SALT LAKE CITY – When Bonneville's Andrew McCall knocked off Park City's Tucker Lee in the second singles finals, the Lakers and Miners were tied with 17 points. After dozens of matches and two days of battle on the courts at Liberty Park, the 4A boys team title came down to a single match.
Fans from both teams gathered as Park City's Will Effrusy and Bonneville's Brecken Bernard squared off. Both survived 3-set marathons in their morning semifinals. Effrusy took the first set 6-3, lost the second set 3-6 and hit the ground after a cramp grabbed him at set point. Early in the third set, Bernard locked up with a cramp while trailing 3-2. Both players received medical attention from trainers at Liberty Park.
Effrusy refused to lose, rattling off four consecutive games to lift his team to a 4A state tennis title with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win.
“As soon as I cramped up after the second set my coach told me where we were in the team standings,” Effrusy said. “Halfway through our third set I realized the Bonneville doubles team lost so the winner of our match was winning the state title.”
Three of Effrusy's matches at the state tournament went three sets. All season long, the Park City junior has seen his share of lengthy matches.
“Initially it was a problem, a lack of focus in closing out my matches, but it became our team anthem, 'Don't quit, no quit,' and that's been our rallying call all year,” he said. “Near the end I just tried to think of not doing this for me but doing this for everyone and all the work they've put in this year.”
Park City freshman Dylan Applegate captured the first-singles title for the Miners.
Bonneville finished sixth in 2018 and the climb up the 4A rankings serves notice the Lakers are a program on the rise. McCall was the only player (second singles) to win a title. The second doubles team of Sam Hendrickson/Gavin Kofford reached the finals but dropped a 3-set match, 7-5, 4-6, 6-0 to the Pine View tandem of Gibson Crawford/Jared Sudweeks. After Bernard's loss in the third singles final, the whole team gathered to support him through a difficult moment.
“I am so proud of them, but more than anything I'm just proud of how they conduct themselves with composure and good sportsmanship,” Bonneville coach Katy Hall said.
Hall said the runner-up finish was the result of a lot of work.
“Our doubles team improved a lot from last year, and all season and offseason our kids just worked hard,” she said.
Pine View made a late run Saturday afternoon to finish in third place in the team standings. Both doubles teams won titles, including the No. 1 tandem of Mitchell Erekson/Jon Fairbanks.
“We lost to them in regions despite us being up 5-1 in the third set,” Fairbanks said. “We just told ourselves we are going to play our best, give it everything and do what we needed to do.”
Class 4A State Tournament
Semifinals and Finals at Liberty Park
First singles
Semifinals
Ryan Jeppson, Green Canyon def. Liam Duffin, Desert Hills 6-1, 6-0
Dylan Applegate, Park City def. Stefan Ballian, Dixie 6-2, 6-2
Finals
Applegate def. Jeppson 6-2, 6-3
Second singles
Semifinals
Andrew McCall, Bonneville def. Sam Sorensen, Salem Hills 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 6-4
Tucker Lee, Park City def. Dylan Jenkins, Logan 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
Finals
McCall def. Lee 6-1, 7-6(8)
Third singles
Semifinals
Will Effrusy, Park City def. Lucas Jensen, Snow Canyon 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Brecken Bernard, Bonneville def. Landon Brenchley, Ridgeline 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
Finals
Effrusy def. Bernard 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
First doubles
Semifinals
Logan Seegmiller/Matt Seegmiller, Logan def. Mitchell Holden/Jeremy Hopkins, Bonneville 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-2
Mitchell Erekson/Jon Fairbanks, Pine View def. Dallen Dicesaris/Quinn Dicesaris, Park City 7-6(5), 6-4
Finals
Erekson/Fairbanks def. Seegmiller/Seegmiller 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
Second doubles
Semifinals
Gibson Crawford/Jared Sudweeks, Pine View def. Kimbal Ricks/Monson Brown, Logan 6-3, 6-0
Sam Hendrickson/Gavin Kofford, Bonneville def. Braden Williams/Nui Afualo, Desert Hills 6-4, 7-6(6)
Finals
Crawford/Sudweeks def. Hendrickson/Kofford 7-5, 4-6, 6-0
Team scores: Park City 19, Bonneville 17, Pine View 12, Desert Hills 9, Green Canyon 5, Logan 5, Dixie 4, Orem 4, Salem Hills 4, Ridgeline 3, Snow Canyon 3, Hurricane 1, Juan Diego 1, Lehi 1, Payson 1, Stansbury 1