Titles up for grabs at this week's Colorado boys tennis state tournaments

Class 5A // Brackets
The traditional powerhouses are once again making a run at a team championship. Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village), Fairview (Boulder) and Regis Jesuit (Aurora) are right in the mix for team gold, and it was the Raiders who claimed the top spot a year ago. With several returning champions, Regis Jesuit has to be considered a favorite, but the Bruins and Knights could have the depth needed to keep pace. Along the way, no one should count out Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch), which finished third a year ago.

No. 1 Singles
Even though last year's champion Morgan Schilling (Regis Jesuit) is defending his title, this is still very much a three-way race. Cherry Creek's George Cavo and Fairview's Luke Silverman were all in contention a year ago. Those three players should make the 5A No. 1 singles bracket a fun one over the course of the two days at Gates Tennis Club. Schilling grabbed wins over Silverman and Cavo earlier in the season.

No. 2 Singles
Cherry Creek's Matt Batmunkh lost in last year's final but is hoping he can break through and grab a gold medal this go around. Valor Christian sophomore Christian Trevey advanced to last year's semis and didn't lose a regular-season match this season. Fruita Monument senior Brandon Miller is back in the bracket and is looking to bounce back from his first-round exit a year ago.



No. 3 Singles
Regis Jesuit freshman Cameron Kruep is looking for his first singles championship, but a slew of seniors is hoping experience plays a major factor in deciding this bracket. Among those seniors are Jack Rueter of Monarch (Louisville), who went 6-1 in singles play this year, along with Boulder's Nathaniel Spillmann.

No. 1 Doubles
Cherry Creek's 2019 championship team of Aram Izmirian and Kiril Kostadinov split up. Izmirian moved on to singles competition, but Kostadinov remains at the position with brother Kristian Kostadinov at his side. Lakewood's Tommy Landmark and Adam Abrahamson ran into an early buzzsaw last year and lost to Regis Jesuit's runner-up team in the first round, but are looking for a deeper run in 2020.

No. 2 Doubles
The Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) combo of Brady Elliott and Drew Holmes went undefeated in the regular season. The No. 2 doubles bracket has a lot of new names in it, and although favorites can be picked out early, it's really a wide-open title chase.

No. 3 Doubles
The third doubles bracket might be in play for some of the more seasoned players at the tournament. The Fort Collins combo of Ian Hay-Arthur and Eric Kearns went 6-0 in the regular season and could quietly be right in the mix for the championship.

No. 4 Doubles
This could be one of those years where a match like 4 doubles plays a major role in the crowning of a team champion. The Cherry Creek squad of Blake Holst and Matthew Hu comes in as the top seed, with a potential finals matchup against Regis Jesuit's Charlie Jenkins and Ryan McCarthy looming.

Class 4A // Brackets
After consistent play ended with a 2019 state championship for Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs), the team is looking for a repeat performance but will have to go at it with new faces. Cheyenne has different athletes playing all three singles spots. A runner-up team finish by Mullen (Denver) last year, combined with several returning champions this season, gives the Mustangs hope they can make a run at a team title.



No. 1 Singles
Perhaps the toughest task in all of boys tennis this year will be stopping Niwot's Neil Wilcox from repeating as a state champion. The Cougars senior has been dominant this season, dropping just one game in regular-season play. Mullen's Mac Caldwell lost to Wilcox in the semifinals last year and looks poised for a final appearance Saturday. To begin the tournament, he'll have to get through a talented sophomore in Gavin Hutter of Sand Creek (Colorado Springs). Hutter is the first Scorpions player at the state tournament since 2014.

No. 2 Singles
A lot of names look familiar in the No. 2 singles bracket. Mullen's George Henry Hanzel finished as the runner-up last year and is a favorite to win it this year. But Longmont's Danny O'Brien, Aspen's Alex Mosher and Greeley West's Ben Williams all bring considerable experience to the table and should put together a very competitive bracket. Last year's champion graduated, but Cheyenne Mountain hopes Joseph Martensen can carry over his momentum from a regional championship win.

No. 3 Singles
Unlike the No. 2 singles bracket, this will feature a load of fresh faces. Carter Smith of D'Evelyn (Denver) moved up to No. 2 singles and the rest of last year's semifinalists either moved out of state, changed positions or graduated. Pueblo West's Tommy Cruz enters as one of the few upperclassmen in the field and put together a 7-1 regular-season record this year. Colorado Academy (Denver) senior Ryan Gaghen overcame the struggles he experienced last year to advance to this year's state tournament.

No. 1 Doubles
Niwot's Ivan Calderon came so close to reaching the No. 2 doubles final last year. He and then-teammate Anton Lavrouk fell to eventual champion Mullen in the semis. Calderon is back in the No. 2 doubles mix, this time with Lichen Liao by his side. They'll have the tough task of taking down the Kent Denver (Cherry Hills Village) duo of Jack Domich and Casey Klutznick, last year's runners-up. The young Grand Junction duo of Christian Tuttle and Evan Severs also come in looking to surprise a few teams after going 5-2 in the regular season.

No. 2 Doubles
The Cheyenne Mountain team of Carver Ward and Miles Hoover might just have the perfect blend of experience and drive to make a little noise. The duo was undefeated as a team in regular-season play and clinched a regional title. Getting through the first match can be tricky against Discovery Canyon (Colorado Springs). Caleb Trevillian has moved up from No. 3 doubles for the Thunder, and he and Grant Thurman will try to play spoiler. The Denver South junior duo of Wyatt Schmitt and Cade Schiveley can certainly do some damage if they get to the second day. They went 8-2 together on the year.

No. 3 Doubles
After not qualifying in the position at last year's state tournament, the Colorado Academy team of Michael Ford and Hudson Parks hope they can play their way to a state championship. Durango has a chance at a doubles title here, as Hays Stritikus and Leo Stritikus try to leave a family mark on the third doubles bracket.



No. 4 Doubles
Kent Denver's Mareks Zeile and William Writer head into the tournament as the top seed, but a number of teams could make a play toward a gold medal. Among them are Pueblo County's Ian Gowen and Jonathan Gonzales and the Dawson School (Lafayette) team of Owen Leidich and George Shehan.