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Highland's No. 1 singles player, Jihoon Noh, was visibly in pain.
The senior, who was locked in a battle with Sky View's Austin Jeppsen in the second round of the Class 4A state boys' tennis tournament, grimaced with every serve and volley. Cramps were overtaking his legs and back, but Noh found the strength to fight through metronomic rallies and dig in to kill the ball at the net.
It wasn't until match point when he saw the ball falling wide that Noh dropped to his knees. It wasn't in celebration but rather sweet relief from the grueling 6-1, 6-3 victory. He slowly pulled himself off the court and met Jeppsen at the net to shake hands.
"We both put so much effort into the match," Noh said. "He is such a tough player. Thank goodness that game is over."
Timpview's Matt Pearce is at the other end of the No. 1 singles bracket. He cruised into the semifinals with a pair of victories, which helps set the table for a repeat of the 2011 No. 2 singles title match.
"That's the goal, to play well and to take this all the way," Pearce said. "We played when I was a freshman, and I was hoping we [would] see each other again."
Timpview led the team scoring with nine points, while Bonneville and Woods Cross both sat a point behind. East, Logan and Mountain View were tied for third with six, which leaves the title up for grabs entering Saturday's semifinal and championship matches.
Timpview's Paul Monson started the day in the No. 2 singles with a heavy heart. His grandmother, Frances Monson, the wife of LDS President Thomas Monson, died early in the morning, and he sought solace on the courts. He defeated Herriman's Jake Hunt, 6-0, 6-1, in the second round and is looking to improve on last year's No. 3 singles title.
"It's hard today, but this is such a great tournament," Monson said. "I just want to play my best for my team."
Doubles action promised to be exciting, and the Highland vs. Timpview second-round match at No. 1 did not disappoint.
The Thunderbirds' Josh Harrison and Zack Simpson were pushed to the edge by Highland's Matt Baker and Matt Wilson, but the Timpview pair edged out a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win in rainy conditions.
"They challenged us all day long," Harrison said. "After losing the second set, we started playing to win, not playing not to lose." —
Class 4A state tournament
Friday's results
Team standings • Timpview 9, Bonneville 8, Woods Cross 8, East 6, Logan 6, Mountain View 6, Highland 4, Maple Mountain 4, Skyline 2, Herriman 2, Sky View 1
No. 1 singles
First round
• Cruz Thayne, Herriman, def. Jameson Poulton, Bountiful, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
• Matt Pearce, Timpview, def. Luke Dance, Mountain Crest, 6-0, 6-1
• Parker Jones, Bonneville, def. Trevor O'Brien, Timpanogos, 6-2, 6-2
• Grant Hawks, Woods Cross, def. Adam Ott, Olympus, 6-0, 6-1
• Austin Jeppsen, Sky View, def. Aaron Keleman, Provo, 6-1, 6-2
• Jihoon Noh, Highland, def. Ammon Mills, Murray, 6-0, 6-0
• Mike Polak, Skyline, def. Steiner Paulsen, East, 6-1, 6-3
• Jon Dollahite, Mountain View, def. Andrew Hugie, Logan, 7-5, 6-4
Quarterfinals
• Pearce def. Thayne 6-0, 6-0
• Jones def. Hawks 6-3, 6-7, 6-2
• Noh def. Jeppsen 6-1, 6-3
• Dollahite def. Polak 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 singles
First round
• Jake Hunt, Bountiful, def. Tyler Ross, Herriman, 7-5, 6-3
• Paul Monson, Timpview, def. Mitchell John, Mountain Crest, 6-2, 6-1
