Palo Verde girls, Faith Lutheran boys win 5A tennis titles — PHOTOS
Palo Verde’s girls tennis team had to sweat out Friday’s Class 5A state title match late into the third round of doubles play.
But Ruth Robison and Milana Rybushkina came through with a 6-0 win in the final set to clinch the Panthers’ fifth straight team title in the top classification.
Palo Verde, the Southern League’s No. 1 seed, fended off No. 2 Coronado 10-8 at Liberty to win the title. The Panthers finished the season 14-0.
Also Friday, the Faith Lutheran boys, the Southern League champions, capped off an undefeated season with a 10-3 win over No. 2 Coronado for the boys title. The matches ended after the Crusaders (15-0) reached the 10 points necessary for the win.
For the Palo Verde girls, Remi Rice won all three of her singles matches. The sophomore didn’t drop a match all season and is the No. 1 seed at next week’s individual state tournament.
“It’s always fun. It feels really good,” Rice said. “We have good teammates, too, so that makes it a lot easier. And the cheering really helps, too.”
Coach Gordon Hammond is in his first season leading the Panthers. He previously coached at Bishop Gorman and won 10 girls team titles with the Gaels, including five straight from 2005 to 2009. It’s the Panthers’ ninth team title.
“It’s a very strong group,” Hammond said. “They all found ways to win and do their best. They tried all the time throughout the season.”
Faith Lutheran coach Keith Fridrich said he didn’t use the word “perfect” until he addressed the team after the win. It’s Fridrich’s first season leading the Crusaders after being an assistant with the team since 2009.
“They played their best tennis of the season on the biggest day,” Fridrich said. “We’re so proud of them. We came out and played exceptionally well.”
Sam Fouse and Nolan Dubay won both of their singles matches for Faith Lutheran.
“This is unfathomable. With this group to go undefeated, it’s just insane,” Dubay said. “All the hard work we put into this, it’s all worth it.”
Fouse and Dubay were freshmen when Faith Lutheran won its first boys tennis title in 2021.
“When I was a freshman, I was just playing with the older guys and going off what they were doing,” Fouse said. “Winning now as one of the older guys, it’s an even better feeling.”
In 4A, The Meadows boys and girls won the Southern Region titles. The boys beat Foothill 13-5, and the girls defeated Doral Academy 13-5. The winners and runners-up advance to the state tournament Oct. 24 and 25 at Bishop Manogue in Reno.
In 3A, the Boulder City boys and girls won the Southern League titles. The boys beat Pahrump Valley 13-5, and the girls defeated Cimarron-Memorial 10-8. The winners and runners-up advance to the state tournament Oct. 24 and 25 at the Tahoe Donner Tennis Center in Truckee, California.
The 5A singles and doubles individual state tournaments begin Monday at Faith Lutheran, with all championship matches Oct. 18 at Faith Lutheran.
The 4A boys and girls singles and doubles individual Southern Region tournaments begin Monday at Bishop Gorman, and the championship matches are Oct. 18 at Durango.
The 3A boys and girls singles and doubles individual Southern League tournaments begin Monday at Faith Lutheran, and the championship matches are Oct. 18 at Faith Lutheran.
The 4A boys and girls individual state tournaments are Oct. 25 and 26 at Bishop Manogue. The 3A boys and girls individual state tournaments are Oct. 25 and 26 at the Tahoe Donner Tennis Center.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
