Vail Christian’s No. 2 singles player wins girls state tennis title
Alexa Blanch became the program's sixth state champion in the last three years
JD Webster/Courtesy photo
In addition to her last name, Alexa Blanch shares something else with her brother, Daniel, as of last Saturday: both ended their junior tennis campaigns standing atop the No. 2 singles state tennis podium.
Alexa Blanch defeated Peak to Peak senior Sydney Lewis in the 3A final at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs to become Vail Christian’s sixth state tennis champion in the last three years. She joins her brother, Daniel (No. 2 singles 2023), Heidi Iverson and Sofia Elalayli (No. 4 doubles, 2023) and Aria Webster and Kamryn Mitchell (No. 2 doubles, 2023)
“Congratulations to Alexa and everyone who worked so hard for this moment,” head coach J.D. Webster stated. “We had so much fun (and) we are so proud of our team.”
The Saints also saw No. 3 singles Heidi Iverson and the No. 2 doubles team of Camden Allen and Autumn Woods advance to Saturday’s championship round. All three athletes earned silver medals.
“To have four players in the championship matches truly is a beautiful accomplishment,” stated assistant coach Kirsten Webster. “To see our whole team surround each other and cheer each other on this weekend made my heart so happy and spoke to the family that these girls are.”
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Vail Christian qualified its entire line to the state tournament for the fourth-straight year. Blanch swept St. Mary’s Myla Delgado 6-0, 6-0 in the first round, then rallied to eliminate Shannon Schmidt 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to day 2. In Friday’s semifinal, she took down No. 1 seed Josephine Carter of Severance 6-3, 6-0 to set up the final against Lewis, who was part of the Peak to Peak squad that went down to the wire with Vail Christian at last year’s state team semifinals at Homestead Court Club.
“After having already three matches before the championship, I didn’t feel too nervous. Instead, I tried to think of it as just another match and face it calmly with determination,” Blanch said prior to her 6-2, 6-4 victory.
“The first moment after I won I was still in a little bit of shock and didn’t quite process that I’d actually managed to win states,” Blanch continued. “When my teammates all gathered around me and we all hugged and took pictures is when it really hit me and I was so happy and proud of myself.”
Iverson moved up on the podium stand after taking third at No. 3 singles in 2024. She said her 6-3, 7-6 semifinal win over Peak to Peak senior Ranye Ezenekwe was one of her best matches all year.
“Getting to championship Saturday was my goal all year long,” Iverson said. “The energy my teammates and coaches brought was incredible. So, I’m super proud to have taken home the silver medal in the end.”
The freshmen duo of Woods and Allen upset No. 1-seeded Eaton in a 6-2, 0-6, 7-5 second-round win, then took out Lutheran 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the finals. There, Peak to Peak’s El Allen-Bonney and Lhadze Olsen proved to be too much, coming away with the 6-4, 6-0 victory. Allen described the state experience as simultaneously “stressful and exciting.”
“States was so much fun,” Woods added. “Not only did I enjoy getting a chance to compete, but I enjoyed meeting so many great people from other schools.”
Vail Christian’s No. 1 singles senior Jessie Allen was ousted in the first round while the team’s No. 1 doubles squad of Olivia Zajac and Sabrina Nabonsal fell in the playback semis. Ella Pecinka and Paige Asbury lost in the second round of the No. 3 doubles bracket and Chloe Demmler and Anabelle Woodbridge suffered a tough 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 defeat in the first round against the top No. 4 doubles team, Prospect Ridge.
Other prep notes: soccer and lacrosse seasons come to an end
- The No. 11-seeded Battle Mountain boys lacrosse team allowed seven second-half goals to fall to No. 6 Golden 10-6 in the second round of the 4A boys lacrosse state tournament. The Huskies finished the year with an 8-8 overall record.
- No. 14 Vail Mountain School lost to No. 3 Evergreen 13-2 in the second round of the state tournament last Friday. The Rangers finished the year with an 8-9 overall record.
- Madison Skinner scored three goals to lead Prospect Ridge Academy to a 3-0 win over Vail Mountain School in the second round of the 3A girls soccer state tournament. The Rangers ended their season with an 8-4-2 mark
- Ridgeway defeated Vail Christian 2-0 in the first round of the 2A girls soccer state tournament. The Saints finished the year with a 9-4 mark and 4-0 league record.
- The Battle Mountain and Eagle Valley girls soccer teams concluded the 2025 season in the first round of the 4A state tournament. The No. 31-seeded Devils fell to No. 2 Green Mountain 5-0 while the No. 29 Huskies lost to No. 4 Lutheran 10-0.
