SALT LAKE CITY — A two-point margin is all that separated the top two teams at the 4A boys state tennis tournament. In the end, Dixie edged Crimson Cliffs despite singles victories by Max and Adam Miner.
Under the new scoring system, the Flyers amassed 42 points, while the Mustangs followed at 40. Ridgeline was third at 39 and Desert Hills and Green Canyon tied for fourth at 22. The event was staged at Liberty Park Tennis Courts in Salt Lake City.
Dixie advanced all three singles players and both doubles tandems into the Saturday morning semifinals. At No. 2 doubles, Ty Durst and Chase Faldmo of Crimson Cliffs, who were seeded sixth, had upset third-seeded Tyson Wilkins and McKay Soliai 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the semis. Trailing 1-3 in the semifinal match, however, Durst and Faldmo were forced to withdraw, which put Dixie’s Garrett Bishop and Michael Winward into the finals.
The No. 2-ranked Flyer duo fell to No. 1 seed in Green Canyon’s Zach Crane and Carson Shakespear by a score of 1-6, 6-2, 7-6(2). But the four points awarded for advancing to the finals proved to be pivotal in the scoring.
“Amazing tennis! Dixie did great, but I’m so impressed with Ridgeline,” wrote Crimson Cliffs coach Colin Brown in a text to St. George News. “Their 1 and 2 singles are nothing short of amazing. We had some unfortunate events with our second-seeded first doubles exiting early and our second doubles having to default from injury. But it was a great season to end my high school coaching career!”
Brown will be stepping down after four years as the Mustang boys and girls tennis coach. He has headed up the programs since the school’s inception in fall 2019.
The Flyers, who won state titles from 1994-99 and in 2001, had a strong semifinal at No. 1 and No. 2 singles as the Miner brothers advanced to the afternoon finals.
At No. 1 singles, top seed Max Miner, a junior, beat No. 3 seed Dillon Johnson of Ridgeline, bouncing back from a shaky first set to win 0-6, 6-2, 6-0. Max Miner reached the finals by way of a 6-1, 6-3 semifinal victory over Dixie’s Luke Jolley, who was seeded No. 4.
Dixie's Ari Fackrell competes at state 4A tennis tournament, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 19, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Ron Enloe, St. George News Dixie's Garrett Bishop competes at state 4A tennis tournament, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 19, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Ron Enloe, St. George News Dixie's Gavin Bishop competes at state 4A tennis tournament, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 20, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Ron Enloe, St. George News Dixie and Crimson Cliffs players at state 4A tennis tournament, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 20, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Ron Enloe, St. George News Dixie coaches and players (L-R) Warren Brooks, Christian Wright, Luke Jolley, Gavin Bishop, Michael Winward, Garrett Bishop, Caleb Kroll, Ari Fackrell Austin Beckstrom, Andrew Fackrell and Britt Beckstrom. Holding championship trophy at state 4A tennis tournament, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 20, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Ron Enloe, St. George News Dixie players with championship trophy (L-R): Michael Winward, Garrett Bishop, Caleb Kroll, Ari Fackrell, Austin Beckstrom, Gavin Bishop, and Luke Jolley. Salt Lake City, Utah, May 20, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Ron Enloe, St. George News Dixie's Ari Fackrell and Austin Beckstrom, winners of the No. 1 doubles bracket at state 4A boys tennis tournament, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 20, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Ron Enloe, St. George News Cedar coach Christian Wright instructs No. doubles players Garrett Bishop and Michael Winward during state 4A boys tennis tournament, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 19, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Ron Enloe, St. George News FInal standings of the 4A boys state tennis championship, May 20, 2023 | Image courtesy of UHSAA.org, St. George News
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