Just as expected, Grantsville and Rowland Hall fought tooth and nail for the 1A/2A tennis championships in Provo on Saturday.
And when Brady Paulich defeated Austin Ritter in an emotional, extra-set affair between the schools' No. 2 singles players - in the day's final match - the Cowboys edged the Lions, 21-17, ending Rowland Hall's seven-year stranglehold on the title.For Grantsville coach Don Nelson, the victory meant more than that. "They're a club program and we're a high school program," he said. "This is very satisfying. I'm very proud of this team."
Nelson was referring to the fact Rowland Hall is a private school.
The Cowboys have established a storied tradition in their own right. Including both the boys and girls, they have now won 32 state tennis championships.
Yet despite all the success, the Cowboys pulled a surprising first on Saturday. Jonah Nelson's No. 1 singles title was a first for the school since 1973 when Jack Nelson, Jonah's uncle, and Don's brother, won it.
Coach Nelson was also pleased with the play of his No. 1 doubles team, Alan Mouritsen and Kelly Mondragon, who defeated Rowland Hall's Andy Lawrence and Jesse Crandall, avenging a 6-1, 6-1 loss in the region championships last weekend.