Cheyenne Mountain’s Hall repeats as 4A girls tennis champ
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PUEBLO — When No. 1 singles player Kalyssa Hall needed to be her best, she was Saturday.
The Cheyenne Mountain sophomore cruised through a second-set tiebreaker against St. Mary’s Academy’ Alex Weil 6-3, 7-6 (2) to capture here second-consecutive Class 4A state title at the City Park Tennis Complex.
“I just kept my head together and I didn’t get too nervous and I stayed relaxed,” the 5-foot-11 Hall said. “It’s so cool to be a two-time state champion. I’m so excited. It’s kind of surreal. I was especially relaxed in the tiebreaker. I decided I wasn’t going to go three sets. I loosened up and everything clicked and I pulled it out.”
Hall also won state a year ago at No. 1 singles. Hall, who was unbeaten this season, is on pace to become Cheyenne Mountain’s only second four-time No. 1 singles state champion, joining Becky Varnum. Varnum, who finished her prep career with a 68-0 record, won her titles from 1995-98.
“That’s my goal,” Hall, 16, said about being a four-timer.
Veteran Cheyenne Mountain coach Dave Adams praised Hall.
“Kalyssa did a good job of not getting drawn into a total power game because (Weil) hit just as hard as Kalyssa did,” Adams said. “She did a good job of counter punching a little bit and she was willing to just roll the ball back in play. She took a little pace off on occasion and mixed it up with a couple of big serves here and there. It was a great match. Kalyssa was playing a little tight in the last game or two (of the second set) and she did a great job of just resettling herself and playing focused tennis in the tiebreaker and she didn’t give her any free points. That was the difference.”
Hall jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker before claiming the 7-2 decision to win the match.
Hall was joined atop the podium by her teammates Casey Ahrendsen and Ally Arenson (No. 1 doubles), Tory Lewis and Claire Dibble (No. 2 doubles) and Megan Dibble and Chelsey Geisz (No. 3 doubles). The Indians’ Daniella Adamczyk (No. 2 singles) lost in the finals 6-3, 6-3 to Kent Denver’s Delaney Nalen 6-3, 6-3.
There was no drama in the team race.
Cheyenne Mountain clinched its 19th state girls tennis team title Friday. It was also the Indians sixth Class 4A title in a row. More impressive is the team has no seniors.
Cheyenne Mountain finished with 80 points, followed by St. Mary’s Academy (53), Kent Denver (50) and Niwot (42).
“We are very fortunate because we are not losing anybody, but one thing we have learned is we can sit and rest on our laurels,” Adams said.
Ahrendsen and Arenson, who are freshmen, defeated Niwot’s Lauren Richards and Maura Derr 6-4, 6-3.
“I always dreamed about it (winning a state tennis tennis championship at Cheyenne Mountain), but it always seemed far in the future and I didn’t expect it,” Arenson said. “Casey and I have been playing tennis together forever and we were so excited we got to be partners together and to win state is just awesome. (Saturday) we lobbed a lot and really attacked the net and we just did a really good job and pulled through. I think I’ve recognized it happened, but I don’t think it has sunk in what a big deal and honor it is to win state as a freshman.”
Megan Dibble and Geisz muscled past Kent Denver’s Lily Rogers-Masamori and Tempel Haifleigh 6-4, 6-2.
With the victory, Geisz adds more state championship history to her family. Geisz’s mother, whose maiden name was Laurie Gardner, won No. 2 singles state championships in 1985 and ’86 at Cheyenne Mountain.
Speaking of history, at No. 3 singles, Pueblo West’s Caitie McCarthy made some her own Saturday.
The sophomore outlasted Kent Denver’s Maeve Kearney 7-6 (4), 6-3 to capture her first state tennis championship and the inaugural state tennis state championship – boy or girl – in the history of Pueblo West which opened in 1997.
“Caitie came out and she had a lot of nerves and she also was playing against a left-handed player,” Pueblo West coach Sam Pisciotta said. “She came through it and figured out how to play against her and this was just a huge win for Caitie and our school.”
