Sep. 26—Five local teams qualified for the team postseason tournaments in boys’ tennis, which starts Wednesday.
This is the second year the state has championed a 16-team bracket to decide the team winners in the 5A and 4A classifications. Similar to the college format, a team will have to win four straight dual matches to claim the team state title.
Prior to the new format, team races unfolded inside the three-day tournaments in Denver (5A) and Pueblo (4A), which are made up of individual regional qualifiers at each of the singles and doubles positions. As of now, those tournaments decide only individual champs.
Locally, Fairview and Niwot host in the first round. Boulder, Centaurus and Peak to Peak are on the road. Team qualifiers and seeding were determined by the state’s tennis committee.
The quarterfinals follow on Friday and the semifinals Oct. 10, played at the higher seed’s home site. Championship matches are Oct. 17 at a neutral site not yet announced by CHSAA.
Class 5A
No. 11 Denver East at No. 6 Fairview
Details: Wednesday, 4 p.m. at Fairview High School
What to know: In a rematch of last year’s first round, the Knights look to advance to the quarterfinals for a second straight season. Last season, Caden Bell won at No. 1 singles and Fairview won three of the four doubles matches to beat the Angels, 4-3.
Bell is the team’s ace again in 2023, recently reaching the semifinals at the Front Range League tournament.
Behind him, freshman Adhrit Sundaresan reached the league finals in the No. 2 spot. Per MaxPreps, he won six of his eight matches at No. 2 and four of five at No. 1.
At No. 3, Ben Mei Dan also reached the league finals match.
Earlier this month, the Knights beat the Angels, 4-3, winning the No. 2 singles match and three of the four doubles matches.
No. 14 Boulder at No. 3 Valor Christian
Details: Wednesday, 3:30 p.m. at Valor Christian High School
What to know: Senior Jackson Lewis has been strong at 2-singles behind junior ace Andre Parham. In his 10 matches listed on MaxPreps, he’s won eight.
Parham, meanwhile, reached the Front Range League semifinals before bowing out in a second-set tiebreaker to Broomfield’s Kai Trujillo.
Their task will be tough. Valor Christian’s top singles players have combined to go 25-3 in duals this season.
No. 15 Centaurus at No. 2 Cherry Creek
Details: Wednesday, 4 p.m. at Cherry Creek High School
What to know: Nobody has won more team titles than the Bruins. They added their 45th in history last year in the first year of the dual postseason.
The Warriors have had a heck of a season up to this point, though. They won all eight of their dual matches and finished first at last week’s Northern Colorado Athletics Conference tournament, winning titles at six of the seven positions.
Ace Stephen Zakany is 14-8 on the year, per MaxPreps. Dexy Payne is 18-2 at No. 2 and Zach Gablehouse 16-3 No. 3.
Class 4A
No. 10 George Washington at No. 7 Niwot
Details: Wednesday, 3:30 p.m. at Niwot High School
What to know: Niwot ace LiChen Liao, the 2021 No. 2 singles champ, appears to be playing his best tennis of the season.
He beat 2022 No. 2 runner-up Will Moldenhauer of Kent Denver in straight sets Thursday after falling to Moldenhauer in last year’s individual state semifinals. Liao hasn’t dropped a set across his last four matches on MaxPreps, dating back to his loss to Cheyenne Mountain’s Andrew Ballenger Sept. 7.
In a postseason tune-up, the Cougars lost 5-2 in that dual against 4A No. 1 Kent Denver last week, though they won two of the three singles matches.
No. 16 Peak to Peak at No. 1 Kent Denver
Details: Wednesday, 4:15 p.m. at Kent Denver High School
What to know: In a tune-up against Timnath Monday, the Pumas won at six of the seven positions. All in straight sets.
Dhruv Shajikumar qualified for the individual state tournament at No. 3 last year and has emerged as the team’s ace this season.
Vivaan Bhardwaj, meanwhile, most recently played at No. 2. He also saw matches at No. 3 and 1-doubles this season.
The Pumas lost to Mullen in the opening round of the team tournament last year.