DENVER – Siblings are used to fight for each other so when a state championship was in reach, Kent Denver’s Andrew and Zach Morgan had no problem drawing that energy for themselves and their teammates.
They held off a resilient effort from Colorado Academy’s Luca Siringo and Jackson Turner 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to win the fourth point in the Class 4A boys tennis championship dual.
That fourth point halted play altogether to give the Sun Devils a 4-0 win and a third straight boys tennis team championship.
“It feels great,” Zach Morgan said. “Last year we fell short in the individual championship, we lost in the semifinal in Pueblo. This year to end up first place in individual and win team state, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
And to get it done with his twin brother only added to the experience. In some ways, a sibling partnership could seem catastrophic when trying to accomplish a goal that the rest of a team is counting on. But there is no doubt the Morgan brothers are close.
It can be seen with the way they share the court, knowing exactly what shot needs to be delivered and trusting the player in position to deliver it.
“Some people think it’s hard to play with your twin brother,” Andrew Morgan said. “I just have a really special connection with him. It’s fun to go out there on the court and to win like that with my twin brother and win the clincher, I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
They were in that position thanks to early momentum that two of the Sun Devils singles positions seized. Max Gart scored the first point of the day for Kent as he beat Jackson Wells 6-1, 6-2. Liam O’Drobinak and Noah Bogel quickly followed up that win with a 6-3, 6-4 win in No. 4 doubles.
Then Seb Boada took down Jackson Gilliland 6-4, 6-4 to put the Sun Devils ahead 3-0. Every match for the Mustangs at that point was a must-win. But even Charlie May built an early lead over Will Moldenhauer in No. 1 singles, the Kent Denver junior battled back, nearly pulling even before the Morgan brothers wrapped up the championship.
This was a Kent Denver team that saw everyone play their role and play it to perfection.
“I started my match pretty scared because [Gilliland] just won the [individual] state championship,” Boada said. “I was pretty nervous but I knew I could beat him. I just focused and I pulled something out.”
This is the 13th boys tennis team championship in Kent Denver history. The Sun Devils have also won three in a row dating back to the 2021 season where they shared the title with Cheyenne Mountain.
But with the new dual tournament format, a team tie is no longer in the cards. The tournament has added a different element to the sport that the players have openly embraced in the two years since the format switched.
“I feel like we’re part of a team,” Boada said. “Before when points were awarded by line, it just didn’t feel like a team. But with this team dual, it just feels amazing.”
