Thursday has finally arrived, and as far as Timpview's tennis players are concerned, it's about time.
"All week they've been saying, 'Coach I wish (the state tournament) was tomorrow," said Timpview coach Rob Sperry.
Now that Thursday is here, the players got their wish — the 4A state tournament officially gets underway on Friday at Liberty Park.
Defending state champion Timpview is the prohibited favorite to run away with the state title, and Sperry said they're anxious to get out there and take care of business.
"They're all really excited about it. They're not overconfident, that much I can promise," said Sperry.
The best team in the state all season, Timpview's players are used to taking an opponents' best shot, and they don't expect anything less at state.
All three of Timpview's singles players should dominate, with senior Jon Pearce at No. 1, younger brother Matthew Pearce at No. 2 and Paul Monson at No. 3.
Bonneville's trio of singles players, Parker Jones at No. 1, Jay Walter at No. 2 and Tyler Heaton at No. 3, were all region champions and the likely competitors to advance to the final opposite Timpview's trio.
While nobody expects any surprises in singles, the potential is there for tremendous excitement at doubles.
Timpview's first doubles team of Brett Jaynes and Rendell Burghart is outstanding, but so is Logan's duo of Hunter Ballam and Jordan Larsen. A sophomore last year, Ballam teamed up with senior Brett Reynolds to win the first doubles championship. Most expect the teams to meet in the second doubles championship at Liberty Park on Saturday afternoon.
Timpview and Logan also feature two of the best second doubles teams, but they'd meet in quarterfinals. Timpview's team of Jacob Jensen and Josh Harrison only lost one match all year, but it was a three-setter to Maple Mountain's Matt Chandler and Collin Eaton in the Region 8 championship last week.
Logan's doubles team of senior Dustin Hicken and sophomore Andrew Hopkins is the slight favorite at No. 2 doubles, and if the Grizzlies can eke out the title, it might be good enough to help them slip past region rival Bonneville to claim the runner-up finish to Timpview.
Highland was the 4A runner-up a year ago, and first-year coach Adam Blackner hopes a strong showing in singles can lead to a top four finish this year.
"Our singles have definitely been the strength of our team and has been carrying most of the weight this year," said Blackner.
Highland's Jihoon Noh and Howard Cooke each won their respective Region 6 singles titles, and they're both expected to advance to the semifinals where the Pearce brothers from Timpview will likely be waiting.
Email: jedward@desnews.com
4A TENNIS FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS
Friday at Liberty Park, 9 a.m.
First singles
Kevin Rose (Maple Mountain) vs. Tyler Roach (East)
Parker Jones (Bonneville) vs. Tyler Ross (Herriman)
Michael Mann (Hillcrest) vs. Michael Ensign (Mountain Crest)
Austin Kirk (Woods Cross) vs. Ben Spencer (Springville)
Andrew Hugie (Logan) vs. Eric Debry (Skyline)
Jon Pearce (Timpview) vs. Colton Keddington (Bountiful)
Jihoon Noh (Highland) vs. Tyler Mellander (Salem Hills)
Caleb Brand (Olympus) vs. Matt Kidman (Sky View)
Second singles
McKay Luu (Maple Mountain) vs. Jameson Poulton (Bountiful)
Jay Walter (Bonneville) vs. Keaton Adams (Salem Hills)
Andrew Stewart (Skyline) vs. Mitchell John (Mountain Crest)
Josh Hinkle (Woods Cross) vs. Zach Nemelka (Springville)
Jake Stevenson (Logan) vs. Cole Pruden (Herriman)
Matthew Pearce (Timpview) vs. Gardner Lang (East)
Howard Cooke (Highland) vs. Nate Widmer (Timpanogos)
Christian Radman (Olympus) vs. Austin Jeppson (Skye View)
Third singles
Chris Wiscombe (Maple Mountain) vs. Will Taylor (Highland)
Tyler Heaton (Bonneville) vs. Kurt Cottle (Timpanogos)
Adam Ott (Olympus) vs. Nathan Johnson (Box Elder)
Steiner Paulsen (East) vs. Trevon Galbraith (Springville)
Jordan Bylunds (Logan) vs. Aydin Tasevac (Skyline)
Paul Monson (Timpview) vs. Colin Cole (Woods Cross)
Michael Duke (Bountiful) vs. Helaman Johnston (Mountain View)
Keegan Call (Herriman) vs. Matt Adams (Mountain Crest)
First doubles
Ryan Porter/Andrew Blonquist (Maple Mountain) vs. Chandler Paulsen/Finn Thompson (East)
Hunter Ballam/Jordan Larsen (Logan) vs. Nick Mayberry/Enrique Fernandez (Timpanogos)
Ryan Rasmussen/Calvin Escobedo (Olympus) vs. Luke Dance/Ben Elgan (Mountain Crest)
Mike Yates/Jake Hunt (Bountiful) vs. Devin Lindley/Austin Stephan (Mountain V9ew)
Matt Bladen/Nathan Duncan (Sky View) vs. Hansi Kiessner/Connor Merkley (Skyline)
Brett Jaynes/Rendell Burghart (Timpview) vs. Andrew Sorensen/Matthew Baker (Highland)
Jens Nielson/Adam Donovan (Woods Cross) vs. Taylor Kunz/Tanner Davis (Orem)
Tyler Rindlisbacher/Scott Rindlisbacher (Herriman) vs. Jared McRory/Austin Butterfield (Box Elder)
Second doubles
Jacob Jensen/Josh Harrison (Timpview) vs. Trevor Lloyd/Josh Harris (Bountiful)
Dustin Hicken/Andrew Hopkins (Logan) vs. Robbie Hall/Andrew Williams (Skyline)
Josh Wright/Jason Ulrich (Hillcrest) vs. Daniel Robinson/Trevor Carter (Sky View)
Julian Wise/Thomas Date (Highland) vs. Jonathan Hager/Spencer Seveson (Mountain View)
Riley Nichols/Quaid Madison (Bonneville) vs. Scott Hamilton/Tyler Bell (Olympus)
Matt Chandler/Collin Eaton (Maple Mountain) vs. Ethan Johnson/Landon Olswald (Woods Cross)
Adam Williams/Sam Rasmussen (East) vs. Bracken Mudrow/Matthew Sanders (Timpanogos)
Jordan Quinn/Jacob Nielsen (Herriman) vs. Doc Cronin/Justin Law (Box Elder)