It seems as though every season, the usual suspects in boys tennis will be there at the end.
Headed into Thursday's state tournament openers for Class 5A and 4A, the defending champions are once again the favorites. It's up to the rest of the field to make the most of every match in order to have a chance to change that up.
In 5A,
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) has won five consecutive state championships and 14 of the previous 15 (
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) won it all in 2010.) Going into the three-day event at Gates Tennis Center in Denver, the Bruins have once again qualified their entire squad. The same goes for
Kent Denver (Englewood) in 4A, with the Sun Devils have won three in a row and five of the previous eight.
An interesting note in 5A is that new singles champions will be crowned Saturday morning at all three positions. Defending No. 1 singles champion Kap Smith of Boulder didn't play this fall, opening up the field.
Here is a look at both classifications, with the tournaments getting under way Thursday and running through Saturday:
State tennis drawsClass 5ACherry Creek's depth was on display once again last fall. The Bruins claimed only two individual titles (No. 3 singles, No. 3 doubles) but still maintained its hold on 5A with a 24-point advantage over
Fairview (Boulder).
With all seven positions having qualified for state this week at Gates, the Bruins are looking for that depth to rule once again. Senior
Ethan Hillis, the runner-up at No. 1 singles in 2014, leads Cherry Creek into state. Senior
Robby Hill, who finished fourth a year ago at No. 2 singles, is back.
Alex Gordon is one of four freshmen in the No. 3 singles bracket.
The field at No. 1 is still loaded, even without Kap Smith.
Denver East's Kai Smith and
Ben Antonsen of
Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch), who finished third and fourth, respectively, in 2015, are both seniors. Fairview's
Tom Melville took third at No. 2 singles last fall but has moved up.
Fairview, Regis Jesuit, Denver East and
Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) qualified its entire teams as well. Regis Jesuit won a pair of doubles titles last fall, and East won at No. 4 doubles. The Angels also bring back
Charlie Franks, who took second at No. 2 singles.
Defending team champion: Cherry Creek
Returning individual champions: Luca Abbott, Sr., Regis Jesuit (No. 2 doubles in 2015, playing No. 1 doubles);
David Glazer, Sr., Denver East (No. 4 doubles in 2015, playing No. 2 doubles);
Ben Murray, Jr., Cherry Creek (No. 3 doubles in 2015, playing No. 1 doubles);
Erich Nuss, Sr., Regis Jesuit (No. 1 doubles in 2015, playing No. 3 singles);
Patrick Seby, Jr., Regis Jesuit (No. 2 doubles in 2015, playing No. 2 singles).
Class 4AThere has never been a 4A team champion from a school other than Kent Denver or
Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs).
Colorado Academy (Denver) gave Kent Denver a run for its money last fall, but finished 17 points shy of the Sun Devils, who captured their third title in a row.
Headed into this week's tournament (Oct 13-15 at Pueblo City Park), Kent Denver is once again the favorite.
Casey Ross is back to defend his No. 1 singles title, but the road back to the top won't be easy.
A potential quarterfinal matchup looms with Colorado Academy sophomore
Richter Jordaan, who was the runner-up at No. 2 singles last fall. From there, Ross could meet
Discovery Canyon (Colorado Springs) sophomore
Nick Lorenz in the semifinals, which would be a rematch of the 2015 finale.
Kent Denver senior
Jack Mouldenhauer moved from No. 1 doubles to No. 2 singles this season. The Sun Devils have
Niko Hereford back at No. 3 singles, where he took second as a junior.
Kent Denver was one of eight teams to qualify all seven positions to state. Colorado Academy, Cheyenne Mountain,
Niwot,
Air Academy (US Air Force Academy),
Aspen,
Dawson School (Lafayette) and
Steamboat Springs are all sending its entire contingent to Pueblo.
Defending team champion: Kent Denver
Returning individual champions: Jack Moldenhauer, Sr., Kent Denver (No. 1 doubles in 2015, playing No. 2 singles); Casey Ross, Sr., Kent Denver (No. 1 singles in 2015, playing No. 1 singles);
Garrett Sutter, Sr., Colorado Academy (No. 4 doubles in 2015, playing No. 1 doubles).
