Cherry Creek, Kent Denver claim boys tennis team championships

DENVER – There was a point – albeit a brief point – where Regis Jesuit had a 3-1 edge over Cherry Creek. But there was stress. There was no panic.

There was just the remaining three positions on the court keeping their heads down and trying to focus on doing their job. And that’s how things fell their way. The Bruins picked up a win in No. 4 doubles. Then Aiden Washer finished off Sebastian Wright in the third set. And finally, the crowd rallied around Sam Migliaccio and Devan Shah as they battled back after dropping their first set 6-0.

For the fifth straight year and the 47th time in program history, Cherry Creek is the Class 5A boys tennis state champion.

“I just had to to hit my shots and play my game,” Washer said. “I just had to stay really consistent and really solid, especially with my mental game.”

Which was no easy task with the way the early matches played out. Charlie Stern made quick work of Alec Rodriguez-Fields 6-3, 6-1 to put the Bruins ahead 1-0. In a matter of minutes, the Raiders grabbed wins in No. 1 doubles, No. 2 doubles and No. 2 singles to put them just one point from knocking Creek from its cozy spot on the pedestal.

But position by position, Creek starting picking up wins and seizing momentum. After getting blanked in the first set, Migliaccio and Shah battled to win a tiebreaker in the second and then cruised to a 6-2 win the third, getting ambushed by their teammates as a result.

Although it is the fifth straight title for Creek, the program has consistently turned over its roster and maintained its competitiveness in that span. And that gives each championship a fresh feeling each fall.

“It’s my first,” Washer said. “It’s great to be continuing that tradition.”

Class 5A

POSITION	WINNER	RESULT
No. 1 singles	Charlie Stern (Cherry Creek)	def. Alec Rodriguez-Fields (Regis Jesuit) 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 singles	Blake Wright (Regis Jesuit)	def. Jack Loehr (Cherry Creek) 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 singles	Aidan Washer (Cherry Creek)	def. Sebastian Wright (Regis Jesuit) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2
No. 1 doubles	Clay Dickey & Vlad Sukhovetskyy (Regis Jesuit)	def. Trevor Robinson & Luke Norford 6-4, 6-4
No. 2 doubles	Wills Possehl & Tyson Hardy (Regis Jesuit)	def. KC Eckenhausen & Adam Rydel (Cherry Creek) 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 doubles	Sam Migliaccio & Devan Shah (Cherry Creek)*	def. Carl Siegel & Edward Samuelson (Regis Jesuit) 0-6, 7-6, 6-2
No. 4 doubles	Mitch Kelly & Truman Wooden (Cherry Creek)	def. Aiden Prananta & Spencer Buege (Regis Jesuit) 7-6, 7-5

**

Kent Denver Golden in run to 4A title

For as quickly as Nathan Gold got Kent Denver on the board, the final team point was an exercise in patience. The Sun Devils eventually broke through with Jack Cramer & Simon Hirsch getting a 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 win in No. 2 doubles to give them their fourth straight Class 4A boys tennis title and the 14th in school history.

But it also started with that early momentum burst from Gold.

“It’s been huge this season,” Gold said. “When I finish pretty early, it really pumps up my teammates and I can really go help them and give them the boost they need on the court.”

The final dual of the team tournament came just days after Gold claimed his third individual championship at Pueblo City Park. The senior made the 3-for-3 sweep complete, which was high on his goals list heading into the year. But his favorite part was getting to enjoy it with his teammates and friends.

“The goal is to win as a team,” Gold said. “My mission was to come out and support my team every day. And we did it. We beat CA. It was closer than I expected, but we got the job done and I’m super proud of my teammates.”

After Gold snagged his win, The Mustangs got on the board as Hendrick Jordaan and Peter Owen got a 6-1, 6-4 win in No. 4 doubles and Marcus Mango beat Max Gart 6-1, 7-5 in No. 3 singles.

But the Sun Devils took care of business the rest of the way. They got No. 1 doubles and No. 3 doubles, flipping the individual final result from Saturday where Colorado Academy took Gold.

Then the battle for the winning point came as Will Moldenhauer was headed to a tiebreaker in the second set when Cramer and Hirsch closed out the championship-winning point.

Class 4A

POSITION	WINNER	RESULT
No. 1 singles	Nathan Gold (Kent Denver)	def. Charlie May (Colorado Academy) 6-3, 6-0
No. 2 singles	N/A	N/A
No. 3 singles	Marcus Mango (Colorado Academy)	def. Max Gart (Kent Denver) 6-1, 7-5
No. 1 doubles	Liam O’Drobinak & Noah Bogel (Kent Denver)	def. Jackson Gilliland & Charlie Rakowski (Colorado Academy) 6-4, 6-4
No. 2 doubles	Jack Cramer & Simon Hirsch (Kent Denver)*	def. Craig Stapleton & Jackson Turner (Colorado Academy) 5-7, 6-2, 7-5
No. 3 doubles	Cole Fenton & Vyaan Chopra (Kent Denver)	def. Bennett Neely & Oliver Neely (Kent Denver) 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 doubles	Hendrick Jordaan & Peter Owen (Colorado Academy)	def. Reid Calamari & Cabot Miner (Kent Denver) 6-4, 6-4