SALT LAKE CITY — As the opening of the Class 5A boys state tennis tournament quickly approaches, it’s safe to say the field is wide open.
Viewmont and Brighton have shared the spoils for the past handful of years. The Vikings claiming the past two consecutive crowns, and the Bengals finishing second both years after an incredible seven-year grasp of the 5A crown before 2013.
Jake Tullis leads Viewmont at the top of the bracket in first singles, returning for his senior run in the tournament. Tullis has found success the past two years at the state tournament, staking claim to back-to-back second singles championships. Tullis is poised to make it past his Day One opponents, but a potential semifinal showdown against Brighton junior Chase Stoner likely will be the first big hurdle for the Viewmont senior.
Lone Peak junior Brocton Andrus will be looking to shake off a pair of semifinal exits in his past two tournaments. Bingham sophomore Stockton Aubrey and fellow underclassman Sam Hafen of Davis will do battle with the victor squaring off against Andrus.
Taylorsville junior Kolby Silim boasts a 12-0 record heading into the tournament, and will be put to the test in the second round, should the Warrior run into the lone senior in the lower bracket in Alta’s Thomas Mikulis.
Five seniors highlight the second singles bracket, but one senior has what seems to be the smoothest road to the title match. Brighton senior Anthony Panuzio is that player who will likely rise above the field, having been well-seasoned in the 5A tournament since his freshman year. Panuzio was dealt a semifinal exit last year by the eventual singles champ Tullis, but on paper Panuzio is the guy to beat this year in second singles.
Viewmont sophomore Jack Taylor made an incredible run through the tournament last year, coming up short in a three-set title match loss. Boasting an undefeated record, and with such a great finish in 2014, it’s hard to count Taylor out.
Brighton sophomore Jared Mansell is returning to defend his championship in the third singles bracket, opening the tournament Thursday against Taylorsville sophomore Martin Maghair.
Atop the third singles bracket, a trio of underclassmen will be vying for that semifinal berth: Bingham junior Sean Nelson, Lone Peak freshman Micah Heimuli and Viewmont sophomore Ethan Campbell. Nelson and Heimuli will likely meet in the second round, with the winner moving into the semifinal to face off versus Viewmont’s Campbell.
Predictions become even tougher in the doubles brackets that have gone in favor of Brighton in years past. Not this year, it appears, as Bingham looks to have the teams to beat in both brackets. Both doubles teams have impressed this season, both compiling undefeated records and No. 1 seeds heading into the tournament. Besides American Fork’s tandem of Matt Conover and Ashton Jenson, Bingham’s Bridger Peterson and Parker Hansen are the lone pair of seniors bunched together in second doubles.
Davis senior McKay Bruse was a member of the second doubles squad that claimed the Darts' lone title in 2014. Now paired with junior Michael Moody, Bruse will lead the duo into battle against Lehi’s Tyler Miller and Keaton Mathis before a likely semifinal duel against Cottonwood’s Henry Metcalf and Dylan Taylor.
The first two rounds of the 5A tournament begin Thursday at the Liberty Park tennis courts.
Class 4A — Mountain View has edged the rest of the field by the narrowest of margins for two years running at the Class 4A state tournament.
Timpview, out of the picture after nearly a decade of success, now has a chance to finally get back to its winning ways this weekend.
The Thunderbirds are carrying five No. 1 seeds heading into the tournament.
“Two years in a row it has come down to the finals for us and Mountain View. If we win the match we win, if they win the match they win,” said Timpview coach Rob Sperry. “When you’re that close, it motivates you to work harder, and the kids have stepped it up.”
Defending first singles champ John Dollahite is back for Mountain View, poised yet again for another successful run in the 4A tourney. Timpview senior Paul Monson is also back to make another run at the first singles title, just a year removed from a semifinal exit at the hands for Dollahite.
Nick Sepulveda brings an undefeated record to the tournament for Corner Canyon, and will be tested in his first match Friday morning against Mountain Crest Luke Dance.
Zach Simpson has made the jump to second singles for Timpview after earning a third singles title last year. Simpson will open the tournament against Region 5 standout Mark Spencer Friday morning.
“Zach is taking it to the next level, moving up to second singles, and I believe he’ll be very competitive in that bracket. He’s mature, a year stronger and better,” said Sperry. “Having said that, there are plenty of wonderful players from the other schools at that same position. So, that’ll be a very competitive second singles position at state.”
Bonneville junior Alex Hall also will be looking to redeem an early exit in last year’s tournament, but will have to best Spanish Fork junior Robby Dixon for the chance at redemption.
After winning a first doubles crown with his brother, Bonneville junior Tanner Heaton has moved into singles play for the Lakers. Skyline junior Raleigh Sorbonne will meet Heaton in the second round for a shot at Timpview sophomore Scotty Wynn. Zac Spencer can help a revamped Mountain View team inch closer to repeating for a third year in a row should the senior find success in the third singles bracket. Mountain Crest senior Andrew Johnson is the first player standing in the way of Spencer.
Timpview has compiled the best pair of tandems in the doubles brackets, with Mountain Crest and the pair of Greg Lee and Thomas Hall of Skyline coming in as the dark horse opponents.