Steamboat Springs — Luke Farny and Jack Burger undoubtedly will be two of the reasons the Steamboat Springs High School boys tennis team will be favorites this fall to win an unprecedented 12th regional title.

But both con­ceded Friday that the next — or any of the pre­­­vious — titles would be possible with the Summer Tennis Champ­­­­ionships.

The tournament, put on by the Steamboat Tennis Association, serves as the biggest fundraiser for the boys and girls high school teams and the junior programs.

“It’s really important,” Farny said. “We appreciate all the support we get from the locals for us to be able to play in fall.”

The STA is a nonprofit group that helps support and fund youth tennis, scholarships and the Steamboat Springs High School boys and girls tennis teams.  

The Summer Tennis Champ­ion­­­ships tournament runs th­­rough Sunday with play in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

In addition to the tournament, there is a Players Party with a live auction at the Catamount Lake­house Restaurant. There also is bidding on silent auction items at the Tennis Center at Steamboat Springs until noon Sunday. Anyone is welcome to bid on the silent auction items.

“It’s pretty cool everyone come gets together and has fun,” Burger said. “It’s more of a fun event. All the high schoolers come out. We play against our parents, and it’s more of a fun atmosphere.”

Despite the lagging economy, this year’s Summer Tennis Champ­­ionships is the biggest on record, with 148 people competing.

“The other tournaments that we run are sanctioned tournaments and the participation is predominately people from the Western Slope and surrounding states,” Tournament Director Jim Swiggart said. “Those events are local players that play a lot and play competitively. This event, the local players that want to come out and support the kids and they have obviously done that in droves.”

The tournament features 22 players from out of state and 33 players that either once played for the high school, currently play for the high school or are in the junior program.

Swiggart said the tournament typically raises between $17,000 and $20,000 for junior programs and the high school teams.

Without that money, Swiggart said, it’s unlikely Steamboat would be the tennis hub it’s become.

“Financially, times are difficult,” he said. “But this goes a long way in supporting junior programs and the high school program.”

2010 STA Summer Championships

Friday, July 23

The Tennis Center at Steamboat Springs

Junior Advanced (round robin)

Burger, Tatum Steamboat Springs def. Labor, Madeline Steamboat Springs 8-3

Hessler, Evan Scottsdale, AZ def. Burger, Tatum Steamboat Springs 9-7

Labor, Madeline Steamboat Springs def. Mathews, Nick Steamboat Springs 9-7

Mathews, Nick Steamboat Springs def. Burger, Teague Steamboat Springs 8-1

Junior Intermediate (round robin)

Snyder, Hayden Steamboat Springs def. Majure, William Meridian, MS 8-1

Atwell, Hill, def. Cooper, Paula Steamboat Springs 8-6

NTRP Combined Mixed 9.0 Doubles (round robin)

Swiggart, Stacy/Swiggart, James def. Buelow, Laurie/Mooney, Ed 6-1; 6-4

NTRP Combined Mixed 8.5 Doubles (round of 16)

Lorenzen, Patrice/Lorenzen, David def. Erspamer, Mirko/Skytta, Kathi 6-1; 6-4

NTRP Combined Mixed 7.0 Doubles (round of 16)

Antonucci, Jeannie/Antonucci, Santino def. Diehl, Michelle/ Diehl, Corbin 6-0; 6-0

DeLine, Karen/Deline, Steve def. Dunkelberger, Donna/Holtzman, Howard 6-1; 6-4

NTRP Combined Mixed 7.5 Doubles (round robin)

Diehl, Ali/Majure, Coyt def. Pasterz, James/ Pasterz, Victoria 6-4; 6-4

NTRP Combined Mixed 8.0 Doubles (quarterfinal round)

Zaleski, Katie/Zaleski, Paul def. Berge, Evlyn/ Good, Gail 6-3; 2-6; 10-7

NTRP Men’s 3.0 Singles (round robin)

Schmidt, Mike Steamboat Springs def. Kassidy, Richard Hot Sulphur Springs 3-6; 6-3; 1-0

Gautreaux, Eric Steamboat Springs def. Burger, Teague Steamboat Springs 6-1; 6-3

NTRP Men’s 3.5 Singles (round of 16)

Byra, Mark Laramie, WY def. Pietig, Jack Steamboat Springs 6-2; 6-0

NTRP Men’s 3.5 Singles (round of 16)

Barounos, Alex Steamboat Springs def. Holtzman, Howard Steamboat Springs, 6-1; 4-6; 10-4

