PIEROG (Jr.), SUMMER TANTEE (Jr.)

Doubles

Dana Hills

As a team, they went 14-1 in dual-match sets and reached the section individual doubles semifinals. Tantee was 41-10 in singles, Pierog, 40-10.

CAYLAN LESLIE (Fr.), NADIA VAUGHAN (Fr.)

Doubles

Corona del Mar

Leslie was 56-9 in singles. Vaughan was 48-12. As a team, they won the Sea View League doubles title and reached the section individual quarterfinals.

SINGLES

Katey Becker

Villa Park

Jr.

Recovered from hip injury to go 27-3 in singles.

Etu Bugescu

University

Fr.

Won Pacific Coast League singles title.

Melissa Esmero

Mater Dei

Fr.