• Jay Walter, Bonneville, def. Trevon Galbraith, Springville, 6-2, 6-0
• Chandler Paulsen, East, def. John Ludlum, Hillcrest, by forfeit
• Jake Stevenson, Logan, def. Nate Widmer, Timpanogos, 6-2, 6-0
• RJ Parker, Woods Cross, def. Tyler Payne, Olympus, 6-1, 6-0
• Eric Debry, Skyline, def. Will Taylor, Highland, 6-2, 6-0
• Aldo Maldonado, Mountain View, def. Nathan Duncan, Sky View, 6-0, 6-1
Quarterfinals
• Monson def. Hunt 6-0, 6-1
• Walter def. Paulsen 6-2, 6-2
• Parker def. Stevenson 6-4, 7-5
• Maldonado def. Debry 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 singles
First round
• Tyler Rindlisbacher, Herriman, def. Joe Cook, Highland, 0-6, 6-4, 6-3
• Manuel Ortiz, Mountain View, def. Ben Elgen, Mountain Crest, 6-0, 6-2
• Keith McMullin, Bonneville, def. Zack Knell, Provo, 6-1, 6-0
• Jorgen Paulsen, East, def. Blake Findley, Olympus, 6-1, 6-0
• Matt Robinson, Logan, def. Ryan Porter, Maple Mountain, 7-5, 6-2
• Austin Kirk, Woods Cross, def. Juno Kim, Hillcrest, 6-0, 6-1
• Aydin Tasevac, Skyline, def. Nick Csere, Bountiful, 6-4, 6-3
• Mason Brockbank, Timpview, def. Parker Jenks, Sky View, 6-2, 6-4
Quarterfinals
• Ortiz def. Rindlisbacher 6-0, 6-0
• Paulsen def. McMullin 7-6, 6-3
• Kirk def. Robinson 6-0, 6-0
• Brockbank def. Tasevac 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
No. 1 doubles
First round
• Hansi Kiessner/Andrew Williams, Skyline, def. Josh Harris/Andrew Eyring, Bountiful, 6-4, 6-2
• Kevin Rose/Andrew Blonquist, Maple Mountain, def. Matthew Leavitt/Tanner Davis, Orem, 6-1, 6-2
• Jordan Larsen/Hunter Ballam, Logan, def. Mitch Patrick/Justin Stohlton, Timpanogos, 6-1, 6-0
• Sam Rasmussen/Adam Williams, East, def. Daniel Nielsen/Forrest White, Herriman, 6-0, 6-1
• Tyler Heaton/Bobby Crofts, Bonneville, def. Aaron Lewis/James McKell, Mountain View, 6-4, 6-1
• Landon Oswald/Jens Nielsen, Woods Cross, def. Will Nguyen/Jason Jung, Murray, 6-1, 6-1
• Matt Baker/Matthew Wilson, Highland, def. Josh Ulrich/Jason Wright, Hillcrest, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
• Josh Harrison/Zack Simpson, Timpview, def., Scott Johnson/Andrew Johnson, Mountain Crest, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
Quarterfinals
• Rose/Blonquist def. Kiessner/Williams 6-1, 6-2
• Larsen/Ballam def. Rasmussen/Williams 6-3, 6-2
• Heaton/Crofts def. Oswald/Nielsen 6-4, 6-1
• Harrison/Simpson def. Baker/Wilson 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
No. 2 doubles
First round
• Tyler Brown/Ethan Nakaya, Bountiful, def. Aaron Hsu/Brantley Bond, Hillcrest, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
• Matt Chandler/Nam Luu, Maple Mountain, def. Tyler Chaney/Devan Mills, Mountain Crest, 6-2, 6-1
• Andrew Hopkins/James Larsen, Logan, def. Brady Lindley/Austin Kocherans, Mountain View, 6-0, 6-2
• Mark Klekas/Paul Huntsman, Highland, def. Hayden Mann/Ben Horne, Murray, 6-0, 6-1
• Tanner Heaton/Alex Hall, Bonneville, def. Matt Heath/Reid Donakey, Timpanogos, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4)
• Ethan Johnson/Colin Cole, Woods Cross, def. Alec Brown/Austin Stephens, Olympus, 6-3, 6-0
• Will Corbett/Gardner Dee, East, def. Robbie Hall/Jeddy Hwang, Skyline, 6-3, 6-3
• Cole Mowlen/Sam Mangum, Timpview, def. Andrew Johnson/Nathan Scott, Box Elder, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Quarterfinals
• Chandler/Luu def. Brown/Nakaya 6-3, 6-2
• Hopkins/Larsen def. Klekas/Huntsman 6-2, 6-2
• Johnson/Cole def. Heaton/Hall 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
• Corbett/Dee def. Mowlen/Mangum 6-1, 6-2