Kent Denver won the 4A boys tennis team championship. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
PUEBLO — At the end of the day, the No. 1 singles battle between Kent Denver’s Casey Ross and Discovery Canyon freshman Nick Lorenz meant nothing for the team title. Ross was able to just go out and play himself.
And that he did.
He came away with a 6-3, 6-1 win to take the No. 1 singles championship, just as his teammates helped the Sun Devils come away with their third-straight Class 4A state tennis title.
“It was a really tough match from the start,” Ross said. “Towards the end, once I took control, I was able to use my forehand a little bit better and I was able to step into the court more and take advantage of that.”
At the start of the match, it seemed to shape up as a contest that could find its way to three sets. Neither player could break the other’s serve from the start and they both delivered their share of crowd-pleasing shots.
Holding a 3-2 lead in the first set, Ross was finally able to break Lorenz’s serve to take a 4-2 lead and grasp momentum. Lorenz was able to take one more game, but he couldn’t battle back to take the first set.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
With the lead, Ross wanted to capitalize early and hold off any chance for Lorenz to make a comeback.
“I just want to get off the court as fast as possible once I get that lead,” Ross said. “Whatever I have to do, just keeping it solid and always going for my shots; keeping it simple.”
The loss for Lorenz ends an impressive run for his first year at the state tournament. His initial goal was to reach the finals and he knows that he can play at the level he needs to win that final match.
“I’m definitely proud of myself for making it to the finals,” Lorenz said. “I could’ve played better in the finals. I think I could’ve won that match.”
With three more chances to return, Lorenz says that he will return and take that top spot on the podium.
While Ross was working to lock up that No. 1 singles title, his dad and coach, Randy Ross, was busy running around the various courts and coaching the other teams he had playing. Kent Denver and Colorado Academy were squaring off in every final match with the exception of No. 1 singles and the Sun Devils only needed one win to take the team title.
Kevin Adams and Jack Moldenhauer were the first Kent Denver players to report their win. That championship in No. 1 doubles gave the Sun Devils the 4A team title.
“It’s hard to cover all these positions,” Randy Ross said afterwards. “I’ve got Casey that I have an emotional attachment to and I also have an emotional attachment to all the seniors that have been on this team for four years.”
When the elder Ross thinks about all the state championship teams he’s presided over, this one will hold a special place in his heart because three of the Sun Devils champions — including Casey — went undefeated through the entire season.
After the championship ceremony, Randy gathered his team for what has become a tradition following a state title win. Each player was given a snip at Randy’s mustache until it was shaven off and the kids were all given buzzcuts in honor of once again finishing their season as the best in the state.