The Durango High School girls tennis won’t be short on talent when it travels to Pueblo to compete in the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A Girls State Tennis Championships beginning Thursday.
No. 1 singles player Emma Hackett and No. 2 singles player Lily Chick are four-time state qualifiers. Last week, Chick won the 4A Region 8 championship, while Hackett placed second. Though this is her fourth time heading to state, Hackett said she is just as excited as her first trip four years ago.
“I’d say it’s just as exciting as ever to go back to state, and since Lily and I are four-timers, we know what’s going to happen and how it’s going to look,” Hackett said. “At least for me, personally, every year I’ve gone up one position and just naturally understand that it’s going to be harder. The competition is going to be better. In that case, I’m kind of nervous, but it’s nice to know what I’m going to expect.”
When the draw was announced Monday afternoon, Hackett found out she will play Kent Denver’s Josie Schaffer in the first round Thursday. Schaffer is a two-time state champion and also took second place in the No. 1 singles bracket last season.
Heading into Thursday, Hackett knows having success with her first serve will be key to contending with a champion.
Last week in Grand Junction, Chick took down a Grand Junction player that she had previously lost to twice in tiebreakers earlier in the season. This time, Chick won the first set 6-4. She then stormed back from a 0-3 deficit in the second set to win 6-4.
“Last week, I walked onto the court knowing that it was going to be a long match, and I had to be patient,” Chick said. “I just had to be there and be present in the match. Now, I got the monkey off of my back, so to speak, so heading into state, I am really embracing this time of the year. It’s fun to be able to go into this tournament knowing what to expect, and the other thing you realize is that all those girls got first or second in their regional, so we’re all competing against girls that are good, and I’m looking forward to seeing who’s the best of the best.”
Chick, who qualified last year at the No. 3 singles spot, reached the quarterfinals before bowing out. She will face Mikayla Phelps of Mullen in her first-round matchup.
“It’s going to be my game, and I’m going to rely on what got me here and what has gotten me to this point all four years,” Chick said. “I have to go into state with all of the positivity.”
Durango also had two doubles teams qualify, as the No. 1 team of Rebecca Bowers and Laura Clark placed second at regionals. Clark said the key to a successful state run in doubles is energy.
“The thing about state is that it’s never over till it’s over, and even if you’re down 40-love, you can still win the game or win a set,” Clark said. “It’s all about energy and momentum, and I think we’re ready to take it on.”
Bowers and Clark made state last year but were on different doubles teams, and each made the quarterfinals. On Thursday, they will face Danielle Sobraske and Emily Black from Thompson Valley.
Also at state for Durango is the No. 3 doubles team of Anna Fenberg and Jenna Baker, who advanced to the state tournament via the regional playback bracket. They challenged the second-place team and won. It is the duo’s first state tournament appearance.
“I feel like state has no expectations, and so I’m just ready to go and just want to play as well as we can,” Fenberg said. “The big thing I think for us is to not get too stressed about qualifying to the next round and just enjoy the moment.”
“There’s less pressure on us as a partnership because we went and played the best tennis we could during the playbacks, and playing the best tennis ended up being our winning savior,” added Baker. “We want to have that same mindset of just playing the best tennis we can and whatever happens, happens.”
Fenberg and Baker will square off against Anna Sallee and Georgia Lang of Niwot in the first round.
The state championships will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday at City Park in Pueblo.
bploen@durangoherald.com
