Palo Verde sweeps 4A state tennis championships

Palo Verde girls varsity tennis captain Caroline Hsu, left, cries after accepting the class 4A first place championship trophy during her senior year as teammates Caroline Lemcke, Devon Yamane and Mandalay Labarre show excitement after winning the tournament against Coronado High School on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde captain Jack Kostrinsky accepts the 4A varsity boys state championship trophy as his team claps in the background on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Palo Verdo beat Coronado High School 10-2 overall in the match. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde singles player Michael Andre hits the ball while playing Coronado's Tanner Phillips on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Andre, a senior who is committed to play college tennis at Indiana University, won the match 6-0. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde singles player Michael Andre jumps to hit the ball while playing Coronado's Tanner Phillips on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Andre, a senior who is committed to play college tennis at Indiana University, won the match 6-0. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde singles player Michael Andre shakes hands with Coronado's Tanner Phillips after winning the singles match 6-0 on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Jack Kostrinsky whacks the ball to Coronado's Aiden Benoualid during a singles match on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Kostrinksy, a team captain, won the match 6-2. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado High School's Jonah Blake reaches for the ball during a doubles match with his partner Jason Michael against Palo Verde's Wynn Shioi and Benjamin Waid on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Coronado won the match 6-3. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado High School's Jonah Blake serves during a doubles match with his partner Jason Michael against Palo Verde's Wynn Shioi and Benjamin Waid on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Coronado won the match 6-3. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde High School's Benjamin Waid jumps to serve during a doubles match with his partner Wynn Shioi against Coronado High School on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Coronado won the match 6-3. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado's Jason Elliot plays a singles match against Palo Verde's Axel Botticelli on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Botticelli won the match 6-1. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Axel Botticelli jumps to serve against Coronado's Jason Elliot on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Botticelli won the match 6-1. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Axel Botticelli hits the ball to Coronado's Jason Elliot on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Botticelli won the match 6-1. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado's Jack Wohlwend eyes the ball during a doubles match against Palo Verde High School on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Wohlwend and his partner Ian Hawkes beat Palo Verde's Tyler Juhasz and Ryan Jenson 7-5.(Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Tyler Juhasz tosses his racket around during a doubles match against Coronado on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Palo Verde won the overall match 10-2 for the state championship title. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Ryan Jensen eyes the ball during a doubles match against Coronado on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Jensen and his partner Tyler Juhasz lost the match to Coronado's Ian Hawkes and Jack Wohlwend. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado's Jack Wohlwend serves during a doubles match against Palo Verde High School on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Wohlwend and his partner Ian Hawkes beat Palo Verde's Tyler Juhasz and Ryan Jenson 7-5.(Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado Head Coach David Willingham speaks to players Ian Hawkes and Jack Wohlwend during their doubles match on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. The partners won the match against Palo Verde High School 7-5. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado's Ian Hawkes hits the ball to Palo Verde opponents Tyler Juhasz and Ryan Jensen on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Juhasz and his partner Ryan Jensen lost the match to Coronado 7-5. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde doubles partners Ryan Jensen, left, and Tyler Juhasz right, high five after earning a point on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. The partners lost the match 7-5 to Coronado's Ian Hawkes and Jack Wohlwend. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado's Jason Elliott, second from left, lines up with his teammates to congratulate Palo Verde High School on their 4A varsity boys state tennis championship on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Palo Verde won the overall match 10-2. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The Coronado High School varsity boys tennis team accepts their class 4A second place state championship trophy on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Palo Verde High School won the overall match 10-2. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde girls varsity tennis captains Devon Yamane, left, and Caroline Hsu, right, thank their team for giving them the class 4A first place championship trophy during their senior year after winning the tournament against Coronado High School on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Caroline Lemcke hits the ball to Coronado's Gabriella Balmer during the class 4A state championship tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Lemcke won both of her singles matches against Coronado. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado's Kaylen Heiss serves to Palo Verde on the court with her partner Sidra Wohlwend on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. The partners beat Palo Verde's Ava Bailey and Mandalay Labarre 7-5. Palo Verde won the overall championship. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado's Sidra Wohlwend cheers as she and her partner Kaylen Heiss beat Palo Verde 7-5 during the class 4A state championship tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Palo Verde won the overall championship. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Roxy Okano eyes to hit the ball during a doubles match against Coronado's Sofia Potamitis and Ava Nhiasi on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Okano and her partner Caroline Hsu won the match 6-3. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Roxy Okano serves during a doubles match against Coronado's Sofia Potamitis and Ava Nhiasi on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Okano and her partner Caroline Hsu won the match 6-3. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Caroline Hsu updates the score during one of her doubles matches at the class 4A state championship on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Palo Verde won first place. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde women's varsity tennis coach Tyler Marchant, right, encourages players Caroline Hsu, left, and Roxy Okano, center, during their doubles match against Coronado on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado's Sofia Potomitis celebrates with her doubles partner Ava Nhiasi as they score a point during their match against Palo Verde on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Coronado took the second place class 4A state championship trophy home. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Caroline Hsu reaches to hit the ball during a doubles match against Coronado on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Hsu and her partner Roxy Okano won the match 6-3. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado cheers on their teammates during a doubles match in the class 4A state championship on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde's Ava Bailey hits the ball during the class 4A state championship on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. The match was deemed incomplete after Palo Verde won the overall championship. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Palo Verde tennis players Mandalay Labarre, left, Caroline Lemcke, center, and Caroline Hsu, right, eye their newly won class 4A first place championship trophy after beating Coronado High School on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.(Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

