DENVER – After day one of the 2022 5A girls tennis championships, a familiar face is on top.
Powerhouse Cherry Creek are alone atop the standings, having advanced all seven positions to tomorrow’s semifinals to accumulate 21 points. Cherry Creek was simply dominant, as they did not drop a single set all day. The Bruins are used to being in this position, having won 37 team titles all-time.
“I’m very happy, the first day is always tough with nerves, and today added the wind too” Cherry Creek head coach Chris Jacobs stated. “I’m very, very proud of what we did today and I think it puts us in a great position to perform for our team tomorrow. The semifinals are the key day for the team, so hopefully our mindset is there and I’m excited to see what we can do.”
Right behind them with 19 points are the upstart Fairview Knights, who advanced six of seven positions. The Knights are looking to play spoiler again, having ended a long reign of Creek titles with their first team title in 2016.
The two teams also have only one head-to-head semifinals match tomorrow, at the one singles position, meaning the team race might be tight all the way into the decisive day three.
Trailing the two top teams in the team scores are Ralston Valley with 14, Fossil Ridge with 12, and Mountain Vista with 10.
Heading into day two, defending 1 singles champion, senior Lily Chitambar of Boulder, rolled into the semifinals without dropping a set. She swept her opening match 6-0, 6-0, and followed that up with a closer 6-4, 6-1 result in the quarterfinals.
Also in the 1 singles semis are Cherry Creek senior Jacqueline Pearsall, Fairview sophomore Quinn Bernthal, and Ralston Valley sophomore Ally Lowe.
At 2 singles, the semifinalists are Ralston Valley senior Sammie Sedillo, Cherry Creek senior Lorena Cedeno, Fairview freshman Stella Laird, and Mountain Vista freshman Marian Hayes
At 3 singles, the semifinalists are Heritage sophomore Megan Johnson, Fairview junior Elle Middleton, Cherry Creek sophomore Jisele Boker, and Ralston Valley freshman Kylie Engelsman.
In the doubles action, Fossil Ridge, Cherry Creek, Fairview, and Regis Jesuit are in the 1 doubles semifinals
Fairview, Valor Christian, Fossil Ridge, and Cherry Creek are in the 2 doubles semifinals
Cherry Creek, Valor Christian, Ralston Valley, and Fairview are in the 3 doubles semifinals.
Fossil Ridge, Cherry Creek, Mountain Vista, and Valor Christian are in the 4 doubles semifinals.
Action from the Gates Tennis Center resumes tomorrow at 9 a.m. with the championship semifinals. Immediately following that there will be consolations to close out the day.