Vail Christian Tennis Duo Secures Spot in State Championship

A strong performance at the 4A Region 8 tournament has propelled the Vail Christian boys tennis team into the state championship. The No. 1 doubles team, comprised of Owen Rey and Cody Keyes, secured a runner-up finish at the tournament held on October 9-10, 2023, at Colorado Mesa, guaranteeing their participation in the state tournament later this week.

Rey and Keyes, who entered the tournament as the third seed, displayed remarkable resilience. They began with a commanding victory over Durango, winning 6-0, 6-0, before overcoming the second-seeded duo from Aspen, Christopher Andrews and Justin Mavrovic, in a thrilling semifinal match that ended with scores of 6-7, 7-6, 6-3. Keyes reflected on their journey, stating, “During regular season games, both matches with Aspen ended in tiebreakers for the third set with us losing 9-11. For regionals, we were able to turn that around.”

The championship match featured the top-seeded pair from Grand Junction, Gareth Keller and Ben Miller, who ultimately defeated Rey and Keyes 6-3, 6-4. Despite the loss, the duo remains optimistic about their upcoming challenges at the state level. “I’m very excited to represent Vail in states this year,” Rey expressed. “The match against Grand Junction really showed us what we’re capable of, and we are looking forward to good matches at states.”

The state tournament is set to commence on October 17, 2023, at the Pueblo City Park Tennis Courts, where Rey and Keyes will face D’Evelyn’s Dylan Reeb and Simon Czarnecki in the first round.

Vail Christian’s success is not limited to Rey and Keyes. The team also achieved four fourth-place finishes in various categories, showcasing the depth of talent. These placements included Blake Kirkham in No. 3 singles, along with the pairs Ehren Goree and Tennyson Sipes at No. 2 doubles, Jake Martz and Tomas Alvarez at No. 3 doubles, and Brody Zenz and Landis Breitzman at No. 4 doubles.

Head coach J.D. Webster expressed pride in his team’s achievement, especially considering they graduated seven seniors prior to this season. “We’re so blessed to make another run at states and medaling at regionals this year,” he commented. “We’re so proud of our guys, and we’re so excited and thankful for this awesome tennis community. It takes everyone—players, coaches, and parents—to build this program.”

Looking ahead, the Vail Christian boys tennis team will aim to build on their regional success as they prepare for the state tournament, hoping to make a significant impact.