Regional rounds are here

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
Mullen ready to defend its 4A Region 3 title and advance its team at all 7 spots to the Colorado tournament to be held later this month in Pueblo.
 
It has been a blur of a boys tennis season, so why not a blur of the postseason?

Mullen will experience some of it on Wednesday (Sept.16), when it hosts Class 4A Region 3 on campus and at nearby Pinehurst Country Club.

The Mustangs, who downed Colorado Academy 5-2 on Monday in a dual match and will have their Varsity II team take on visiting Kent Denver on Tuesday, have pronounced themselves as ready.

“I really think our team is feeling good about it,” Mustangs No. 1 singles player Mac Caldwell said. “I think we’re ready to take on some more wins.”

A year ago, Mullen won the region and advanced six-of-seven spots. It may have been seven if not for an injury. The Mustangs also fared well teamwise and individually from 2017-18.

In 2020, the Mustangs return experience and a mix of talent that learned on the fly, mostly in the 5A-based Centennial League. They also tied for third in the 5A Ralston Valley Invitational the past weekend.

Enthusiasm is high, even in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19) that has limited matches.

“I’m just glad to be playing,” said Luc Caldwell, Mac’s twin brother and a No. 2 doubles competitor. “I love the sport.”

Mullen has balanced its singles and doubles teams throughout the season, the groups taking turns leading the way. It will be needed in elimination play as will what the Mustangs learned during the regular season.

Luc Caldwell, for instance, said he and partner Alex Evans “have been playing well and aggressively, and once we get to the net we’ve been winning matches. Hopefully, that will carry into regionals.”

Mullen’s lineup carries weight as evidenced by its entries being seeded first in six of the seven placings.

In singles, Mac Caldwell is seeded first at No. 1, George Henry Hanzel heads No. 2 and Jack Barker tops No. 3. Caldwell and Hanzel are seniors. Barker is a sophomore.

For doubles, Dante Dino-Greg McMullan (No. 1), Luc Caldwell-Evans (No. 2) and Patrick Duke-Colin Mackenzie (No. 3) occupy the top spots in the brackets. And at No. 4, Sean Phelps-Blake Zaragoza are No. 2.

“I think we can (challenge),” Mac Caldwell said. “When we’re playing our best, I think we’re definitely one of the best in the state and we hope to prove it.”

Singles competition will be at Pinehurst, doubles at Mullen. The goal is to complete the region in a day and utilize the two sites to employ social distancing. First matches will be at 8 a.m. It’s estimated that semifinals will be at 11 a.m. and championships at 12:30 p.m., but it’s open-ended as there’s no clock during matches.

Two qualifiers from each of the seven spots will advance to the 4A state tournament later this month in Pueblo and one of the stipulations brought by COVID-19 is there will be no playbacks in regions or at state, frequently a key aspect for those chasing the team title.

And it’s difficult at this point to speculate if it will help or hinder teams.

“It will be a little adjustment, for sure,” Mac Caldwell said, “but I think our team is ready for it.”

Said Luc Caldwell: “If we just play our games, it will be interesting. I’m not sure how it will work, but we just need to focus.”

Mullen will be joined in the Region 3 field by Conifer, Discovery Canyon, Evergreen, Littleton, Northfield and George Washington.
 
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