The
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) girls tennis team didn't wrap up its 34th state championship until the final day of the 2017 season. The Bruins rode a senior-heavy doubles contingent to titles at the Nos. 3 and 4 positions last May, giving the team enough points to hold off
Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) in the Class 5A team race.
Even though the Golden Eagles captured the No. 1 doubles crown, the team finished nine points behind the Bruins. Cherry Creek's depth helped it compile 37 points from its four doubles teams.
That fact certainly resonated with Mountain Vista coach Jim Flanigan. With the 2018 season a few weeks old – and regionals just more than a month away – the Golden Eagles coach says his team is even deeper than it was a year ago.
"We really feel like our depth is the best it's ever been this year. We return nine players," he said. "It's a pretty cool thing to have those girls back and playing and having that experience. We definitely think it's important, and I think Creek beat us last year based on depth. So, I'm hoping our depth plays to our favor this year when we get to regionals and state, as it played to Creek's favor last year."
Mountain Vista graduated No. 1 singles standout Casey Zhong and its No. 4 doubles tandem. The squad returns eight players from state, along with
Alex Begler, who tore her meniscus at the Western Slope Open last March.
Junior
Madi Allen – the runner-up at No. 2 singles last May – moves into the top spot that opened up with the departure of Zhong.
"I think those are tough shoes to fill," Flanigan said. "I just continue to tell her she doesn't have to be Casey – she just has to be Madi."
Amanda Pruitt, who was part of the title-winning duo at No. 1 doubles with
Ashlen Grote, moves into the No. 2 singles position. Begler, who started the year at No. 3 singles in 2017, is back at that spot again.
Grote and junior
Sammy Bheemireddy, who placed third at No. 3 singles, are paired up at No. 1 doubles. Juniors
Camille Antonsen and
Tessa Murphy, who placed fourth at No. 3 doubles, return along with
Tara Minatta and
Rachael Eccher.
Mountain Vista opened 2018 with dual victories over
Highlands Ranch and
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) before placing third at the Western Slope Open behind
Denver East and
Poudre (Fort Collins). Flanigan said the regular season is all about preparation for regionals and state competition.
He pointed to a loss the Golden Eagles had last spring in a dual with Cherry Creek in which Zhong was the only player to earn a victory. The group had a team meeting afterward to discuss what it had learned.
"I feel like we learned a lot about ourselves. We definitely pushed ourselves a lot harder at state," Flanigan said. "We learned a lot from that match. Those matches during the season are all learning experiences to me to get you ready for the end of the year."
MaxPreps Colorado girls tennis leadersHere is a quick look at the state's three classifications headed into April (returning all-state players based on rosters from MaxPreps.com):
Class 5A
Defending State Champion: Cherry Creek
2018 State Tournament: May 10-12, Gates Tennis Center in Denver
Returning All-State Players: Maddie Darre, Jr., Denver East;
Ky Ecton, Sr., Poudre; Ashlen Grote, Jr., Mountain Vista; Amanda Pruitt, Jr., Mountain Vista;
Anshika Singh, Sr.,
Smoky Hill (Aurora);
Lauren Thomas, Sr.,
Heritage (Littleton);
Kelly Wulf, Jr., Denver East.
Overview: Cherry Creek took the 5A crown back from
Fairview (Boulder) last spring, and the Bruins have reloaded with seven freshmen on their roster this spring. … Poudre's Ky Ecton won a marathon match to take the No. 1 singles title over Smoky Hill's Anshika Singh. Both return for their senior seasons. …
Veronika Bruetting of
ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch) placed fourth as a freshman at No. 1 singles. … Denver East, which took fourth last spring, was young. The Angels have already captured a dual over
Chatfield (Littleton) and won the Western Slope Open. … Heritage senior Lauren Thomas returns after winning the No. 3 singles crown.
Class 4A
Defending State Champion: Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs)2018 State Tournament: May 10-12, Pueblo City Park in Pueblo
Returning All-State Players: Ariana Arenson, Jr., Cheyenne Mountain;
Mavis Edwards, So.,
Durango;
Jensen Enterman, So., Cheyenne Mountain;
Taylor Heinicke, Jr., Cheyenne Mountain;
Corey Patton Lossner, Sr., Cheyenne Mountain;
Josie Schaffer, Jr.,
Kent Denver (Englewood);
Tiana Stepleton, Sr., Cheyenne Mountain.
Overview: Cheyenne Mountain has won nine consecutive state titles. The Indians won titles at No. 2 and No. 3 singles and swept the four doubles championships. Cheyenne Mountain was young as well and returns the bulk of its state lineup. … Kent Denver's Josie Schaffer won her second consecutive No. 1 singles title last spring. She defeated Durango freshman Mavis Edwards in the title match. Amanda Schlatter took second at No. 2 singles as a sophomore. … Edwards is off to a 4-1 start, with her only loss coming in the semifinals of the Western Slope Open. … Only three of the No. 1 singles qualifiers at state were seniors. …
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) returns No. 3 singles state runner-up
Isabella Pacheco and its No. 1 doubles tandem that also placed second.
Class 3A
Defending State Champion: D'Evelyn (Denver)2018 State Tournament: May 10-12, Centennial Park and UNC in Greeley
Returning All-State Players: Bridget Bell, So.,
Dawson School (Lafayette);
Elisa Dean, Sr., D'Evelyn;
Keri Jennings, Sr., D'Evelyn;
Cammy Lee, Sr., D'Evelyn;
Charity Perkes, Sr., D'Evelyn;
Mae Thorp, So.,
Steamboat Springs.
Overview: D'Evelyn captured the first 3A state championship, edging
Colorado Academy (Denver) and Dawson School by three points. The Jaguars won titles at No. 2 and No. 4 doubles and finished second at No. 3 singles and Nos. 1 and 3 doubles. … Dawson returns No. 2 singles state champion Bridget Bell but graduated No. 3 singles champion Maggie Berry. … Steamboat Springs sophomore Mae Thorp, the runner-up at No. 1 singles, made the semifinals at the Western Slope Open. …
Peak to Peak (Lafayette) junior
Trisha Somasundaram was the only player to take a set off state champion Sammy Moore-Thomson of Colorado Academy at state. …
Savannah Mease of Colorado Academy – who placed second at No. 2 singles – has been playing No. 1 this spring.
