Central and Laramie Win Team Titles at the 2023 Tennis State Championships

The Cheyenne Central girls and Laramie boys captured the team championships at the 2023 Wyoming High School Tennis state tournament in Gillette on Wednesday.

Central won the title with 59 points thanks to victories at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles. It was their 17th girls’ tennis state championship in school history and first since 2020.

The boys’ team race was decided by one point, as Laramie prevented a sweep by Cheyenne Central. The Plainsmen scored 43 points over the three days compared to 42 for the Indians. Laramie won a title at No. 2 doubles and had runner-up finishes at No. 1 and No. 2 singles.

Two singles players repeated as state champions in 2023.

Hailey Mathis-Breitkopf of Cheyenne Central won the No. 2 singles crown for the ladies for the second straight year. The sophomore did not lose a set on her way to another title. She defeated Harper Klinger of Kelly Walsh, 6-1 and 6-4, in the championship match.

Cheyenne South’s Andrew Lock earned his second consecutive title at No. 1 singles for the boys with a 6-4 and 6-1 victory over Laramie’s Paulo Mellizo. Lock completed his second straight undefeated season in 2023. He dropped only 11 games in the state tournament.

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In the not-so-new category, but at a new position, Taylor Nokes from Kelly Walsh won her third tennis state championship. This year, it was at No. 1 singles, as Nokes rallied to beat Ashli Smedley of Cheyenne Central, 4-6, 6-2, and 6-4. Nokes was part of double state title tandems at No. 1 in 2021 and No. 2 in 2022.

The rest of the individual state champions were new in 2023.

Central’s Nathaniel Thornell captured the crown at No. 2 singles for the boys. He defeated defending champion Declan O’Connor from Laramie in the finals, 4-6, 6-4, and 7-6. The third set tiebreak score was 7-2.

At girls’ No. 1 doubles, Cheyenne Central’s Genesis Tyler and Cailyn Smedley won the title. They beat Moore/Thorburn of Laramie in the championship match, 6-4 and 6-2.

For girls’ No. 2 doubles, the Laramie team of Makeda Proctor and Gracie Smith took the top spot. They beat the duo of Tachick/Kendrick from Thunder Basin in the finals, 0-6, 6-4, and 6-4.

The Sheridan team of Liv Katschke and Georgia Gould won the No. 3 girls’ doubles title. They beat Flowers and Shoemaker from Central in the championship match on Wednesday, 2-6, 6-1, and 6-2.

For boys’ No. 1 doubles, Thomas Smedley and Owen Black of Cheyenne Central took the top spot on the podium. They beat the Bujans brothers from Sheridan, 6-2 and 6-1 in the finals.

Laramie won the No. 2 doubles title, as Spencer Killpack and Karson Krueger defeated the tandem of Zebroski and Walker from Sheridan, 3-6, 7-5, and 6-0.

Finally, at No. 3 boys’ doubles, Roscoe Cone-LeBeaumont and Nicholas Thornell from Cheyenne Central combined for the championship with a 6-1 and 6-3 victory over Sutherland/Peterson of Cheyenne East.

As for the final girls’ team standings, Cheyenne Central finished at 59 points. Kelly Walsh was second with 45 points, Laramie took third at 32 points, and Thunder Basin came in fourth at 26.5 team points.

On the boys’ side, Laramie was at 43 and Central had 42. Sheridan placed third with 34 points, and Jackson took fourth at 28 points.