SALT LAKE CITY — It was a day filled with heartbreak and ecstasy for Snow Canyon, which played competitive tennis en route to the 3A crown.
The Warriors and Juan Diego were neck-and-neck heading into their respective championship matches, which made the events that unfolded Saturday evening a worthy spectacle.
Soaring Eagle sophomore Ben Agrelius got the ball rolling in favor of Juan Diego with his impressive 6-2, 6-1 win over Park City’s Connor Burke in the third singles championship.
The title clinch would spark Juan Diego’s quest to sweep all three singles brackets for a third consecutive tournament, with brothers Ryan and Connor Kempin put to task to achieve a pair of victories.
Both of the Kempin matches had huge implications for both schools, since Snow Canyon and Juan Diego were both seeking crucial points down the stretch.
In first singles, it was the elder Kempin slipping past Snow Canyon sophomore Matt Morgan with a solid 6-3, 6-4title victory.
“It’s a lot of pressure of my back to be honest,” admitted Kempin after the match. “A coach of mine once told me ‘exposure creates composure’ and I’ve kind of tried to live by then since then. Putting yourself on the line is what makes you grow and develop as a player and a person.”
It was the first blow to the Warriors chances of clinching the 3A title, with Desert Hills joining the fracas.
The Thunder yet again ran the table in the doubles format, sweeping both first and second doubles for the seventh year in a row.
Desert Hills senior Braden Evans & Kyler Kennedy secured the first doubles title with a convincing 6-3, 6-4win over the Snow Canyon duo of Devin Radmall and Nick Csere. The Thunder added salt to the Warriors' wounds just moments later when seniors Conner McArthur and Austin Hardy bested Snow Canyon’s Jonathan Morgan and Trevor Muse for the second doubles crown.
The heartbreak took a turn in favor of the Southern Utah school in the final match of the evening, when Snow Canyon junior Will Benson was able to contain Juan Diego’s Kempin to give the Warriors a well-deserved 3A crown.
“I knew Connor was going to bring it all today. I just had to stay mentally strong and push it to the last point,” said Benson after clinching the second singles title. “I had an idea that my match was going to have an effect on the outcome, and I just tried to be calm and play my game and see what happens.”
3A BOY STATE TENNIS
Libert Park & Salt Lake tennis courts
Salt Lake City
Friday
FIRST ROUND
1st Singles
Micah Alba, Dixie, def. Grant Porter, Morgan, 6-1, 6-1; Braden Sandberg, Grantsville, def. Jaxon Jones, Richfield 6-1, 6-1; Ryan Kempin, Juan Diego, def. Porter Aitken, Pine View, 6-2, 6-1; Justin Ericksen, North Sanpete, def. Dakota Fidler, Stansbury, 6-0, 6-3; Matt Morgan, Snow Canyon, def. Rawson Simmons, PC, 6-0, 6-1; Adam Pullan, Payson, def. Spencer Hoehne, Tooele, 6-1, 6-0; Gabe Anderson, Desert Hills, def. Joseph Beales, Union, 6-1, 6-1; Steffen Rigby, Bear River, def. Derek Dunnell, Canyon View, 6-1, 6-0.
2nd Singles
Holden Hullinger, Union, def. Nate Mitchell, Stansbury, 6-1, 6-1; Evan Wride, Payson, def. Cord Johnson, Canyon View, 6-4, 6-1; Will Benson, Snow Canyon, def. Mitchell Wade, Pine View, 6-0, 6-0; David Payne, PC, def. Taylor Francom, Bear River, 6-3, 6-3; Connor Kempin, Juan Diego, def. Ivan Gonzales, Tooele, 6-0, 6-0; Kyler Baumgartner, Desert Hills, def. Jake Harris, Richfield, 6-1, 6-0; Tytan Thurgood, Grantsville, def. Jeremy Wheelwright, Morgan, 6-1, 6-1; Tazio Kastelic, Dixie, def. Andy Workman, North Sanpete, 7-6, 6-2.
3rd Singles
Michael Russell, Snow Canyon, def. Jacob Nielson, Tooele, 6-0, 6-0; Bo McKinley, Richfield, def. Lleyton Tanner, Uintah, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4; Ben Agrelius, Juan Diego, def. Ryker Erickson, North Sanpete, 6-4, 6-0; Matthew Waldron, Grantsville, def. Kenneth Behunin, Hurricane, 6-3, 6-0; Nathan Obray, Pine View, def. Alex Sorensen, Bear River, 6-1, 6-3; Luke Price, Union, def. Grant Pullan, Payson, 6-1, 6-1; Connor Burke, PC, def. Daniel Bethers, Dixie, 6-0, 6-1; Job Huxford, Canyon View, def. Alex Kimberling, Stansbury, 6-3, 6-0.
1st Doubles
Braden Evans & Kyler Kennedy, Desert Hills, def. Braden Eddington & Devin Bennet, Union, 6-2, 6-1; Isaac Hamm & Nate Beckett, Grantsville, def. Wyatt Judd & Matt Webber, Payson, 6-3, 6-2; Rex Alley & Lucas Castro, Juan Diego, def. David Colson & Christian Morris, Hurricane, 6-1, 6-2; Jordan Ericksen & Patrick Rawlinson, North Sanpete, def. Austin Sandau & Conner Miller, Ben Lomond, 7-6 (6), 6-1; Cole Lee & Brennen French, PC, def. Noah Featherstone & Aren Balian, Dixie 7-5, 6-2; Curtis Jeffery & Wyatt Peterson, Richfield, def. Jaret Stokes & Jackson Schow, Bear River, 6-2, 6-1; Devin Radmall & Nick Csere, Snow Canyon, def. Jaden Batty & Keaton Maynard, Uintah, 6-0, 6-0; Jake Hardy & Carlos Gomez, Stansbury, def. Garrett Wood & Kam Sivertsen, Cedar, 6-2, 6-2.
