Sailors tennis tested in tie breakers, falls to Vail Mountain and Aspen

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Three Steamboat Springs High School tennis players lost to a Vail opponent in a tie breaker on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Against Aspen that same day, each Sailor was swept in straight sets.

With No. 1 singles player Wyatt Stempel taking a loss via injury forfeit, the singles matches fell on senior Matheus Mercuri and Nash Whittington. The two stepped up big time. Both dropped the opening frame 6-4 but won the second stanza by the same score. In the tie breaker, Mercuri was bested 10-3, while Whittington hung on until he fell 12-10.

The No. 2 doubles team of freshmen Xander Dalke and Gabe Gray battled in set one until the score reached 7-6. They then dropped the tie breaker 7-3 and the second set 6-4.

The remaining doubles teams were not as competitive. Junior Dylan Dietrich and sophomore Kyle Saunders lost 6-1, 6-1, while freshman Eli Ince and senior Johnny Barkal fell 6-1, 6-0. Senior Joey Westmeyer and freshman Michael Lake fought to a 6-4 loss in set one and dropped the second 6-2.

Aspen defeated Steamboat players in straight sets each time, with No. 2 doubles churning out the most combative set. Dalke and Gray forced their Skier opponents to put in extra work to win 7-5 over the pair of Sailors.

Steamboat will host Kent Denver on Saturday, Oct. 5, before heading to Delta High School on Oct. 11 for the 4A Region 8 regional tournament.

Tuesday, Oct. 1
Aspen 7, Steamboat Springs 0
Singles: 1. Christian Kelly, A, def. Wyatt Stempel, SS, 6-1, 6-2. 2. Alex Mosher, A, def. Matheus Mercuri, SS, 6-0, 6-0. 3. Liam Sunkel, A, def. Nash Whittington, SS, 6-0, 6-1.
Doubles: 1. Georges Ghali and Lukee Tralins, A, def. Dylan Dietrich and Kyle Saunders, SS, 6-0, 6-1. 2. Bryce Cordts-Pearce and Robert Holton, A, def. Xander Dalke and Gabe Gray, SS, 6-1, 7-5. 3. Ethan Godfrey and Liam Farrey, A, def. Eli Ince and Johnny Barkal, SS, 6-0, 6-1. 4. Dyer Hunting and Quinn McKie, A, def. Joey Westmeyer and Michael Lake, SS, 6-0, 6-0.
Vail 7, Steamboat Springs 0
Singles: 1. Wyatt Stempel L RET. 2. Matheus Mercuri L 6-4, 4-6, 10-3. 3. Nash Whittington L 6-4, 4-6, 12-10.
Doubles: 1. Dylan Dietrich and Kyle Saunders L 6-1, 6-1. 2. Xander Dalke and Gabe Gray L 7-6(3-7), 6-4. 3. Eli Ince and Johnny Barkal L 6-1, 6-0. 4. Joey Westmeyer and Michael Lake L 6-4, 6-2.

• Aug. 22: at Grand Junction, L 5-2
• Aug. 23-24: at Fruita-Monument, 7th of 7
• Aug. 30: at Loveland, 8th of 8
• Sept. 5-7: at Grand Junction, 16th of 16
• Sept. 14: vs. Rocky Mountain, L 7-0
• Sept. 21: vs. Fruita Monument, L 7-0
• Sept. 25: at Basalt, W 6-1
• Oct. 1: at Aspen L 7-0, Vail L 7-0
• Oct. 5: vs. Kent Denver, L 7-0
• Oct. 11: Regionals at Delta, 3rd
• Oct. 17-19: State at Pueblo

To reach Shelby Reardon, call 970-871-4253, email sreardon@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @ByShelbyReardon.