Boys Tennis Zach Segars

5A Boys Tennis: Regis Jesuit, Cherry Creek and Valor Christian advance multiple players to state championships

DENVER - The semifinal round of the 5A Boys Tennis Individual State Championships was completed Friday at Denver City Park. The finals will be played on Saturday with play beginning at 9 a.m.

Regis Jesuit had a huge day, as they advanced five positions to the state championship finals. Valor Christian and Cherry Creek also had big days, as they advanced four and three positions to the state championship finals, respectively. Grandview and Broomfield were the only other schools to advance a position today, and each only advanced one position.

In 1 singles, Broomfield's Kai Trujillo came back after dropping the first set to defeat Denver East's Trevor Hajek (4-6, 6-3, 6-2). Trujillo will play Grandview's Justin Son in the finals, who advanced by sweeping Regis Jesuit's William Dickey (6-3, 7-6).

In the 1 singles playback bracket, Regis Jesuit's William Dickey earned a spot in the third-place match after he beat Arapahoe's Cale Brush (3-6, 6-2, 6-1). Ponderosa's Matthew Hossack also advanced to third-place match, thanks to beating Fort Collins' Jake Bronson (6-1, 6-3) and Denver East's Trevor Hajek (2-6, 6-4, 6-4).

In 2 singles, Valor Christian's Jace Nakamura earned his spot in the finals by defeating Fossil Ridge's Nate Walton in straight sets (6-2, 6-4). Nakamura's championship opponent will be Regis Jesuit's Alec Rodriguez-Fields, who cruised by Chaparral's Nick Moreno (6-4, 6-2) to punch his ticket to the next round.

In the 2 singles playback bracket, Ralston Valley's Brady Swartz bounced back from a rough quarterfinals loss to beat Rocky Mountain's Baily Livengood in the first round (6-1, 6-3), and Chaparral's Nick Moreno in the second round (7-6, 6-3), to advance to the third-place match. Also vying for third place honors is Fossil Ridge's Nate Walton, who staged a huge comeback after getting swept in the first set of his playback game, managing to beat Boulder's Jackson Lewis (0-6, 7-6, 6-3).

In 3 singles, Valor Christian's Nathaniel Trevey swept Fairview's Ben Mei Dan (6-2, 6-2) to reach the championship round. There he'll face
Regis Jesuit's Vlad Sukhovetskyy, who Cherry Creek's Trevor Robinson (6-1, 6-4) in the semifinals.

In the 3 singles playback bracket, Cherry Creek's Trevor Robinson quickly recovered from his loss to Sukhovetskyy to beat Arapahoe's Brett Sweeney and earn a place in the third-place match. He'll match up with Legacy's Rufus Thompson, who defeated Rocky Mountain's Peter Rademacher (6-1, 6-2) and Fairview's Mei Dan (6-3, 4-6, 7-5) to reach the third-place match.

In 1 doubles, Regis Jesuit's Agustin Azcui and Brady Jenkins earned a spot in the finals by defeating Fairview's Noah Bodner and Cecil Carroll (6-4, 7-5). In the other semifinal, Cherry Creek's Kris Kostadinov and Matthew Hu snuck past Valor Christian's Ryan Greenfield and Ryan Mandes in three sets (6-7, 7-6, 6-3) to reach the finals.

In the 1 doubles playback bracket, Fairview's Noah Bodner and Cecil Carroll were swept in their second set against Castle View's Bryan Smith and Drew Schauerhamer, yet still managed to secure the victory and advanced to third-place match (6-4, 0-6, 6-4). There, they'll face Ryan Greenfield and Ryan Mandes, from Valor Christian, who beat Fruita Monument's Evan Prosser and John Miller in straight sets (6-1, 6-3).

In 2 doubles, Valor Christian's Harrison Wentworth and Drew Summers bounced back from a bumpy first set against Cherry Creek's Trey Zurcher and Agastya Gupta (1-6, 6-2, 6-3) to advance to the finals. In the finals, they will play Regis Jesuit's KC Eckenhausen and Carl Siegel, who defeated Chaparral's Rishith Jujare and Luis Acosta (3-6, 6-4, 6-1), after a slow start of their own.

In the 2 doubles playback bracket, Cherry Creek's Trey Zurcher and Agastya Gupta will play Chaparral's Rishith Jujare and Luis Acosta for third place. Zurcher and Gupta swept Arapahoe's Clayton Wern and Thomas Stewart (6-1, 6-2) to reach the third-place match, while Jujare and Acosta beat Fossil Ridge's Ian Miller and Pedro Buffon Houbrich in three sets (1-6, 6-2, 6-2)

In 3 doubles, Cherry Creek's Colin Brown and Tyson Hardy reached the finals by sweeping Fossil Ridge's Jace Fitzpatrick and Gavin Payne (6-0, 6-2). Their championship opponent will be Regis Jesuit's Adam Rydel and Kevin Solichien, who won a tightly contested three-set match with Valor Christian's Asa Thurstone and Jack Moehler (3-6, 6-4, 6-4).

In the 3 doubles playback bracket, Fossil Ridge's Fitzpatrick and Payne swept Rocky Mountains Cooper Campbell and Justin Morris to advance, where they'll face Valor Christian's Asa Thurstone and Jack Moehler, who reached the third-place match by defeating Denver East's Bobby Fitzgerald and Hudson Kelly (7-5, 6-1).

In 4 doubles, Cherry Creek's Wills Possehl and Adam Eikelberner is set to play Valor Christian's James Van Winkle and Aidan Case in the finals. Possehl and Eikelberner beat Fossil Ridge's Davis Samuelson and Phillipe Sampaio (6-1, 6-2), while Van Winkle and Case advanced past Regis Jesuit's Tyler Ryan and Bennett Cherveny (6-4, 6-2).

In the 4 doubles playback bracket, Regis Jesuit's Ryan and Cherveny rolled past Rocky Mountain's Zach Stimac and August Burton (6-0, 6-1) to secure their spot in the third-place match. For third place honors, they'll play Fossil Ridge's Davis Samuelson and Phillipe Sampaio, who defeated Boulder's Bruno Damrauer and Nick Watson in two tight sets (7-6, 6-4).