More Stories

Faith Lutheran runs onto the field to take on Shadow Ridge in their NIAA Class 5A Division II S ...

‘Nothing else matters’: Faith Lutheran looks to avenge title game loss

Centennial players celebrate after defeating Las Vegas in a football game at Las Vegas High Sch ...

Centennial relishes turnaround from 0-4 to back in state title game

Mojave senior Arthur AJ Williams (2) avoids a tackle during the high school 4A Desert League ti ...

Mojave will lean on ‘high-motor’ defense in 4A football state final

Arbor View cornerback Teddy Johnson (5) attempts to tackle Bishop Gorman running back Jonathan ...

High school football state championship matchups, times set

By Jason Orts Las Vegas Review-Journal

November 6, 2019 - 6:25 pm

Palo Verde needs to make a little more room in its trophy case.

The Panthers swept the 4A state championships in team tennis Wednesday at Bishop Gorman, with the boys defeating Coronado 10-2 and the girls coming back for a 10-5 win over Coronado.

For the Palo Verde boys, it’s a fourth consecutive state championship. For the girls, it’s a return to the top. They won three state titles in a row from 2014-16, but Coronado had taken the last two.

“It just shows our dedication and how we haven’t backed down, even when we’ve been defeated the last few years,” Palo Verde senior Devon Yamane said of the girls win. “We’ve been working really hard to reach this moment.”

Caroline Lemcke dropped only one game in a 3-0 singles day for the Panthers, but the match wasn’t without drama.

Palo Verde fell behind 4-2 after the first rotation before bouncing back to win five of six the second time through for a 7-5 lead. Even as the third round rolled on and victory neared for the Panthers, it wasn’t a foregone conclusion.

Roxy Okano and Caroline Hsu held a 5-2 lead over Mana Iretani and Grace Nisson, but the Coronado pair came back to 5-4 and had two game points to level the score. Okano and Hsu won four straight points, winning the match and clinching the team crown.

“My heart started racing a little faster after (we fell behind),” Palo Verde coach Tyler Marchant said. “With our pair-ups in the second round, I knew we’d stand a better chance. I didn’t plan the first round as well as I’d thought, but we pulled through.”

The Palo Verde boys are used to taking home trophies. They’re not used to doing so as easily as they did this year. In each of the past two years, Clark has taken Palo Verde into a tiebreaker round before falling short.

This time, no third round was necessary, let alone anything beyond.

“We enjoyed it being close like (the past couple years),” Palo Verde senior Jack Kostrinsky said. “We had some competitive matches yesterday and Faith (Lutheran) earlier this year. It’s nice winning comfortably, but we really did enjoy the last two years, having it really close in the final.”

The 4A individual titles will be decided Thursday. Semifinals begin at 9 a.m., with finals set for noon. Clark’s Audrey Boch-Collins will try and win her fourth straight 4A singles championship.

Boulder City, The Meadows split 3A titles

Like in 4A, the same two teams met for the 3A state tennis championships.

Boulder City claimed the boys title, 10-7 over The Meadows, while The Meadows girls grabbed the girls crown, 10-6 over Boulder City.

In the individual events, Western swept the singles titles. Rua Elmore defeated Boulder City’s Connor Mikkelson in boys singles 6-3, 7-5 and Maddie Cherry won girls singles 6-4, 6-0 over North Tahoe’s Daniela Christian.

Boulder City claimed both doubles titles. Preston Jorgensen and Boen Huxford beat South Tahoe’s Travis Lee and Juan Vasquez 6-1, 6-2 in the boys final, with Olivia Mikkelson and Tegan Pappas beating The Meadows’ Ashley Hofflander and Peyton Barsel.

Athletes of the Week

Girls Soccer

Ylexus Gilliland, F, Liberty: The senior scored four goals in a win over Clark.

Boys soccer

Andy Rodriguez, F, Western: The senior scored goals and four assists in a 2-0 week for the Warriors.

Football

Aginae Cunningham, RB, Silverado: The junior had 285 rushing yards and four TDs in a win over Desert Oasis.

Girls volleyball

Anuhea Faitau, S, Durango: The senior had 53 assists, six kills, seven digs in a win over Green Valley.

More preps: Follow at reviewjournal.com/nevadapreps and @NevadaPreps on Twitter.

Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2936. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.