Weiss, Daniel Steamboat Springs, def. Tsypin, Lev Steamboat Springs 6-1; 6-3

Hessler, Ian Scottsdale, AZ def. Scholl, Thad Hot Sulphur Springs 4-6; 4-1 Ret (inj)

NTRP Men’s 4.0 Singles (round of 16)

Majure, Coyt Meridian, MS def. Erspamer, Gabriele Steamboat Springs 6-3; 6-1

Park, Gi-Hyeon Laramie, WY def. Atwell, Chris 6-4; 6-1

Ibarra, Mario Laramie, WY def. Zaleski, Paul Steamboat Springs 6-2; 6-4

Kassidy, Kody Hot Sulphur Springs def. Wykert, Wade Laramie, WY 6-1; 6-1

NTRP Women’s 3.0 Singles (quarterfinal round)

Burger, Tatum Steamboat Springs def. Jenkins, Shealie Steamboat Springs 6-4; 7-5

Gorbett, Cathy (1) Laramie, WY def. Metzler, Brook Steamboat Springs 6-0; 6-0

Katthain, Tamy Steamboat Springs def. Young, Suzie (2) Laramie, WY 6-1; 6-0

Fahrner, Kristen Steamboat Springs def. Spencer, Katie Steamboat Springs 6-0; 6-1

NTRP Women’s 3.5 Singles (round of 16)

Diehl, Ali Steamboat Springs, def. Grubbs, Rachel Steamboat Springs 6-4; 6-7(8); 11-9

NTRP Women’s 4.0 Singles (quarterfinal round)

Dale-Burger, Darby Steamboat Springs def. Siegel, Lauren Steamboat Springs 6-0; 6-1

Siegel, Janne Steamboat Springs def. Cooper, Kate Steamboat Springs 6-3; 6-0

Valicenti, Christi (2) Steamboat Springs def. Grubbs, Rachel Steamboat Springs 6-0; 6-2

NTRP Men’s 3.5 Doubles (quarterfinal round)

Kassidy, Richard/Kassidy, Kody def. Weaver, Ben/Weiss, Curtis 6-3; 6-3

NTRP Men’s 4.0 Doubles (quarterfinal round)

Erspamer, Gabriele/Majure, Coyt def. Cunningham, Barry/Sharp, Nick 1-6; 6-3; 10-8

Ibarra, Mario/Park, Gi-Hyeon def. Pasterz, James/Schulte, Steven 6-4; 6-2

Burger, C. J./Burger, Jack (2) def. Farny, Luke/Rogers, Kyle 7-5; 6-3

NTRP Men’s 4.5 Doubles (quarterfinal round)

Mooney, Ed/Schaller, David def. Bartasius, Joseph/Krueger, William 7-5; 6-4

Boyson, Bob/Espiritu, Adam def. Erspamer, Mirko/ Lambart, Jeff 6-1; 6-4

NTRP Women’s 3.0 Doubles (quarterfinal round)

Byra, Adelle/Olson, Debra def. Jenkins, Shealie/Spencer, Katie 6-1; 6-0

Katthain, Nikki/Labor, Madeline def. Diehl, Michelle/Tavarez, Lori 6-4; 7-5

NTRP Women’s 3.5 Doubles (round of 16)

Antonucci, Jeannie/Gill, Roberta def. Grubbs, Rachel/ Lowrie, Alli 6-4; 6-4

Kammerer, Sherry/Paulis, Susan def. Bender, Ellie/ Diehl, Ali 6-4; 6-2

NTRP Women’s 4.0 Doubles (quarterfinal round)

Katthain, Nikki/Katthain, Fabiola def. Atwell, Gretchen/Siegel, Janne 6-3; 7-6(5)

O’Connor, Karen/Schlapkohl, Lola def. Fischer, Becky/Hayes, Megan 6-4; 6-3

Bender, Carol/Peters, Christina (2) def. Siek, Barbara/Skytta, Kathi 6-4; 6-3

NTRP Women’s 4.5 Doubles (quarterfinal round)

Lezin, Valerie/Valicenti, Christi def. Lamb, Rebecca/Tully, Meg 7-6(5); 4-6; 10-6

Swiggart, Kylee/Swiggart, Stacy def. Skytta, Kathi/ Sullivan, Jan 7-5; 6-1

Allen, Susie/Katthain, Fabiola def. Jessup, Kimberly/ Sharp, Vicki (2) 6-4; 6-3

NTRP Women’s 2.5 Doubles (round robin)

Brumleve, Heidi/Iken, Kande def. Alexander, Alie/ Greene, Mae 6-4; 0-6; 10-6