Team tennis championships: Academy boys win 22nd-straight title

As the sun set on another season, the loudspeaker at Jerry Cline Tennis Center crackled to life and for another year, the most dominant sound in New Mexico high school sports casually warbled over the courts:

”… Congratulations, Albuquerque Academy Chargers …”

Not much else needed to be said. Academy’s boys tennis locked up it’s 22nd-straight Class 1A-4A title Saturday at Jerry Cline Tennis Center, downing Santa Fe Prep 5-2 to continue a streak that’s grown older than any player on the roster.

Battling a motivated Griffins team, Academy head coach Tim Cass said he thought the Chargers’ doubles sweep “took the wind out” of Santa Fe Prep’s sails, clearing a path for Academy’s 27th overall team title and Cass’ second at the helm.

“Candidly, I thought we were the most favored at No. 1 doubles of any position, and that was the toughest one we had,” the former New Mexico tennis coach said. “I was proud of the two and three doubles (teams) … I think they believed in themselves and I think that helped us control the momentum of the match.”

When does Cass start to think about 28?

“Maybe give this a chance to just settle in,” he said with a smile. “There’s a new team every year, so I’m not sure who will be part of it next year.”

“Whenever they’re ready to think about it, I’ll be ready to think about it.”

Academy’s girls were not to be outdone, however. In a rematch of last year’s weather-delayed final, the top-seeded Chargers claimed their sixth-straight 1A-4A title with a 5-1 win over Robertson.

After “miraculously” sweeping all doubles matches against the Cardinals last season, head coach Amy Badger said she thought her team was more motivated this year to ensure they weren’t put back in that position.

“It’s always a battle,” Badger said. “Robertson is just a fabulous team, and they come to play — they come to fight. We have to do our part in that, too, we gotta work hard, because I know they’re not gonna give us anything.”

The favored La Cueva boys held up their end of the bargain, even if it came down to the final match, in Class 5A. Led by first-year head coach and program alumni Michael Tran — who replaced legendary coach Dick Johnson — the Bears eked out a 5-4 win over Albuquerque High.

“It means a lot,” said Tran, now the first to win a state title with La Cueva as a player and coach. “And I got big shoes to fill, but (I’m) doing my best to do so. It’s wonderful being an alum and having that experience of winning state championships before — it’s nice to be back in this environment.”

But in an event that’s been known to furnish dynasties, one program broke through Saturday evening: Farmington girls won their first 5A state championship 5-0 over La Cueva, snapping the Bears’ run of four-straight titles.

After graduating four of their top seven players from last year, Scorpions head coach Pat McGrath said he thought his team was a year away from being in position to contend. But strong leadership from team captains Marley Deswood and Hannah Jonas paired with clutch play made all the difference in a run McGrath won’t soon forget.

“This year, there was no dominant team,” McGraff said. “For the past four years, La Cueva was just better than everybody else, and we played them in every one of those finals — and lost. It was kinda nice to win one after four years.”