BOULDER – Geoff Lewis is all by himself at the 5A boys state tennis tournament.
But Durango’s lone qualifier and the second seed at No. 1 singles won’t be alone in today’s 9 a.m. semifinal match against Fairview’s Calix van Lier.
The two seniors, who steamrolled their first two opponents in Thursday’s opening rounds at the University of Colorado tennis facility, developed a friendship earlier this year despite a rivalry in which van Lier, a two-time state placer, ousted Lewis from last year’s state tournament in the consolation semifinals.
Lewis, the No. 2 singles champion in 2005, and van Lier became close last spring while competing in a tournament in Midland, Texas.
“We went to dinner just about every night and played doubles together,” Lewis recalled.
The two almost became league rivals. Van Lier, who finished second in 2005 and fourth last year for Boulder, attended Grand Junction last spring while at a tennis academy in the Western Slope city. He had planned on transferring to Grand Junction High permanently for his senior year, but opted instead for Fairview.
“This summer I didn’t play much tennis, so I didn’t think it was worth it to go back,” van Lier said. “Most of the people I knew (at Boulder) had graduated and my girlfriend is at Fairview. I wanted to have more of a fun senior year.”
So far, so good. Van Lier is two wins away from capping his high school career with his first state title. And with van Lier at the top, Fairview is keeping pace with six-time defending team champion Cherry Creek. The Knights and Bruins were the only teams who advanced through the first two rounds in all seven divisions and hold a five-point lead over Regis.
“I’d like to do it my senior year, especially because we have a really good team,” van Lier said.
But Lewis, the No. 2 singles champion in 2005, stands in his way and already owns a two-set victory over van Lier in a tournament in Grand Junction last month.
The Lewis-van Lier winner will face either top-seeded Will Vasos of Rocky Mountain or Cherry Creek’s Andy Benson, who won No. 1 doubles titles in 2005 and 2006, in Satuday’s final at 11 a.m. Both won in straight sets Thursday as the top four seeds, all seniors, reached the semifinals.
