Mustangs ready for 4A tourney

 

It’s here for Mullen boys tennis.

In a matter of hours, the Mustangs will head to Pueblo City Park for Friday’s beginning of Colorado’s Class 4A tournament.

Having thrown a wave of challengers at the classification’s high end the past few seasons, including finishing second as a team a year ago and advancing finalists to four of the seven spots, Mullen appears poised to make a serious run at its first team title.

Mullen will have entries in all three singles spots as well as all four in doubles. The Mustangs hosted and won another regional the past week, capturing the three singles titles and the top three in doubles. They were second at No. 4.

Their state lineup: Mac Caldwell, No. 1 singles; George Henry Hanzel, No. 2 singles; Jack Barker, No. 3 singles; Dante Dino-Greg McMullan, No. 1 doubles; Luc Caldwell-Alex Evans, No. 2 singles; Patrick Duke-Colin Mackenzie, No. 3 doubles; and Sean Phelps-Blake Zaragoza, No. 4 doubles.

Plus, the Mustangs have some big-match experience -- Hanzel (No. 2 singles), Barker (No. 2 doubles), McMullan (No. 3 doubles) and Luc Caldwell (No. 4 doubles) were 4A runners-up a year ago – and will bring confidence to the southern area’s courts.

“For sure,” Mac Caldwell said after regionals, “it’s uplifting (heading into the state brackets) knowing that if I can play my best, I can beat pretty much everyone. If I come out and play just like that at state, I should be in good shape.”

Winning it all, Hanzel said, “is everyone’s goal. I think we all just have to play our best and I think we have a good shot.”

The Mustangs are keenly aware that this year’s tournament will be shortened by COVID-19. It will be over Friday and Saturday as opposed to previous years’ three days. And, which may prove to be the most-interesting change, there will be no playbacks. Will it favor the high-enders in the team race or hinder the deeper groups?

Hence, seeding was more important in 2020 and Niwot, which beat the Mustangs 4-3 in a dual match early this month, has the top seed in Nos. 1 and 3 singles. The recognized best player in 4A remains Neil Wilcox, a senior who also won a year ago and downed Mac Caldwell in the semifinals. Wilcox was a semifinalist in 2018 and quarterfinalist in 2017.

Wilcox and Mac Caldwell are on opposite sides of the 16-player bracket.

Mac Caldwell and Hanzel, seniors, and barker, a sophomore, will each open against sophomores.

The defending team champion is Cheyenne Mountain. Along with the above teams, Colorado Academy and Kent Denver figure to be in the mix.

Mullen’s climb in the 4A ranks under fourth-year coach Jacob Ohrman began at 12^th in 2017 and jumped to fifth in 2018.

No. 1 singles – Mac Caldwell vs. Gavin Hutter, Sand Creek, So.

 

No. 2 singles – George Henry Hanzel vs. Matthew Sitzell, Grand Junction, So.

 

No. 3 singles – Jack Barker vs. Luke Johnson, Pueblo Central, So.

 

No. 1 doubles – Dante Dino-Greg McMullan vs. Cedric Orton-Urbina and Asher Kiser, Air Academy

 

No. 2 doubles – Luc Caldwell-Alex Evans vs. Eli Torrez-Mateo Vasquez, Greeley West

 

No. 3 doubles – Patrick Duke-Colin Mackenzie vs. Dylan Huntsman-Owen Robert, Thomas Jefferson

 

No. 4 doubles – Sean Phelps-Blake Zaragoza vs. Owen Leidich-George Shehan, Dawson School

Hanzel said bringing a full slate of entries “should put some pressure on some teams.”

And Mac Caldwell, who said he’d be full prepared, added: “We need to get some things going and see how we do.”