Sacrifice is why Corner Canyon High School boys tennis coach Allison Rideout said her team won the 6A state boys tennis title May 20 at Liberty Park. The Chargers won the three individual singles titles while the two doubles pairings reached the final match.

Corner Canyon’s top two singles players Alex Fuchs and Aidan Rideout, who typically train in California, “were both willing to put that on hold” to play in the high school ranks, won the No. 1 and No. 2 singles titles with straight-set runs through the four rounds at state. No. 3 singles player Cole Jenkins also won his individual championship without losing a set through four matches.

“They all played amazing and solid,” coach Rideout said. “We are so excited to win state. We knew there was a chance so it was so fun to see it come to fruition. We had an incredible team this year from top to bottom. The team was there for each other, supporting each other whether they were playing or not.”

“It was a pretty amazing feeling winning as a team,” said Aidan Rideout. “Having all of the team be able to come together and enjoy such a big moment was quite awesome. I’m very proud of them for playing their best tennis and clutching up at the most important times.”

Coach Rideout credited her team for the hard work they put it all season which helped them reach its ultimate goal. “But, the biggest reason we took state was Beau Welker who played No. 1 doubles for us this year with Jaxson Roberts,” she said. “Beau could have taken the individual state title at third singles, but as one of the best doubles players in the state of Utah, he was willing to move into the first doubles position, giving us the best chance to win that first doubles line as well. Although he and Jaxson lost in the finals, it was Beau’s leadership and skill that helped them make it as far as they did and gave us the enormous lead we needed to solidify the first-place team finish.”

At state, Fuchs, playing at No. 1 singles, beat Pleasant Grove’s Brigham Haynie 6-0, 6-0 in the Round of 16; West’s Jeffrey Kulsomphob 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; Skyridge’s Calvin Armstrong 6-3, 6-0 in the semifinals; and American Fork’s Caden Hasler 6-3, 6-4 in the title match. The Region 4 champion this season committed to play for Ohio State after his graduation next spring.

At No. 2 singles, Aidan Rideout defeated Taylorsville’s Brendan Christensen 6-1, 6-0 in the round of 16; Layton’s Joey Losik 6-1, 6-0 in the quarters; Lone Peak’s Tate Squires 6-2, 6-0 in the semis; and Bingham’s Kingsley Hoang 6-2, 6-1 in the finals.

“I’m happy with how I played,” Aidan Rideout said. “Even with the pressure of being the first set and being expected to win, it felt good being able to push that aside and 

just play my game. I’ve also always loved the energy that state brings to the players. It’s a great feeling playing with so many people watching and cheering you on as you’re able to do what you love.”

Jenkins, at No. 3 singles, beat Layton’s Anthony Cooksey 6-0, 6-0 in the round of 16; Weber’s Gabriel Olsen 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; Lone Peak’s Cache Garner 6-0, 6-2 in the semifinals; and Farmington’s Nathaniel Bullard 6-0, 6-5 in the finals.

At No. 1 doubles, Roberts/Welker defeated Riverton’s Ashton Affleck/Gavin Trickett 6-1, 6-0 in the round of 16, Herriman’s Ashton Phelps/Ethan Phelps 7-5, 6-3 in the quarters and Farmington’s Landon Packer/Spencer Ostermiller in the semis before losing to Skyridge’s Elijah Cluff/Max Ericksen 6-3, 6-2.

The No. 2 doubles pairing of Nathan Kennedy/Josh Townsend beat Mountain Ridge’s Thomas Tenney/Nathan Nogueira 6-0, 6-0 in the round of 16, Bingham’s Sam Roberts/Luke Huber 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals and Skyridge’s Cade Sperry/Andrew Allen 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the semifinals to set up a title match with American Fork’s Colby Clinger/Adam Clarke which they lost 6-2, 6-3.

“This was Nate and Josh’s first showing at state and they exceeded our expectations,” coach Rideout said. “They played amazing!”

Also on the CCHS squad this season were seniors Braden Covington, Andrew Engh, Davis Hammond, Austin Shipp and Sam Springer; juniors Blake Burraston, Sam Petersen and Cooper White; sophomores Brayden Belote, Jaden Buchmiller, Tennison Erickson, Boone Hammond and Brek Johnson; and freshmen Beau Edmunds, Dillon Roberts, Cameron White, Camden Wilcox and Zach Woodward.

Coach Rideout was assisted on the coaching staff by her husband Benji and son Jensen along with Adrien Jenkins and Mykel Seebord and managers Afton Milne and Tayvee Ash. λ