The Gahanna Lincoln High School boys tennis team did exactly what it set out to do last Saturday on its home courts, winning all three singles titles at the OCC-Ohio Division tournament to defend its league championship.

The Lions, who went 7-0 in OCC-Ohio dual matches, finished the league tournament with 67 points to edge runner-up Pickerington Central (6-1, 58) for the title. Pickerington North (5-2, 43) finished third, followed by Grove City (4-3, 25), Reynoldsburg (2-5, 24), Newark (2-5, 20), Lancaster (2-5, 17) and Groveport (0-7, 14).

According to sophomore Stephen Cheng, the league tournament won't mean anything when the Lions compete in the Division I sectional tournament today and Saturday at Hilliard Davidson.

The top four finishers in singles and doubles advance to the district tournament May 21-22 at Davidson.

"To be honest, the OCC tournament doesn't really help me for the sectionals, because I played singles at the OCC and will play doubles in the postseason," said Cheng, who is seeded third in doubles with freshman Canyon Teague. "It's a different mindset because you're playing with a partner."

At the OCC tournament, the Lions didn't give up a set on any of the singles courts. Junior Jesse Shivener repeated as the first singles champion, defeating Central's Chase Thomas 6-1, 6-2 in the final. Teague won the second singles title with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Central's Dallas Stang in the final, and Cheng captured his second league title by beating Central's Ross Dinan 6-2, 6-1 in the final at third singles.

What may have tilted the tournament in Gahanna's favor was the play of senior Weston Hebert and sophomore Daniel Emoff at first doubles. The two surprised Central's Alex Fischbach and Marshall LeVett 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a semifinal before losing to North's Sam Prewitt and Dylan Bhaerman 6-1, 6-0 in the final. Sophomore Sam Raybuck and senior Demetrius Stevenson lost to Central's Mason Roese and Jacob DeVore 6-3, 6-2 to place second at second doubles.

"This is what they have been shooting for all season," coach Chris Schwinnen said. "We had three major goals this year - to win the OCC, to do well in the OTCA tournament and to do well in the sectionals and districts - and we accomplished the first one."

Gahanna is trying to end a five-year drought of not being represented at the state tournament. Its last state qualifier was David Koppel in singles in 2005.

The Lions will be competing with players from Davidson, Dublin Coffman and St. Charles at the sectional site.

Shivener was seeded second in singles, behind Coffman's Hiromi Nakayama, a state qualifier a year ago, and ahead of St. Charles' Weston Niermeyer and Olentangy Orange's Doug Ganim. He will play Hilliard Bradley's Andy Van or Northland's Austin Miller in the second round after having a first-round bye.

Teague and Cheng, who were seeded third behind Davidson's Ben McClarren and Trent Searfoss and Coffman's Pranav Magal and Daiki Kumasegawa and ahead of St. Charles' Jack Toscano and Grant Dolven, will face Olentangy's Alex Petrak and Adam Piccin or St. Charles' Michael Susa and Stuart Swartz in the second round after having a first-round bye. Hebert and Emoff also have a first-round bye and will face Toscano and Dolven or Olentangy's Kyle Oleksiw and Lars Vangen in the second round.

Cheng handled the switch from singles to doubles last year without much problem, advancing to district with graduate Will Raybuck last season. The duo lost to New Albany's Riyad Bennoui and John Buell 6-4, 6-0 in the first round.

Cheng said he feels more prepared to play doubles this season, as he and Teague played doubles together in the offseason.

"It takes a while to build a connection with your partner, especially if you haven't played together before," Cheng said. "But our connection is really strong."

Sam Raybuck will face Olentangy's Simon Hollerbauer in the first round and Stevenson will play St. Charles' Kevin Smoot in a play-in round.

Schwinnen said the pursuit of the OCC-Ohio championship taught his players what can happen when they focus on a goal.

"Winning the league will boost our confidence," he said. "We went into the OCC tournament with Central right on our heels and did what we needed to do."