Tennis Advances to AIA Division I State Championship
The top-seeded Brophy tennis program advanced to the AIA Division I championship match with a 5-0 win over No. 4 Perry. They will play in the Championship at 11 am at Paseo on Saturday against No. 6 Mountain Ridge.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, it is about a 400,” said Head Coach Chris Campbell ‘84. “The boys have worked hard to get where they are. It is going to be a great day. They got past a tough Perry team.”
Junior Ryan Zerbib defeated Dallin Welch at No. 1 singles 6-2, 6-0 for the match's first point. Junior Logan Phillips followed at No. 2 with a 6-0, 6-2 win. Junior Tyler Woo only dropped one game at No. 3 singles in his 6-0, 6-1 win. Junior Naren Gudavalli was also efficient with a 6-2, 6-0 win.
“What I saw going well for all the boys was they were being patient, looking for chances to strike first and ending points quickly,” said Campbell.
Sophomore Alex Bunkse clinched the match with a comeback 5-7, 6-1, 10-8 victory for the fifth point. Senior Ethan Ashok played at No. 6 for the team, but his match was halted.
“Ethan was an amazing 12th-hour call,” said Campbell. “All the guys know they must be ready when they are a reserve. He did a great job.”
In the final, Brophy (18-3) will play No. 6 Mountain Ridge. They met on March 6 at Phoenix Tennis Center, with Brophy posting a 7-2 win.
The Broncos, a team with a rich history of success, qualified for their seventh consecutive state final. Brophy lost to Desert Mountain in 2023 but most recently won the team title in 2022. They have 21 state championships, dating to the first in 1973.
Brophy College Preparatory celebrated its 76th commencement on Saturday, May 18, at 9 a.m. in Robson Gymnasium. This graduation was significant for the Class of 2024, who began their high school journey remotely due to the pandemic.
The Class of 2024 demonstrated resilience and connection despite the challenges of starting their education online. Their unity and adaptability were evident throughout their time at Brophy, embodying their class theme: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Valedictorian Doer Leo He delivered a memorable speech, drawing parallels to the movie "Finding Nemo" and encouraging his classmates to persevere with the phrase, "Just keep swimming." President Bob Ryan and Principal Jim Bopp also spoke, highlighting the graduates' resilience and urging them to be agents of positive change.
The ceremony concluded with a strong sense of pride and accomplishment, celebrating the Class of 2024's journey from remote learning to a united and triumphant graduation.