Four Demons punched tickets to the state tournament as the Durango High School boys tennis team finished second at regionals in Grand Junction.
Aspen finished first out of eight teams.
Ryder Searle won the No. 1 singles tournament to qualify for state, defeating Vail 6-0, 6-0 in the title match.
“Ryder could do no wrong; he played flawless,” DHS head coach Laura Ehlers said. “He couldn’t be in a better place with his mind or with his game.”
No. 2 singles player Fred Edwards defeated Aspen 7-5, 6-1 in the title match to advance to the state tournament.
Alec Ensign and Drew Downs placed second in the No. 2 doubles bracket but qualified for state by defeating Steamboat Springs 1-6, 6-3, 6-0 in a playback match.
No. 3 singles player Dylan Blair, No. 1 doubles team Wesley Komick and Liam Millar and No. 3 doubles team Tim Martin and Blaise Paige all finished third and did not qualify for state in playback situations.
Jake Schanfarber and Will Downs finished fourth in No. 4 doubles for DHS.
“It’s a huge win to come in second (as a team),” Ehlers said.
The Demons will leave Wednesday for the CHSAA 4A Boys Tennis State Championships, which will run Thursday through Saturday in Pueblo.
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