ENGLEWOOD | The new format of the postseason in boys tennis adopted by the Colorado High School Activities Association took away one piece of hardware that was usually awarded: a regional championship plaque.
Coach Laura Jones’ Regis Jesuit team won that plaque often in the past and would have again at this season’s Class 5A Region 4 tournament as they swept the championships at all three singles and all four doubles positions in play that concluded Friday at Colorado Athletic Club Inverness.
With the team state championship now decided strictly by a new dual team tournament — in which Regis Jesuit has advanced to the semifinals — regional team scores become unnecessary, as regionals now only determine the composition of the field in the 5A individual state tournament Oct. 13-15 at City Park in Denver.
The Raiders will be there with a full contingent that will enter with seeding advantages that come with regional championships.
Regis Jesuit swept regional singles play with freshman Clay Dickey at No. 1, junior Agustin Azcui at No. 2 and junior Brady Jenkins at No. 3.
Jenkins (who made the state tournament at No. 2 singles last season) dropped just one game in his match with Air Academy sophomore Ky Walker (6-0, 6-1), while Dickey needed three sets to top Air Academy junior Noah Hellem (6-1, 3-6, 6-0). Azcui — who moved up from No. 4 doubles last season to No. 2 singles this season — outlasted Legacy’s Noah Klein 7-6 (3), 7-5.
Senior Liam McDonnell and sophomore KC Eckenhausen, last season’s No. 3 doubles state champions who moved up to the No. 1 position, advanced with a 6-4, 7-5 defeat of Legacy’s Sam Law and David Tran.
The remainder of the Regis Jesuit doubles teams had decisive results: Senior Aidan Sobolevsky and sophomore Carl Siegel eased past Air Academy’s Keegan Cornelius and Jonah Illsey by a 6-0, 6-2 score at No. 2 doubles, the No. 3 doubles team of senior Joe Dorais and junior Tyler Ryan topped Legacy’s Karsen Barnes and Jared Cullison 6-2, 6-0 and senior Devin McCausland and freshman Adam Rydel earned a 6-1, 6-2 win over James Streeter and Kyle Wilson of Air Academy in the No. 4 doubles final.
McDonnell, Eckenhausen, Sobolevsky (a three-time qualifier) and McCausland all played at the state tournament last season.
Before the individual state tournament, Regis Jesuit heads to Valor Christian Oct. 11 for a semifinal match of the 5A team state tournament.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2022 CLASS 5A REGION 4 BOYS TENNIS TOURNAMENT
Championship matches (winner qualifies for 5A individual state tournament)
No. 1 singles — Clay Dickey (Regis Jesuit) def. Ky Hellem (Air AcademY0, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0
No. 2 singles — Agustin Azcui (Regis Jesuit) def. Noah Klein (Legacy), 7-6 (3), 7-5
No. 3 singles — Brady Jenkins (Regis Jesuit) def. Ky Walker (Air Academy), 6-0, 6-1
No. 1 doubles — KC Eckenhausen/Liam McDonnell (Regis Jesuit) def. Sam Law/David Tran (Legacy), 6-4, 7-5
No. 2 doubles — Aidan Sobolevsky/Carl Siegel (Regis Jesuit) def. Keegan Cornelius/Jonah Illsey (Air Academy), 6-0, 6-2
No. 3 doubles — Joe Dorais/Tyler Ryan (Regis Jesuit) def. Karsen Barnes/Jared Cullison (Legacy), 6-2, 6-0
No. 4 doubles — Devin McCausland/Adam Rydel (Regis Jesuit) def. James Streeter/Kyle Wilson (Air Academy), 6-1, 6-2