PUEBLO — The buzz around Pueblo’s City Park tennis courts Thursday was to watch out for “the Runge girl” from Niwot.
Claire Runge doesn’t listen, though. She doesn’t even want to know who she’s playing, let alone have the added pressure of everyone talking about her.
Although she won’t admit it, she’s widely dubbed the favorite to win the state Class 4A No. 2 singles title. She placed third in the state last year after losing a grueling match, her first loss of the season, and neither of the girls that finished ahead of her is back.
Runge, called a team leader by Niwot coach Miikka Keronen, is a seasoned veteran. She is in the tournament for the fourth time and says she knew what to expect coming in. Runge said she wasn’t as nervous as in years past.
It showed.
In the first day of the tournament, she made quick work of her opponents. She lost just four games in the first two matches to advance to today’s semifinals. Runge knocked off Sheridan Seymour from Regis in the first round and then beat Christine Kato of Greeley West in the quarterfinals.
Runge takes a different approach than most girls. Preferring not to know whom she’s up against, the senior blindly goes into every match expecting to play the best opponent she has ever faced.
“I try to find out my opponent’s weaknesses when we’re warming up and in the first few games,” Runge said.
Perhaps that is why each of the four games she lost were in the first set.
Runge will face Steamboat Springs junior Shelby Reed today.
When the year is over, Runge will head to the University of Tampa. For now, she said she would take just as much pride in a team title as an individual one.
“Our whole team is better this year,” Runge said. “Our practices are better, and I’m always playing good competition. We expect more from ourselves this year.”
Niwot, which finished third last year, was one of seven teams to qualify all 11 players. After the first of three days in Pueblo, Niwot finds itself in the mix to win the title. The Cougars still have two singles players and two doubles teams in the hunt.
After the first day, defending champion Cheyenne Mountain is tied with Steamboat Springs with 11 points, while Niwot and Fossil Ridge are knotted at 10.
