For all the excitement of making it to the Class 5A state tennis tournament as freshmen, Bear Creek’s Alex Martinelli and Feruth Kidane, along with Lakewood’s Heidi Dodgers, found out firsthand just how rough the going can be at Gates Tennis Center in Denver.
Martinelli and Kidane found themselves matched up with opponents from Cherry Creek at the top two singles positions in the first round Friday morning — the same Cherry Creek team that went on to capture its 15th consecutive 5A girls state crown. Dodgers was paired with Fairview’s Katie Kuosman, who was expected to make a run at the No. 1 singles crown.
All three Jeffco products were swept in straight sets, but the experience was one to remember.
“I think it’s really cool,” Martinelli said of representing the Bears at state for the first time in more than a decade. “We thought we were going to do a little bit better, but we still can be brought back in.”
The trio did earn playback matches but were unable to secure a point in the team standings. The Bruins finished with 89 points and state titles at all four doubles positions; Fairview was second with 81 points and the No. 2 and 3 singles championships.
Martinelli, who went undefeated in 5A Jeffco this spring before losing her first match in the regional tournament to Chatfield’s Katherine Ross, went toe-to-toe with Cherry Creek’s Kelli Woodman at No. 1 singles in the first round. Woodman, who went on to reach the final before falling to Loveland junior Jennifer Weissmann, took the first four games before Martinelli got on the board.
That was all the freshman would manage, falling 6-1, 6-0.
“She did hit more unforced errors than she normally does, although sometimes that’s because of the opponent,” Bear Creek assistant coach Dennis Knopf said. “But she’ll be back.”
Kidane dropped her match to Creek’s Keiki Kasho, another eventual state finalist, 6-0, 6-1.
“Drawing Cherry Creek in the first round, there’s some good to that and there’s some bad to that,” Knopf said. “They do have a good chance to get back in the playbacks, although it’s always nice to win your first match, especially if you’re a freshman and you’ve never been here before.”
Dodgers had more success against Kuosman, taking a game in each set before the Fairview standout secured the 6-1, 6-1 victory.
“I’m super proud of her. Coming out as a freshman and just getting here, she did really well in regionals,” Lakewood coach Laura Zlogar said. “She did have her hands full there, but she got a couple games though from Katie Kuosman, and that’s exciting.”
Dodgers admitted she was nervous but tried to focus on remaining calm and relaxing.
“I think next year will be better with having the experience and knowing what’s going on,” Dodgers said, “and just not being completely new to everything.”
One thing both teams agreed on was that the future of Jeffco tennis seems much brighter with the influx of younger talent. Bear Creek graduates only one senior and the Tigers made some strides this spring as well.
“It’s nice to see a couple schools represented,” Zlogar said. “It’s nice to get a player here regardless … when they’re young, it speaks to the future of Jeffco.”