ThunderRidge boys soccer narrowly got its second win of the year as sneaked by Heritage 4-3 on Monday.

Jeffco Preps With Pleuss is a monthly roundup of Jeffco prep highlights hosted by Dennis Pleuss, Jeffco Public Schools’ sports information director. Prep football action started up in early October. We’ve got highlights from four games — Columbine vs Arvada West, Pomona vs Lakewood, Central of Grand Junction vs Dakota Ridge and Wheat Ridge vs Chatfield — from the first few weeks of the 6-game regular season. Boys tennis season wrapped up with Lakewood and Ralston Valley having good showings at the Class 5A state tournament at Gates Tennis Center in Denver. Cross country season also concluded with the Jeffco League Championships that led into the state meet held in Colorado Springs.

The 2020 all-state boys tennis teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

These teams were created based upon results at the state tournament.

The athletes who won No. 1 singles championships at their classification were named players of the year.

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Class 5A

(Brent Murphy/brentmurphyphoto.com)

Player of the year: Morgan Schilling, Regis Jesuit
Coach of the year: Art Quinn, Cherry Creek

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Class 4A

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

Player of the year: Neil Wilcox, Niwot
Coach of the year: Mikka Keronen, Niwot

Jeffco Preps With Pleuss is a monthly roundup of Jeffco prep highlights hosted by Dennis Pleuss, Jeffco Public Schools’ sports information director. In the first edition of the 2020-21 prep sports season, we dive into softball action with the Dave Sanders Invitational along with Green Mountain and Wheat Ridge facing off in a Class 4A Jeffco League showdown. The 5A Jeffco boys golf season was entertaining with several top golfers in the state competing during the five league tournament schedule. D’Evelyn boys tennis made a good run at its regional tournament at Colorado Academy. Arvada West cross country team hosted the Durden Invitational that featured Dakota Ridge senior Jacob White as he makes another push toward a top finish at the state tournament coming up in mid-October.

The first champions of Season A were crowned on the final day of the Class 5A boys tennis state tournament at Gates Tennis Club.

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

PUEBLO — Everything surrounding Greeley West’s Nico Jamison should feel different. His boys tennis state tournament venue is different. The teams he’s playing are different. But at the end of the day, it’s just tennis to him and his goals haven’t changed event, even with the Spartans dropping down to Class 4A this year.

Jamison wants to win a championship. And the feeling with the way he played in his first round and quarterfinal matches is that he can do it. As a freshman last year, Jamison advanced to the 5A No. 1 singles semifinals before falling to Regis Jesuit’s Morgan Schilling, the eventual state champ.

At the 4A tournament at Pueblo City Park, he’s aiming for that No. 1 singles title and has found some additional benefits in his team’s change in classification.

“More of my teammates are here this year so that’s super fun,” he said. “There’s a lot more energy. It feels the exact same and I’m bringing the same energy I brought to Gates. And it’s still a good experience.”

And it didn’t look difficult, at least on paper. He took down Colorado Academy senior Nick Deitrich 6-0, 6-1 in his first match and Denver South freshman Raphael Weiland 6-0, 6-3 in the quarterfinals.

This was certainly an easier trip to the semis than last year when he won his first matches 6-3, 6-2 and 6-4, 7-5 before falling to Schilling in the semis. Since then, he’s been using that loss to fuel himself for another run at a state title.

“Last year I had to play Morgan who is a very good player,” Jamison said. “Since then I’ve been training and training and preparing for whoever I reach next. I’ve learned that you can’t think about the past. This is state. I’m excited to see what I can do.”

This year’s adjusted single-elimination format condensed the tournament to two days. Normally, the semifinals would be the only match played on the second day for the players reaching the championship. Retiring his opponents in straight sets is certainly an advantage for Jamison, but the defending champion might be a tad more rested.

Niwot’s Neil Wilcox advanced to the semifinals after Cheyenne Mountain’s Robbie Mertz was retired with an injury during their quarterfinal match.

“Ultimately I’ll go into tomorrow with more energy,” Wilcox said while acknowledging that the way he advanced was unfortunate.

With 19 points, Mullen came out of the first day of the tournament with the team lead after advancing positions to Saturday’s semifinals. Cheyenne Mountain claimed the team championship last year after clinching at least a share of the title after the second day of the tournament.

The semifinal matches at Pueblo City Park are slated to begin at 9 a.m. with the championship matches tentatively scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

PUEBLO — In reality, Niwot’s Class 4A boys tennis championship hopes were pretty simple. With three positions advancing to finals, the main priority was getting wins in No. 1 and No. 3 singles. That was going to be enough.

Luke Weber took care of No. 3 singles as he was the first match off the court during Saturday’s finals at Pueblo City Park. For the rest of the afternoon it was Cheyenne Mountain and Mullen jockeying for position with hopes of coming out on top.

The Cougars just needed the hammer to drop. And when the hammer is defending No. 1 singles champion Neil Wilcox, it’s going to drop hard.

Just like he did a year ago, Wilcox dropped the first set but rallied to beat Greeley West sophomore Nico Jamison to give himself a second individual title while also giving Niwot its first boys tennis championship in program history. Cheyenne Mountain and Mullen ended tied for second.

“I had no idea until I walked off the court after my match,” Wilcox said. “Everyone was screaming and I just looked at them and asked what happened. When they told me, I couldn’t believe it.”

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

Wilcox’s second title looked nearly identical to his first. Jamison took the first set in a tiebreaker, but Wilcox rallied and dominated the last two to win the match 6-7, 6-1, 6-2. Jamison had reached last year’s 5A semifinals an dbeat Mullen’s Mac Caldwell in the 4A semis Saturday morning to advance to his match against Wilcox.

