{"id":2449913,"date":"2019-10-15T22:56:00","date_gmt":"2019-10-16T04:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/kelly-steps-into-top-spot-as-aspen-high-boys-tennis-heads-to-4a-state-tournament\/"},"modified":"2019-10-15T22:56:00","modified_gmt":"2019-10-16T04:56:00","slug":"kelly-steps-into-top-spot-as-aspen-high-boys-tennis-heads-to-4a-state-tournament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/kelly-steps-into-top-spot-as-aspen-high-boys-tennis-heads-to-4a-state-tournament\/","title":{"rendered":"Kelly steps into top spot as Aspen High boys tennis heads to 4A state tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.7657657657658\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-314426-360\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Aspen High School tennis singles players, from left, Alex Mosher, Christian Kelly and Liam Sunkel pose during practice on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"15\">\n<p><strong>Aspen High School tennis singles players, from left, Alex Mosher, Christian Kelly and Liam Sunkel pose during practice on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Aspen High School tennis singles players, from left, Alex Mosher, Christian Kelly and Liam Sunkel pose during practice on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Aspen High School tennis player Liam Sunkel practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Aspen High School tennis player Liam Sunkel practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-1.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Aspen High School tennis player Liam Sunkel practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Aspen High School tennis player Alex Mosher practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Aspen High School tennis player Alex Mosher practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-2.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Aspen High School tennis player Alex Mosher practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Aspen High School tennis player Lukee Tralins practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Aspen High School tennis player Lukee Tralins practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/10\/tennis-atd-101619-1-3.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Aspen High School tennis player Lukee Tralins practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/kelly-steps-into-top-spot-as-aspen-high-boys-tennis-heads-to-4a-state-tournament\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/kelly-steps-into-top-spot-as-aspen-high-boys-tennis-heads-to-4a-state-tournament\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">Christian Kelly isn\u2019t one of the bigger kids on the tennis court. He doesn\u2019t serve with as much force as some of the other players, either, but the Aspen High School junior has certainly held his own this fall as the Skiers\u2019 No. 1 singles player.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI\u2019m hoping for good things out of Christian,\u201d AHS coach Steve Sand said. \u201cHe\u2019s a grinder. He is mentally tough. He usually ends up playing people who hit harder than he does, but it\u2019s his mental toughness and fitness that gets him through a lot of matches.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Kelly, who also is an accomplished mountain biker and skier, is one of 11 the Aspen boys tennis team is sending to the Class 4A state tournament, which gets underway Thursday in Pueblo. The Skiers also sent their entire team last fall, finishing seventh overall with six points. Colorado Academy won the 2018 state championship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">While Kelly is the team\u2019s top player, he was the only one to not win his regional tournament last week in Grand Junction, falling 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 to Federico Bettazzi of Vail Christian. This isn\u2019t hurting his confidence in the slightest, however, as he does have plenty of state experience to lean on.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI\u2019m not really expecting anything. Everyone is so much better, but I\u2019m confident with my play,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cI\u2019m pretty happy. I\u2019ve gotten a lot better in the past couple of weeks. The only bad loss was really against the previous state winner, so I\u2019m feeling good.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Kelly was the team\u2019s No. 2 singles player last fall as a sophomore, winning his opening-round match before losing in the second round. He played alongside Georges Ghali on the No. 2 doubles team in 2017, again going 1-1.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">This fall, Kelly stepped into the No. 1 singles spot, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/aspen-tennis-heads-to-pueblo-state-tournament\/\">replacing last year\u2019s No. 1 Alex Ilic<\/a>, who lost in the first round. Colorado Academy senior Richter Jordaan went on to win the 4A state championship at No. 1 singles last fall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cHe was ready for it,\u201d Sand said of Kelly becoming the team\u2019s No. 1 player. \u201cHe\u2019s played great all year. Like I say every year, when you are No. 1, no matter how good a whole team is or how deep, they usually have a good No. 1 player. He\u2019s had a winning record and won most of his matches.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Kelly will face Pueblo Central senior Dario Alcala in the first round on Thursday. Alcala lost in the first round at No. 1 singles last fall.