This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
With his white socks pulled high, Viewmont's Sam Tullis bounced off the balls of his feet at the service line.
The reigning Class 5A No. 1 singles state champion finally had taken control of his match with Pleasant Grove's Hayden de Hoyos. Tullis had shaken off the missed opportunities and stopped faulting his racquet for disobedience.
The junior instead refocused on what has worked throughout the season — his overpowering service and pinpoint return.
The usually jocular Tullis dropped his smile, spun his racquet and muttered, "Let's go!"
With the weight of his team and a bull's-eye on his back, Tullis unloaded a back-spinning ace for match point to advance to the semifinals with a closer-than-the-score-indicates 6-0, 6-1 victory Friday at Liberty Park.
"Everyone is so good at this level that it takes so much work and concentration to win," Tullis said. "I just keep telling myself to take it one point, one set at a time."
Viewmont finished the first day of the state tournament leading the team scoring with a player in each of the five divisions. Tullis' brother Jacob, a sophomore, found himself in the No. 2 singles semifinals after defeating Blair Robbins of Lone Peak, 6-1, 6-1.
"Playing as a team is unusual in tennis," Sam Tullis said. "We're just working to support each other and fight for every point."
Brighton's Chase Stoner is the lone freshman to advance in singles action. Stoner moved on to the No. 3 singles semifinals after downing Davis' Michael Moody, 6-0, 6-1.
The tandem of Parker Howell and Ty Burke of Riverton dispatched West's Devin Richie and Daniel Liu in No. 1 doubles, 6-3, 6-2. Burke said it was an animated, fun match and was relieved to get past the first day.
"It really takes a lot of the stress off, and now it's go for it time," Burke said. "It's about having fun and trying to take the title home."
Howell is single-minded in his pursuit of a title after pairing up with Burke during the middle of the season.
"The game plan is simple: We're going to play our best," Howell said. "Start aggressive and win that first point." —
Class 5A tennis
Team scoring • Viewmont 10, Alta 7, Brighton 7, Lone Peak 7, Davis 5, Hunter 3, Layton 3, Pleasant Grove 3, West 3, Cottonwood 2, Lehi 2, Riverton 2, Weber 2, American Fork 1, Bingham 1, Jordan 1, Northridge 1
No. 1 singles
Friday's results
First round
• Cody Crandall, Brighton, def. Garrett Rich, Bingham, 6-2, 6-0
• Colton McBride, Weber, def. Remi Price(Taylorsville, 6-0, 6-1
• Sam Tullis, Viewmont, def. CJ Ercanbrach, Davis, 6-0, 6-1
• Hayden de Hoyos, Pleasant Grove, def. Mikulus Thomas, Alta, 6-2, 6-0
• Cody Phonharath, Hunter, def. Jordan Slater, Fremont, 6-0, 6-1
• Brocton Andrus, Lone Peak, def. Mathias Choque, West Jordan, 6-4, 6-0
• Zeke Richards, Cottonwood, def. Mike Garcia, Lehi, 6-0, 6-1
• Doug Graff, Northridge, def. Jason Chen, West, 6-0, 6-1
Quarterfinals
• McBride def. Crandall 6-2, 6-4
• Tullis def. de Hoyos 6-0, 6-1
• Andrus def. Phonharath 6-0, 6-1
• Richards def. Graff 6-0, 6-0
Saturday's schedule
Semifinals
• McBride vs. Tullis
• Andrus vs. Richards
No. 2 singles
Friday's results
First round
• Jake Harris, Pleasant Grove, def. Justin Mansell, Brighton, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
• Devon Wells, Layton, def. Tanner Foy, Hunter, 6-1, 6-4
• Jacob Tullis, Viewmont, def. Taylor Dawson, Northridge, 6-0, 6-0
• Blair Robbins, Lone Peak, def. Tanner Poulson, Cottonwood, 6-3, 6-4
• Phillip Vernon, West, def. Brady Carlson, Weber, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
