When you've won four straight state championships, the natural tendency is to get a little overconfident. That's the position Rowland Hall found itself in going into the state 1A tennis tournament Thursday at Liberty Park.
"Our team had come into the season cocky, if not arrogant," said Rowland Hall coach Rich Francey. "I told the team it wasn't going to be easy this time. But I don't think they really believed me."They believed after Waterford High won two of the three singles crowns early Thursday. That meant Rowland Hall needed to win both doubles finals over Waterford in the late afternoon to take state again.
First Howard Horn and Nick Greenwood teamed to win the No. 2 doubles crown for Rowland Hall 6-1, 6-4 over Alex Mazurkewycz and Grant Goodson. Then it all came down to the No. 1 doubles final.
David Reeder and Alex Ashton had all they could handle from Waterford's young duo of Daniel Swinton and Jonas Staker in a highly charged match. Finally, Reeder and Ashton prevailed, taking a hard-fought 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 victory.
That gave Rowland Hall the team title with 23 points compared to 19 for Waterford. St. Joseph, Dugway and Wasatch Academy all finished far back in a tie for third with one point apiece.
"I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I didn't think we were going to win it," said Francey.
Although eight teams were in the tournament, it basically came down to a dual meet between the Winged Lions and Wolves.
As expected, Waterford freshman Ryan Hatch captured the No. 1 singles crown with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Bob Lonergan and Rowland Hall's Adrian Larson won No. 2 singles with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Cameron Swinton.
However, Waterford's Boyd Goodson scored an upset at No. 3 singles when he knocked off Brady Rasmussen 6-3, 7-5.
That left it all up to the doubles and Rowland Hall came through for its fifth straight 1A title.
"This was as highly emotional as any tennis I've ever been involved with," said Francey.
"I was real proud of my players," said Waterford coach Darren Mansell. "We just couldn't pull it out."