<\/p>\n<p>Complete draws and results <a href=\"https:\/\/chsaanow.com\/2019-10-14\/4a-boys-tennis-state-tournament-draws-results-2019\/\">can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Behind Kelly in Pueblo this week will be No. 2 singles player Alex Mosher and No. 3 singles player Liam Sunkel. Like Kelly, both are juniors. Mosher was the team\u2019s No. 3 singles player as a sophomore, losing 6-4, 4-6, 4-6 in the first round at state. He\u2019s entering this year\u2019s tournament with a lot more confidence coming off his regional championship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s been real fun. I\u2019ve had some tough competition, but overall I\u2019ve been mostly winning, so it\u2019s been good,\u201d Mosher said of moving up to No. 2 singles. \u201cI\u2019m going in with a little more confidence since I won my region, so hopefully I\u2019ll do better than last year. But it\u2019s the luck of the draw.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Mosher will face Niwot junior Sam Keronen in the first round on Thursday. Keronen was the state runner-up at No. 1 doubles last fall alongside teammate Manas Saini.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Sunkel and Ghali played 1 doubles last fall, where they lost in the second round but battled back to make the playback semifinals. Like most of his teammates, Sunkel is coming off a regional championship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt feels good. It\u2019s definitely very encouraging for states. It gives me some confidence, but I was expecting to win regions,\u201d Sunkel said. \u201cI know what I\u2019m expecting. I\u2019ve seen our past 3 singles play and I know what the competition is going to be like.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Sunkel will see Pueblo Centennial junior Zander Pacheco in the first round on Thursday. Pacheco played 2 doubles last fall, losing in the first round at state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">GHALI, TRALINS LEAD THE WAY IN DOUBLES PLAY<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Ghali is one of only two seniors on the AHS state team this fall, the other being 3 doubles player Ethan Godfrey.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">A savvy state veteran, Ghali believes he and junior Lukee Tralins, his partner this time around, have a chance to make some noise.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe are really good friends on and off the court, and the same with our families. So I\u2019m really excited about the energy we\u2019ve created as a duo so far,\u201d Ghali said. \u201cBeing in the same position I was last year heading into states, I know exactly what the shortcomings were and I know how we can improve on those and make a re-run of last year, except do better and hopefully make the finals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Tralins also has state experience, having played at 2 doubles alongside Robert Holton a year ago, with the duo going 2-2. Tralins and Ghali will see D\u2019Evelyn\u2019s Erik Christofferson and Carter Dart in the first round on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI\u2019m pretty confident,\u201d Tralins said. \u201cWe are doing pretty well so far this year. We definitely have the talent to do well at states.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Aspen\u2019s No. 2 doubles team this week will be Holton, a sophomore, and junior Bryce Cordts-Pearce. They face Colorado Academy\u2019s Holden Koch and Grant Nelligan in the first round.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Aspen No. 3 doubles team is Godfrey and junior Liam Farrey, who play Disovery Canyon\u2019s Caleb Trevillian and Jason Pabelico in the first round.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The No. 4 doubles team is junior Dyer Hunting and sophomore Quinn McKie, who face Littleton\u2019s Max Villa-Franzmann and Tyler Campbell in the first round.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">With all 11 players again qualified for state, there is an opportunity for the Skiers to make a run at a high placing in the team standings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s a nice trend,\u201d Sand said. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to have the whole team going. It\u2019s good for camaraderie and again, more chances to win matches.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The state tournament ends on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:acolbert@aspentimes.com\">acolbert@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/kelly-steps-into-top-spot-as-aspen-high-boys-tennis-heads-to-4a-state-tournament\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aspen High School tennis singles players, from left, Alex Mosher, Christian Kelly and Liam Sunkel pose during practice on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times Aspen High School tennis player Liam Sunkel practices on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, at Snowmass Club. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2449913","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-19 14:36:10","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2449913","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2449913"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2449913\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2449913"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2449913"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2449913"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}