With methodical and proficient cross-court backhand rallies, Fairview’s Seraphin Castelino wore down Ky Ecton of Poudre to win the girls’ Class 5A state title at No. 1 singles 6-4, 6-1 on Saturday at Gates Tennis Center.
Her win also helped Fairview end Cherry Creek’s run of 19 consecutive team championships. The big match to clinch the team title came at No. 3 singles, where Fairview’s Sophie Pearson beat Cherry Creek’s Sayuri Garud in three sets. The Knights finished with 69 team points, three ahead of the Bruins.
“My game plan was to make her move and make her hit as many shots as she could,” Castelino said, “then to just keep hitting to her backhand and make her play.”
After the second set began with a 10-minute victory in the first game for Castelino, Ecton ramped up her serve to gain a 30-love lead in Game 2. Briefly fazed by Ecton’s increased velocity, Castelino evened at 30-all and set into motion a run that increased her 1-0 lead to 5-0.
Three winners propelled Ecton to the board at 1-5, but Castelino stayed the course and pinned Ecton at the baseline, peppering her backhand in the final game. The four consecutive unforced errors that ensued sealed the second state title in two years for a Fairview freshman at No. 1 singles after
Buoyed throughout by an efficient first serve, Castelino rarely allowed Ecton to go on the offensive and fed off her sophomore counterpart’s unforced errors. Ecton opened the initial game of the match with four and later had a forehand that found the net to fall into a 0-4 hole.
Ecton broke Castelino’s serve in the fifth game, and then held serve to claw back to 2-4. Another Ecton break pulled her to within 4-5, but a loss while serving sealed the first set.
Ecton edged Castelino in winners, 15-11, but committed 50 unforced errors to Castelino’s 29.
“I was trying to keep calm and keep my momentum and not give away free points,” Castelino said.
Castelino, the younger sister of , admitted she was nervous at the beginning and end of the match, but her demeanor never conveyed that feeling. Although Ecton remained externally composed throughout, nerves appeared to set in midway through the second set.
Castelino, who finished the regular season 10-0, defeated Ecton 6-3, 6-4 when Fairview hosted Poudre on April 14.
“I was a little bit more nervous for this match,” Castelino said. “But it was kind of a similar game plan to hit to her backhand and make her run.”
Mario Sanelli: msanelli@denverpost.com