PUEBLO — Starting the day down 13 points in the team race, three-time runner-up Kent Denver won five final matches — a sweep of the doubles championships and a three-set win by the team captain — to claim the team title by one point Saturday.
After the doubles titles, Kent Denver trailed Cheyenne Mountain, which has won the past three team titles, by two points, with the outcome of the No. 3 singles match between those schools, worth three points in the team race, still to be decided.
With all the matches finished, including the No. 1 singles won by Broomfield’s Kelly Donaldson, the crowd at Pueblo City Park migrated to Court 5 to watch the No. 3 showdown. Sun Devils captain Frazier Cavness edged Cheyenne Mountain’s Michael Cutter 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1 for the deciding points.
“We had our four-year letterman, team captain, our senior on the court, for the final set,” Kent Denver head coach Randy Ross said. “We couldn’t have asked to have anyone out there better for us.”
Cavness said the team title easily meant more to him than his second individual state title.
“I came out a little bit slow, but I realized I owed it to my team and my coach. He puts his whole life into this, and I couldn’t go out with a loss,” Cavness said while standing next to a mob of his teammates.
Cavness and Ross declined an audible obscenity penalty on Cutter, which would have awarded Cavness the last point of the match. Instead, Cavness won the title on the next point.
“It’s just our heart,” Cavness said of the longshot rally. “This team has got so close to each other this year. We’re all friends, and we wanted to win it for each other.”
The Sun Devils celebrated their fourth state title by shaving their heads and Ross’ mustache long after all the other teams had left the park.
At No. 1 singles, Donaldson, who has played in national tournaments around the country and is comfortable with big-match pressure, dispatched Jelmer Vriesema of Wheat Ridge 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Donaldson said he prepared the same way for this match as he does every morning by eating what he agreed was the “breakfast of champions” — Frosted Flakes and a doughnut.
“When my team’s yelling, it just feels awesome,” Donaldson said. “I’m going to take a little break to let it soak in.”
Team scores — Kent Denver 70, Cheyenne Mountain 69, Broomfield 47, Mullen 23, Steamboat Springs 19, Niwot 15, Wheat Ridge 13, Fossil Ridge 12, Pueblo County 11, Colorado Academy 5, Pueblo Central 5, Greeley West 4, Longmont 2, Greeley Central 1, Pueblo West 1, Pueblo Centennial 1, Evergreen 1, Aspen 1.
Championship matches
No. 1 singles: Kelly Donaldson, Broomfield, def. Jelmer Vriesema, Wheat Ridge, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
No. 2 singles: Jonathan Moore, Cheyenne Mountain, def. Connor Buchanan, Broomfield, 6-4, 7-5.
No. 3 singles: Frazier Cavness, Kent Denver, def. Michael Cutter, Cheyenne Mountain, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1.
No. 1 doubles: Matt Carroll-James Martinez, Kent Denver, def. Kevin Lynch-Matt Bowser, Cheyenne Mountain, 6-3, 7-5.
No. 2 doubles: Ross Mower-Graham Baker, Kent Denver, def. Ari Halling-Parker Curry, Cheyenne Mountain, 6-2, 6-0.
No. 3 doubles: Max Maulitz-Matt Brittan, Kent Denver, def. Matt Shoemaker-Jay Hendren, Cheyenne Mountain, 6-3, 6-4.
No. 4 doubles: Chase Procknow-James Kreidle, Kent Denver, def. Spencer Heintz-Chris Stuller, Cheyenne Mountain, 1-6, 6-2, 6-0.
Third-place matches
No. 1 singles: Miles Lucero, Pueblo County, def. John Adams, Cheyenne Mountain, 6-2, 7-6 (4).
No. 2 singles: J.J. Shpall, Kent Denver, def. Jeffrey Hudson, Mullen, 6-3, 6-3.
No. 3 singles: Stephen Lammers, Niwot, def. Marc Roybal, Broomfield, 6-3, 6-4
No. 1 doubles: Charlie Smith-Jack Burger, Steamboat Springs, def. Ken Lynch-Mike McShane, Broomfield, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2.
No. 2 doubles: Zach McPhee-Greg Hampson, Fossil Ridge, def. Patrick Anderson-Richard Martinez, Mullen, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
No. 3 doubles: Adam Gang-T.J. Ross, Niwot, def. David Hietala-Chris Lopez, Mullen, 6-4, 6-3.
No. 4 doubles: Vladan Chase-Eric Sortland, Steamboat Springs, def. Greg Dery-Mitch Kusick, Broomfield, 6-3, 6-2.
