Senior Lady Panthers Andi Pickens and Jessica Gonzalez faced a stiff test in the first round of the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A State Girls Tennis Championships in Pueblo on Thursday.
The No. 1 doubles team took on Kerbi Brisch and Megan Harrison of Auroras Regis Jesuit High School in the first round and lost, 0-6, 2-6. Brisch and Harrison went on to win the 4A No. 1 doubles state championship.
Although the team had moments of excellence, they couldnt match the sustained quality of play by the Regis players, Montezuma-Cortez High School coach Dan Wood said. Regis won all four of their matches, and not one of their opponents won more than two games a set.
Pickens and Gonzalez won two games in set two, finishing off a strong senior season in which they posted a 12-7 record.
Both Jessica and Andi have great athletic ability, even better than the champions related to strength, agility, speed and balance, but tennis is a very streak dominated game, Wood said. If a team starts well, gets a few breaks with close calls and net shots, their emotions are positive, and skill increases. In this tournament, we just couldnt put the pieces together at the right time.
The Lady Panthers tennis season concludes with a fourth-place finish at regionals in Grand Junction and with a No. 1 doubles state tournament appearance.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.