Vail Christian Tennis Duo Qualifies for Colorado State Tournament

UPDATE: Vail Christian’s boys tennis team is making headlines as their No. 1 doubles team, Owen Rey and Cody Keyes, has officially qualified for the Colorado 4A state tournament after a strong performance at the 4A Region 8 tournament held on October 9-10 in Grand Junction.

Rey and Keyes clinched their state spots by finishing as runners-up, showcasing their skills by defeating the No. 2-seeded team from Aspen in a thrilling semifinal match. The duo battled through adversity, overcoming previous close losses to Aspen during the regular season. “During regular season games, both matches with Aspen ended in tiebreakers for the third set with us losing 9-11,” Keyes remarked. “For regionals, we were able to turn that around.”

In the championship match, Rey and Keyes faced off against the top-seeded pair of Gareth Keller and Ben Miller from Grand Junction, ultimately falling 6-3, 6-4. Nonetheless, their journey to the state tournament is nothing short of inspiring, especially after losing seven seniors last season. Head coach J.D. Webster expressed his pride in the team’s resilience, stating, “We’re so blessed to make another run at states and medaling at regionals this year.”

Alongside Rey and Keyes, Vail Christian also celebrated four fourth-place finishes in various categories, including Blake Kirkham in No. 3 singles and Ehren Goree and Tennyson Sipes in No. 2 doubles.

The state tournament kicks off on October 17 at Pueblo City Park Tennis Courts. Rey and Keyes will face the D’Evelyn duo of Dylan Reeb and Simon Czarnecki in their opening match. “I’m very excited to represent Vail in states this year,” Rey stated. “The match against Grand Junction really showed us what we’re capable of, and we are looking forward to good matches at states.”

As Vail Christian prepares for this significant challenge, the entire tennis community is rallying behind the team, eager to witness their performance on the state stage. With momentum on their side and the spirit of determination, Rey and Keyes aim to bring home a victory for their school.

Stay tuned for more updates on their journey as they step into the spotlight at the state tournament!