PUEBLO, Colo.—There was a fresh look to the Class 4A state tennis picture by late afternoon Friday at the City Park Tennis Complex.
Sammie Watson, a Kent Denver freshman, blew through her No. 1 singles semifinal 6-0, 6-0 to emerge as the favorite in Saturday’s final and Niwot put away the team title early as the Cougars piled up 51 team points with four semifinal victories.
Championship and third-place matches will be played at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Watson dispatched Meha Semwal of Cheyenne Mountain 6-0, 6-0. The nationally-ranked Watson muscled up against Meha Semwal, staying back on the baseline and displaying powerful ground strokes.
“She likes to hit back really hard,” Watson said about Semwal.
Watson will face Clarke Tatje of Fountain Valley in Saturday’s championship. Tatje defeated Dani Scimeca of Fossil Ridge 6-0, 7-6 (7) to advance. The Dane junior lost to Watson in a summer tournament last year.
Kent Denver’s Lindsay Barlow will join Watson in the finals, playing for the No. 2 singles title.
Niwot, a school from the Boulder area that has steadily grown as a tennis power, has finalists at No. 2 and 3 singles and No. 1 and 3 doubles as the Cougars went a perfect four-for-four.
Defending state champion Cheyenne Mountain had a long, hard day. The Indians played in five semifinal matches on Friday but advanced only at No. 4 doubles.
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On the Net:
Colorado High School Activities Association:
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Information from: Pueblo Chieftain,
