Peak to Peak sophomore Sydney Lewis powered through a pair of three-set victories over her final two rounds at the Class 3A state tournament in Colorado Springs, winning one of three state titles for the Pumas Saturday.
Lewis bounced back from an opening-set loss to beat Colorado Academy senior Katherine Pulido in the No. 2 singles finals. Peak to Peak’s 1-doubles pairing of Sydney Parkinson and Ranye Ezenekwe and 3-dubs team of Rorie West and Josie Adams followed suit, also winning their championship matches in three sets.
“I knew we had a really good team from Day 1,” Pumas coach Eric Carlson said. “We didn’t quite put everything together until the last couple weeks. At regionals, those three (championship) flights played really well, so I knew they could go far. And I have no doubt those girls all believed they could get it done.”
Carlson said Lewis’ placement and patience won her the match over the veteran player of the Mustangs, rallying for the 3-6, 7-6, 6-0 victory. Last spring, Lewis lost in the state quarterfinals to D’Evelyn’s Sofia Cieslewicz, who she beat in this year’s semifinals, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.
“Not surprised by anything Sydney Lewis does,” Carlson said. “She is a winner. She learned last year how to win and only lost two matches last year. This year, she didn’t lose at all and was really giving her opponents fits out there. So very impressed by her, but not surprised.”
Parkinson-Ezenekwe beat the team from Steamboat Springs, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. West-Adams rallied to beat Vail Christian, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Prospect Ridge’s Omi McGee was the only local player to get out of the opening round in No. 1 singles and eventually lost in the playback semifinals.
Holy Family’s 4-dubs team of Katelyn Morris and Alesandra Wise finished runner-up. The Tigers’ third pairing of Kylie Horning and Ava Silverstein took third. Their No. 2 singles player Laura Baker and their top two doubles teams of Clara Meisner and Sarah Stonehocker and Avery Alderman and Lauren Stonehocker each placed fourth.
Dawson’s 4-doubles of Emma Berdou and Eden Handler bowed out in the semis.