2nd Doubles
Parker Wyatt & Andrew Dalton, Grantsville, def. Tyler Osha & Alex Miller, Juan Diego, 6-3, 7-5; Braxton Judd & Carson Ward, Payson, def. Bryce Jones & Isaac Reed, Pine View, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-2; Jonathan Morgan & Trevor Muse, Snow Canyon, def. David Hafley & Matt Pearson, Canyon View, 7-5, 6-3; Max Beringer & Charlie Lambert, PC, def. Rigo Vasquez & Angel Mendoza, Ben Lomond, 6-0, 6-2; Austin Hardy & Conner McArthur, Desert Hills, def. Caleb Barton & Carter Moorer, Richfield, 6-1, 6-1; Josh England & Renden Dye, Stansbury, def. Levi Miller & Conner Larson, Union, 6-2, 6-4; Joshua Johnson & Matthew Stringer, Uintah, 7-5, 7-6 (5); Taylor Bottema & Tanner Beckstrom, Dixie, def. Brenden Blackham & Benjamin Palmer, North Sanpete, 6-4, 6-3.
SECOND ROUND
1st Singles
Micah Alba, Dixie, def. Braden Sandberg, Grantsville, 6-2, 6-4; Ryan Kempin, Juan Diego, def. Justin Ericksen, North Sanpete, 6-1, 6-1; Matt Morgan, Snow Canyon, def. Adam Pullan, Payson, 6-0, 6-0; Gabe Anderson, Desert Hills, def. Steffen Rigby, Bear River, 7-5, 6-4.
2nd Singles
Holden Hullinger, Union, def. Evan Wride, Payson, 6-2, 6-1; Will Benson, Snow Canyon, def. David Payne, PC, 6-0, 6-1; Connor Kempin, Juan Diego, def. Kyler Baumgartner, Desert Hills, 6-3, 6-4; Tytan Thurgood, Grantsville, def. Tazio Kastelic, Dixie, 6-2, 6-4.
3rd Singles
Michael Russell, Snow Canyon, def. Bo McKinley, Richfield, 7-4, 6-0; Ben Argilius, Juan Diego, def. Matthew Waldron, Grantsville, 6-4, 7-5; Nathan Obray, Pine View, def. Luke Price, Union, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5); Connor Burke, PC, def. Job Huxford, Canyon View, 6-1, 6-0.
1st Doubles
Braden Evans & Kyler Kennedy, Desert Hills, def. Isaac Hamm & Nate Beckett, Grantsville, 6-2, 6-1; Rex Alley & Lucas Castro, Juan Diego, def Jordan Ericksen & Patrick Rawlinson, North Sanpete, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3; Cole Lee & Brennen French, PC, def. Curtis Jeffery & Wyatt Peterson, Richfield 6-4, 6-1; Devin Radmall & Nick Csere, Snow Canyon, def. Jake Hardy & Carlos Gomez, Stansbury, 6-4, 6-2.
2nd Doubles
Parker Wyatt & Andrew Dalton, Grantsville, def. Braxton Judd & Carson Ward, Payson, 6-4, 6-4; Jonathan Morgan & Trevor Muse, Snow Canyon, def. Max Beringer & Charlie Lambert, PC, 7-6 (2), 6-4; Austin Hardy & Conner McArthur, Desert Hills, def. Joshua Johnson & Matthew Stringer, Uintah, 7-5, 7-6 (5); Taylor Bottema & Tanner Beckstrom, Dixie, def. Josh England & Renden Dye, Stansbury, 6-2, 7-5.
SEMIFINALS
1st Singls
Ryan Kempin, Juan Diego, def. Micah Alba, Dixie, 6-3, 6-3; Matt Morgan, Snow Canyon, def. Gabe Anderson, Desert Hills, 6-0, 6-3.
2nd Singles
Will Benson, Snow Canyon, def. Holden Hullinger, Union, 6-0, 6-3; Connor Kempin, Juan Diego, def. Tytan Thurgood, Grantsville, 6-2, 6-4.
3rd Singles
Ben Argilius, Juan Diego, def. Michael Russell, Snow Canyon, 6-1, 7-6 (2); Connor Burke, PC, def. Nathan Obray, Pine View, 6-4, 6-1.
1st Doubles
Braden Evans & Kyler Kennedy, Desert Hills, def. Rex Alley & Lucas Castro, Juan Diego, 6-0, 6-3; Devin Radmall & Nick Csere, Snow Canyon, def. Cole Lee & Brennen French, PC, 6-3, 7-5.
2nd Doubles
Jonathan Morgan & Trevor Muse, Snow Canyon, def. Parker Wyatt & Andrew Dalton, Grantsville, 6-2, 6-3; Austin Hardy & Conner McArthur, Desert Hills, def. Taylor Bottema & Tanner Beckstrom, Dixie, 6-2, 6-4.
CHAMPIONSHIP
1st Singles
Ryan Kempin, Juan Diego, def. Matt Morgan, Snow Canyon, 6-3, 6-4.
2nd Singles
Will Benson, Snow Canyon, def. Connor Kempin, Juan Diego, def. 6-2, 6-1.
3rd Singles
Ben Argilius, Juan Diego, def. Connor Burke, PC, 6-2, 6-1.
1st Doubles
Braden Evans & Kyler Kennedy, Desert Hills, def. Devin Radmall & Nick Csere, Snow Canyon, 6-3, 6-4.
2nd Doubles
Jonathan Morgan & Trevor Muse, Snow Canyon, def. Austin Hardy & Conner McArthur, Desert Hills, 6-3, 7-5.