The Durango High School boys tennis team wasn’t done any favors with its schedule. The Demons faced on of their toughest tests against Grand Junction for their final two home matches and lost 7-0 on Friday and Saturday.
Durango dropped to 0-8 overall and 0-5 in 5A/4A Southwestern League after the losses. Grand Junction leads the 5A/4A Southwestern League at 7-3 overall and 7-0 in the 5A/4A Southwestern League.
“It was a tough match versus Grand Junction,” Durango head coach Chad Patacky said on Saturday. “They’re the top team in the region and they came out playing so. But, our players played well, they were focused, they had a good time out there and they gave them some good competition.”
The Demons No. 1 singles player, senior Mikael Hofmann, had one of the most competitive matches on Saturday. He lost to Grand Junction’s Elijah Wright, 3-6, 3-6.
“I played on my feet a little bit stiff,” Hofmann said. “But, there were sometimes where I definitely finished some points and where I needed. It was not as good as yesterday, but pretty close.”
Hofmann said Wright did a good job being consistent, making Hofmann move and out-rallying him. Hofmann was happy with how he moved Wright with his serve.
To prepare for this season, Hofmann worked on his consistency so he could make the jump up from doubles to No. 1 singles and continue rallies with good players. He hopes to use his speed and endurance to have a successful regionals.
In No. 2 singles, Grand Junction’s Jacob Smith beat Durango junior Jack Cuthbertson, 6-1, 6-2 on Saturday. Grand Junction’s Grant Gear also got the best of Durango senior Andre Craig in No. 3 singles, 6-0, 6-0.
The Tigers continued their dominance on Saturday in doubles. Gareth Keller and Ben Miller from Grand Junction beat Durango sophomores Isaac Armstrong and Mason Philpott in No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-0. Tigers’ Maximus Kintz and Walker Aggen beat Durango freshmen Max McMillan and Logan Fish, 6-0, 6-0 in No. 2 doubles. In No. 3 doubles, Grand Junction’s Oliver Keller and Jude Knaysi beat Durango seniors Ben Williams and Gabe Clark, 6-1, 6-0.
Durango’s most competitive match on Saturday came from its No. 4 doubles team. Senior Luke Elias and sophomore Luke Gustafson lost to Grand Junction’s Witt Reddin and Zach Nelson, 6-3, 6-4.
“Yesterday (Friday), we lost 6-1, 6-0,” Gustafson said. “I feel like a lot of it was just a mental game. I was getting in my head yesterday and I was getting mad at myself. So today by lifting myself up and also with Luke supporting me, I feel like we were able to play a lot better.”
After a tough loss on Friday, Elias made the goal of getting at least two sets against Grand Junction on Saturday. Mission accomplished.
Elias said the Grand Junction doubles pairing had elite ball placement, which made it almost impossible to return some shots.
Gustafson and Elias have appreciated the camaraderie playing on the tennis team has brought them. Elias has had a different partner every year he’s been on the team and he’s enjoyed meeting and playing with new people he otherwise wouldn’t have known. Gustafson enjoyed hanging out with the team on the road trips to Grand Junction and Vail.
After playing No. 4 doubles his first two seasons, Gustafson hopes to make his way up the doubles pairings or possibly play singles next year.
Despite Patacky’s six seniors (Oliver King, Elias, Hofmann, Clark, Craig, Williams) losing their final home match of their careers, Patacky was proud of the progress his senior class made. He remembers a lot of them showing up as freshmen with no tennis experience and he’s seen them all make a lot of progress.
It’s postseason time: The journey for the 2025 Durango boys tennis team isn’t over yet. The Demons still have the 4A Boys Tennis Region 8 Regionals to play in at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction on Oct. 9-10.
“The expectations for the team would be to go out there and compete in every match,” Patacky said. “Every team that we've played besides Grand Junction, we've won at least one court against. That means everyone at regionals has a chance. I want my players to go in there believing they can win. When there's enough belief and whoever wants it more, it could happen.”
bkelly@durangoherald.com
