Vail Christian boys tennis team sends 9 individuals to state tournament
Defending No. 2 singles state champion Daniel Blanch claimed the No. 1 singles regional title
The Vail Christian boys tennis team had nine players claim top-2, state-qualifying finishes at the 4A region 8 championships on Thursday in Grand Junction.
Daniel Blanch and Wyat Fisher won the No. 1 and 2 singles titles and Teddy Brunner came in second in No. 3 singles on the Colorado Mesa University courts. The Saints’ Blake Kirkham and Javier Hernandez (No. 3 doubles) and Owen Ray and Hans Wittenberg (No. 4 doubles) also claimed region crowns, and Dani Lazaro-Christobal and Grant Studness finished runner-up in No. 2 doubles. Cole Maxson and Brett Sveum, by finishing third in No. 1 doubles, are currently alternates for the state tournament in Pueblo City Park from Oct. 17-19.
“I feel like all the work we put in is finally paying off,” said Blanch, who won the No. 2 singles state title last fall. “We have such a good team this year and I’ll miss it in the coming years.”
Blanch claimed his third individual region crown by dispatching Aspen’s Gaspar Riboud 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals and then taking down Grand Junction’s Nikolas Miller 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the final. Both he and Fisher had first-round byes as the incoming No. 1 seeds.
Fisher made quick work of his semifinal opponent, Jacob Roggie of Basalt, going 6-0, 6-0 to advance to the title match against Grand Junction’s Peter Phillips. The Saints’ senior won 6-0, 7-5 to advance to the state tournament.
Support Local Journalism
The Saints also claimed the regional team title, topping a field that included Aspen, Basalt, Durango, Grand Junction, Grand Junction Central and Steamboat Springs.
“It was so awesome to see our team battle and win its first-ever regional title,” stated coach J.D. Webster.
The Saints only sent two players to state last year — Blanch and Maxson, who was ousted in the first round of the No. 3 singles bracket. This fall, nine athletes — plus two alternates — will make the trip to Pueblo.
“The future of tennis is bright in the Vail valley,” added assistant coach Kirsten Webster. “We have amazing players, coaches and parents. We are truly blessed.”
Earlier this month, Vail Christian also competed in the 4A tennis team state tournament. The CHSAA Tennis Committee used UTR, strength of league, overall record, strength of competition, match and set scores, head-to-head competition and common opponents to seed the top 16 schools into a bracket. No. 9 Vail Christian upset No. 8 Niwot 6-1 in the first round on Oct. 2, but was defeated by No. 1 Kent Denver in the quarterfinals on Oct. 5.