After battling heavey through the first two sets, Jamison started dealing with a leg cramp that clearly bothered him in the third and final set. But he never once thought of quitting. Although Wilcox and Jamison have known each other for a long time, the now two-time champ has more respect for the Greeley West sophomore than he did a day ago.

“It was incredible,” Wilcox said. “It takes amazing spirit to be out there, win the first set and then start cramping. A lot of people would have quit. That’s tough to deal with mentally.”

As the boys all players took turns hold the team trophy and recounting the experience of the week, and even the season overall, coach Mikka Keronen couldn’t help but let his emotions show through his sunglasses and mask. He’s spent years coaching the boys through good and bad trips to state and couldn’t be happier for the kids that got to share in the experience of bringing a school its first state title.

And while the day ended with cheers around Wilcox’s second title, Keronen was quick to point out just how much Weber’s win meant to the whole experience.

“I think Luke was our biggest surprise,” Keronen said. “He’s a very good No. 3 and he just needed to get a little bigger and stronger and he’ll be a great singles player next year.”

As is tradition at each state tournament, the Vicky Matarrazo Sportsmanship Award was also handed out to acknowledge the team with standout sportsmanship through the course of the event. This year’s recipient was Durango who despite only winning a match in two positions on Friday, showed respect to each opponent and gratitude toward tournament staff and tournament director Ed Francis.

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

DENVER – Morgan Schilling’s serve was simply electric Saturday afternoon.

The Regis Jesuit senior was ripping off aces with ease at Gates Tennis Center as he defended his Class 5A boys tennis No. 1 singles championship. Schilling unloaded 16 aces in his title match with Cherry Creek’s George Cavo, including the final one on match point to secure the 6-1, 6-2 victory and his second consecutive state title.

“I’ve never seen a junior (player) with a serve like his,” Cavo said. “He trains super hard, works super hard, and he’s a great player. I’ve got to give my hat off to him.”

Cavo and his Bruins teammates did come away with the team trophy Saturday, the school’s 43rd overall, but the first since 2016. All seven positions reached the finals, and all four doubles team won state championships. Cherry Creek finished with 59 points, followed by Regis Jesuit at 55 points.

Schilling didn’t drop a set over the two days at Gates. He rolled past Ralston Valley’s Dayton Fisher 6-2, 6-1 in Saturday morning’s semifinal round, then had to wait while Cavo gutted out a 7-6, 6-2 victory over Fairview’s Luke Silverman. Schilling defeated Silverman in last year’s title match.

Cavo, who rallied from a 5-3 deficit in the first set of his semifinal match with Silverman, wasn’t able to break Schilling’s serve in any game in the finals. The Regis Jesuit senior fired off four aces in the final game, and after the last one tucked inside the line and past Cavo, the two friends walked to the net and embraced.

“I saw it bounce and my stomach dropped,” Schilling said. “I was so relieved – all this weight off my shoulders. I just took a deep breath.”

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Schilling is the first player to defend his No. 1 singles title since Chatfield’s Christian Holmes did in 2017-18.

Ironically it was Holmes who ended Schilling’s season at the state tournament his first two years. Homes defeated Schilling in the first round of his freshman year, and then again in the state championship match in 2018 – even after Schilling jumped out early against him.

“Christian dealt with pressure really well,” Schilling said. “He just didn’t give up, and that’s what I’m taking away – never give up.”

While Cavo didn’t come away with an individual title, he still had something to celebrate. With Cherry Creek and Regis Jesuit engaging in a tense back-and-forth for first place after the first day, the Bruins took a 12-point lead into the finals. Despite Regis Jesuit sweeping the Bruins in each of the singles matches, Cherry Creek locked up the crown after its No. 4 doubles team of Blake Holst and Matt Hu defeated Valor Christian in a three-set thriller.

“I haven’t been able to experience a state title with the team,” Cavo said. “It’s a great feeling for sure.”

Brothers Kiril and Kristian Kostadinov got the ball rolling for Cherry Creek at No. 1 doubles, taking care of Valor Christian’s David Bomgaars and Luke Beukelman 6-4, 6-3, to cap an unbeaten season.

For Kiril, it was his second consecutive title at No. 1 doubles. As a freshman, he teamed with Aram Izmirian to win a championship.

Getting to do it again Saturday, this time with his brother, was that much sweeter.

“It was a good experience,” Kostadinov said. “We’ve tried playing together in the past and it hasn’t worked out. This year we did really good.”

Ainsley Elliott-Beagle and Casey Dennis won the No. 3 doubles crown 6-2, 7-6 over Regis Jesuit, and the No. 2 tandem of Braden Meyer and Nathan Henden rallied to top Fossil Ridge 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3) in the final match of the day.

Regis Jesuit’s Conor Kaczmarczyk took home the No. 2 singles crown with a hard-fought 6-1, 1-6, 6-0 victory over Cherry Creek’s Matt Batnunkh. The Bruins junior was coming off a three-set victory in the semifinals that went to a tiebreaker in the third set.

In a battle of sophomores at No. 3 singles, Cameron Kruep topped Izmirian 6-3, 6-3, to win his second title.

The state tournament was the first to decide a state champion since ice hockey last February, with the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the state basketball tournament and wiping out the spring sports season.

The players were thrilled with the opportunity to get to compete this fall and finish things off in a shortened-season.

“Even in July I was like no way we would have a tennis season with all the COVID cases going up and up,” Schilling said. “We are all really fortunate that tennis is a social-distant sport; you’re on opposite sides of the court.

“I’m really happy we got to play.”

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Elizabeth softball picked up a 9-5 win over Falcon on Thursday.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

The CHSAA follows state and local guidelines regarding maximum numbers in facilities. Many of our state events will have some restrictions and modifications on spectator numbers. Please check with your school athletic directors for spectator variances.