One Durango High School boys tennis player controls his own destiny. One is done. Two await their fate.
No. 2 singles player Fred Edwards won his first two matches to advance to the semifinals, while No. 1 singles player Ryder Searle and the No. 2 doubles team of Drew Downs and Alec Ensign fell in the first round Thursday at the CHSAA Class 4A Boys Tennis State Championships in Pueblo.
Downs and Ensign now must hope the players that defeated them advance to the state finals to give them a chance to play back for third place. If that doesn’t happen, their state tournament is over.
Searle wasn’t so fortunate. After falling 6-4, 6-1 to Austin Hampton of Cheyenne Mountain, Searle was eliminated from playbacks when Hampton lost to Connor Arend of Mullen in straight sets.
Edwards, meanwhile, maintained control of his destiny by rallying for a 5-7, 7-5, 6-0 win over Stefan Orton-Urbina of Air Academy in the first round. He kept on rolling into the semifinals with a tidy 6-1, 6-3 victory over Aaron Well of Mullen.
Edwards will face Willie Gold of Kent Denver for a spot in Friday’s finals.
Downs and Ensign fell to Jake Thornally and Blaine Wuertz of Air Academy 6-0, 6-4. Their fate remains unknown as several second-round matches were postponed until Friday because of afternoon rain.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
