Boys Varsity 2 Tennis brought home their first close victory of the season, breaking a tie with one doubles match. After losing three singles matches but winning all three doubles matches, the score was tied between Creek and Denver South. 

In a close 4-3 match, triumph came for Creek in a doubles match where Freshman Adam Eikelberner and Sophomore William Possehl faced two Denver South players. Eikelberner and Possehl shifted the score in their favor as they continued to play long after other matches had finished, and to great celebration from their team.

“It’s stressful going into the seventh match when you’re three, three,” Assistant Coach Ben Schlicting said. “We did a good job as a team, and I thought everyone was playing really well.”

The win was not only celebrated by the team’s coach but by the entire team, who watched Eikelberner and Possehl play and cheered them on, relishing in the win that would provide hopes for the season to come. 

Triumph is no stranger to the Bruins tennis team, having been ranked number one countless times by CHSAA, and had been marked as a top contender for the state championship as of Aug. 19. As the tennis program begins its new season, it not only looks forward to more victories like this one, but also winning a 45th Overall State Championship. The team won their 44th championship in October, continuing to uphold the record of most tennis championships in Colorado.

In addition to a history of championships, the team was awarded a top power ranking just before V2 played. The overall team was given the highest power ranking in the 5A category with a 54.39 UTR (Universal Tennis Ranking). The power rankings are calculated by the number of games won, the strength of the opponent, the history of the last 30 matches, and an average of all individual player UTR’s, according to CHSSANow. 

So it’s no surprise that the Varsity 2 team would pull off a close victory in their first match of the season, given their history of success. The win sets a precedent for the future of the Varsity 2 and overall Boys’ Tennis team going into the 2022 season and competition for the state championship. For both the coaches and players, it certainly feels good to be starting the season off strong. 

“It’s always nice to start the season with a win,” Schlicting said. “It’s good to see my guys playing well and coming up strong.”