• McKay Luu, Lehi, def. Diego Barajas, West Jordan, 6-0, 6-3
• Andy Ovard, Alta, def. Zach Siddoway, Bingham, 6-0, 6-3
• Garrett Wilkes, Davis, def. Mike Frazier, Taylorsville, 6-0, 6-2
Quarterfinals
• Harris def. Wells 6-4, 6-0
• Tullis def. Robbins 6-1, 6-1
• Luu def. Vernon 7-5, 1-6, 6-0
• Ovard def. Wilkes 6-0, 6-1
Saturday's schedule
Semifinals
• Harris vs. Tullis
• Luu vs. Ovard
No. 3 singles
Friday's results
First round
• Chase Stoner, Brighton, def. Nick Olsen, Pleasant Grove, 6-1, 6-1
• Michael Moody, Davis, def. Hayden Turner, Hunter, 6-1, 6-0
• Nic LeBaron, Viewmont, def. Carston Henderson, Northridge, 6-0, 6-4
• Jack Aubrey, Bingham, def. Spencer Thurgood, Cottonwood, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
• David Murrell, West, def. Jacob Lawson, Weber, 6-2, 6-1
• Derek Schetselaar, Lone Peak, def. Keyen Neal, West Jordan, 6-0, 6-1
• Connor Pulsipher, Alta, def. Keaton Mathis, Lehi, 6-1, 6-1
• Tommy Glende, Layton, def. Remington Larson, Kearns, 6-0, 6-1
Quarterfinals
• Stoner def. Moody 6-0, 6-1
• LeBaron def. Aubrey 6-0, 7-5
• Schetselaar def. Murrell 6-1, 6-1
• Pulsipher def. Glende 6-0, 6-2
Saturday's schedule
Semifinals
• Stoner vs. LeBaron
• Schetselaar vs. Pulsipher
No. 1 doubles
Friday's results
First round
• Parker Roberts/Robert Avila, Alta, def. Ammon Story/Ben Bearss, Lone Peak, 6-4, 7-5
• Cooper Brown/Michael vonBallmoos, Davis, def. Andy Larsen/Taylor Barton, Taylorsville, 6-4, 6-1
• Ethan Hymas/Isaac Ford, Viewmont, def. Mitchell Adamson/Ben Graff, Northridge, 6-0, 6-1
• Parker Judd/Hunter Wilson, American Fork, def. Jonas Jones/McKay Nilsen, Jordan, 6-4, 6-4
• Devin Richie/Daniel Luu, West, def. Spencer Anderson/Maverick Denhalter, Layton, 6-3, 6-3
• Parker Howell/Ty Burke, West, def. Gus Stevens/Cory Trivett, Cottonwood, 6-1, 6-1
• Anthony Panuzio/Mitchell Mansell, Brighton, def. Tyler White/Matt Sorensen, Bingham, 6-2, 6-3
• Willie Peterson/Eric LeMoine, Hunter, def. Bryce Pierson/Matt Kendell, Weber, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3
Quarterfinals
• Brown/vonBallmoos def. Roberts/Avila 6-4, 6-4
• Hymas/Ford def. Judd/Wilson 6-4, 6-0
• Howell/Burke def. Richie/Luu 6-3, 6-2
• Panuzio/Mansell def. Peterson/LeMoine 6-0, 6-1
Saturday's schedule
Semifinals
• Brown/vonBallmoos vs. Hymas/Ford
• Howell/Burke vs. Panuzio/Mansell
No. 2 doubles
Friday's results
First round
• David West/Jordan Branch, Alta, def. Parker Evans/Matt Tobler, Bingham, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
• Josh Wolfey/Justin Needham, Layton, def. Derek Dapp/Nathan Hubner, Granger, 6-2, 6-0
• Zach Beckstrand/Brandon Kasparian, Viewmont, def. Bryson Hales/Mark Frame, Fremont, 6-0, 6-0
• Nick Schindler/Bennett Garden, Jordan, def. Juan Jose Amaya/Tyler Miller, Lehi, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
• Blake Allred/Easton Batt, Hunter, def. Dominic Emerson/Jacob Poyner, Weber, 6-3, 6-4
• Matt Zwick/Lucas Ale, Lone Peak, def. Taylor Nelson/Jordan Evans, Copper Hills, 6-0, 6-1
• Brandon Budge/Cheyenne Perry, Brighton, def. Stephen Sheffield/Christian Olsen, Pleasant Grove, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
• John Vellinga/Connor Fox, Davis, def. Patrick Chen/Jiayi (Scott) Ge, West, 7-5, 6-3
Quarterfinals
• West/Branch def. Wolfey/Needham 1-6, 7-5, 6-3
• Beckstrand/Kasparian def. Schindler/Garden 6-0, 7-6 (8-6)
• Zwick/Wale def. Allred/Batt 6-0, 6-1
• Budge/Perry def. Vellinga/Fox 6-0, 6-2
Saturday's schedule
Semifinals
• West/Branch vs. Beckstrand/Kasparian
• Zwick/Wale vs. Budge/Perry