4A girls tennis: Pack of teams chasing distant Cheyenne Mountain after Day 2

PUEBLO – Like in many past years, the final day of the 2022 Class 4A girls tennis state tournament will feature a pack of talented teams chasing 23-time champion Cheyenne Mountain.

Cheyenne Mountain, which has a comfortable overall lead with 57 points and advanced players to three of the seven championship matches, will once again be the team every other squad is gunning for when finals and third-place matches begin on Saturday morning. No other team reached more than two finals matches.

Palmer Ridge and Kent Denver are tied in second with 41 points. Fourth-place Pine Creek has 35 points, the Niwot Cougars will head into Day 3 sitting fifth with 32 points and defending champion Mullen has 28.

“We’re trying. Every year, we try,” Bears co-head coach Dawn Kruger said. “I’m very proud of our girls. We don’t have a lot that play year-round, probably only two or three at the max. I love it that they’re having fun and the ones that are still in it are going to get it their all. The most important thing is that they’re having fun and we’ll see what we do tomorrow.”

At No. 1 singles, Loveland senior Beilynn Geiss will face Cheyenne Mountain’s sophomore Maya Michalski in the championship match. Niwot’ senior Anna Sallee, who finished runner-up at No. 2 singles last season, will face Pine Creek senior Manoela Amantini Quintanilha in that final. And at No. 3 singles, Palmer Ridge senior Alexandra Yuskiv will take on Pine Creek freshman Keelin Sills for the title.

Kent Denver’s pair of Meredith Waters and Kendall Adams will face Cheyenne Mountain’s Ryby Muhl and Kate Twede in the No. 1 double championship. At No. 2 doubles, Mullen’s Aubryann Leugers and Renee Hoyt will play Palmer Ridge’s duo of Katrina Weiskircher and Ulla Schultz. In the No. 3 doubles bracket, Kent Denver’s Isabell Bragg and Victoria Strobos will take on Cheyenne Mountain’s Sophia Bredder and Jocelyn Kelly. In the No. 4 doubles finals, Palmer Ridge’s Cora Goodwin and Juliya Yuskiv will go up against Mullen’s Avery Walters and Grace Brouillette.

“Cheyenne’s obviously got a big lead right now because they’ve got a lot of people going into finals and there’s a lot going on,” Kent Denver head coach Tyffani Thomas said. “Our kids have a fighting chance, but they’ve got to be the ones who keep fighting and it’s up to them. Everyone’s tired and they’ve been working really, really hard. But at this point, it’s up to them to focus on every point and earn the win.”