Big points can come from singles success at the Class 5A boys state tennis tournament and Regis Jesuit coach Laura Jones thinks she might be able to grab some this season.
Since 2010, when the Raiders rolled to the 5A state championship as a team, the program’s singles players have found a tough road at state, while outstanding doubles play has helped them regularly remain somewhere in the top eight as a team.
The arrival of freshmen Morgan Schilling and Phillip Albright — both seasoned players — to go with junior Kosta Garger could be just what Regis Jesuit needs to aim higher.
“That’s the great hope, that we can score more points in singles at the state tournament than in the recent past,” Jones said on the eve of the opening of the season.
“I don’t know if we’ll have any champions, but we’ll definitely give everybody a run for their money.”
If the strength exhibited so far by her singles players holds, Jones believes she has a team that can contend for the title in the team race.
Doubles will again be loaded, with junior Evan Nuss and sophomore Emilio Gonzalez-Cruz back to try to defend their state title at No. 2 doubles and seniors Matthew McCarthy and Gabe Caldwell-Nepveux again in the No. 3 spot where they played in last season’s state final. The No. 1 duo of seniors Will Dennen and Patrick Seby both have championship match experience as well.
The No. 4 doubles spot is likely to change throughout the season, but the mix includes two seniors who played in the state final there last year — Matthew Mahoney and James O’Connor — plus talented freshmen Grigor Karakelyan.
While Regis Jesuit returns every player that competed in the state tournament last season, Overland cannot say the same.
No. 2 singles player Draden Hoover graduated, but coach Arlandus Lowe soon found out he would have to deal with a number of unexpected departures.
Most shocking was the loss of Dawid Kijak, the 5A runner-up at No. 1 singles last season. Kijak became the first Overland tennis player to make a state championship match since 1997 and he finished second after a loss to Cherry Creek’s Ethan Hillis. But Kijak won’t be around for another shot at a state title as a senior, as he moved to Las Vegas to attend a tennis academy school.
Lowe was saddened by the loss of one of the program’s best players in a long time, but understood.
“We were certainly looking forward to Dawid’s senior year, but it was something that he could do that will probably help his future in tennis,” Lowe said. “What he did last year showed the possibilities. That somebody from Overland could rise to that level and make others kids want to be the next one to do it.”
The Trailblazers also lost a handful of players to academics, leaving the roster with a lot of youth and inexperience. Three Overland seniors who have experienced varsity play before fill the singles spots in Aric Antisdel (No. 1), Camden Ervin (No. 2) and Jacob O’Connell (No. 3).
Grandview coach Jeff Ryan has a three-time 5A state qualifier back in senior Matthew Yan, who will transition to singles, while senior Ilijah Bailey is back for another season in a high singles spot. Bailey has played No. 1 for the past two seasons, but may settle in the No. 2 spot. Matas Suzedelis got state experience last year and returns to bolster the Wolves’ doubles ranks.
Smoky Hill coach Jeff Davis calls his team the deepest he’s had in five years and he returns everybody from last season, including regional placer Nate Abebe at No. 1 singles. Timothy and Dennis Domashevich round out the Buffaloes’ singles ranks, while the doubles teams are almost exclusively made up of seniors.
Cherokee Trail has four players with varsity experience back in the lineup led by No. 1 singles player Saurav Behara, while Mauricio Ghersi, Evan Richardson and Jorge Halvas should play key roles as well.
Eaglecrest coach Alex Moore has a competitive singles group that includes junior Brandon Russell and seniors Jozef and Jacobie Dankenbring, while the arrival of a transfer and foreign exchange student should elevate the level of play in doubles.
Rangeview is in transition as Eileen Yakish takes over and tries to help the Raiders make some headway in the EMAC.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2017 AURORA BOYS TENNIS
Aurora players to watch — Returning Class 5A state champions: Emilio Gonzalez-Cruz, Regis Jesuit, soph. (No. 2 doubles); Evan Nuss, Regis Jesuit, jr. (state champion, No. 2 doubles); Returning Class 5A state placers: Gabe Caldwell-Nepveux, Regis Jesuit, sr. (second place, No. 3 doubles); Will Dennen, Regis Jesuit, sr. (second place, No. 1 doubles); Matthew Mahoney, Regis Jesuit, sr. (second place, No. 4 doubles); Matt McCarthy, Regis Jesuit, sr. (second place, No. 3 doubles); James O’Connor, Regis Jesuit, sr. (second place, No. 4 doubles); Returning Class 5A state qualifiers: Kosta Garger, Regis Jesuit, jr. (No. 1 singles); Patrick Seby, Regis Jesuit, sr. (No. 2 singles); Matas Suziedelis, Grandview, sr. (No. 2 doubles); Matthew Yan, Grandview, sr. (No. 1 doubles); Other Aurora players to watch: Nathan Abebe, Smoky Hill, sr.; Phillip Albright, Regis Jesuit, fr.; Aric Antisdel, Overland, sr.; Illijah Bailey, Grandview, sr.; Saurav Behera, Cherokee Trail, soph.; Caleb Carlson, Smoky Hill, sr.; Jacobie Dankenbring, Eaglecrest, sr.; Jozef Dankenbring, Eaglecrest, sr.; Tim Domashevich, Smoky Hill, sr.; Camden Ervin, Overland, sr.; Mauricio Ghersi, Cherokee Trail, soph.; Jorge Halvas, Cherokee Trail, sr.; Charlie Hunsucker, Smoky Hill, sr.; Grigor Karakelyan, Regis Jesuit, fr.; Ayr Neto, Eaglecrest, jr.; Jacob O’Connell, Overland, sr.; Evan Richardson, Cherokee Trail, soph.; Brandon Russell, Eaglecrest, jr.; Morgan Schilling, Regis Jesuit, fr.; Shawn Springer, Cherokee Trail, fr.
More key dates and information on the 2017 Aurora boys tennis season, here.
