Brophy Prep, Desert Mountain rivalry tops in Arizona boys tennis

After shedding the 2014 state championship to Brophy Faculty Preparatory, Desert Mountain Boys Tennis coach Dan LeFevre had a discuss along with his crew. 

The Wolves have been up 4-2, only one win away from turning into the primary public college to win the Arizona Interscholastic Affiliation’s Division I title since 1995. Nevertheless, they dropped the ultimate three doubles matches. 

So LeFevre and his gamers devoted the 2015 season to beating Brophy. And so they did, 5-3 within the championship occasion. 

“So far as highschool tennis goes, I’ve by no means had a greater day,” LeFevre mentioned. 

Brophy and Desert Mountain have performed for 5 of the previous 9 Division I titles, resulting in the creation of certainly one of Arizona highschool tennis’ fiercest rivalries. With the Broncos and Wolves — the Division I defending champion — ranked No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, within the AIA’s newest rankings, one other playoff conflict could also be in retailer. Brophy at present leads 3-2 in head-to-head matchups within the state championship. 

“It is only a completely completely different deal,” LeFevre mentioned. “I’ve to maintain them targeted since you stroll out on the courtroom firstly of the season, they’re already speaking about Brophy.” 

On the floor, there are variations between the colleges and their packages. Brophy is a personal, Catholic establishment, whereas Desert Mountain is a public college. The Broncos have had three coaches since 2004. LeFevre has led Desert Mountain for practically twenty years. 

However the groups are related on the tennis courtroom. They have developed athletes who take their skills to the school degree. Every coaches good gamers and good college students, in accordance with LeFevre. Moreover, each squads have expertise enjoying towards different packages within the title sport together with Chaparral, Salpointe Catholic and Hamilton.

However for Brophy coach Eric Chalmers, the rivalry between the faculties is particular. 

“It actually provides our guys, each Desert Mountain and Brophy, one thing to actually compete for and get excited for,” he mentioned. “Our state finals … it is a loud, very high-energy affair.”   

Take 2018, when Brophy was shedding on all six courts earlier than coming again to win the state championship 5-1. Or when Broncos junior Hadley Kukla known as the state finals “both extra energetic or to the identical degree as a university match.” 

“All the opposite sports activities groups, (Chaparral) is the large rival,” Desert Mountain junior Kian Geiger mentioned. “However for tennis, it is Brophy particular(ally) as a result of they’ve given us probably the most bother up to now 10 years.” 

That “bother” might be linked to the Broncos successful six state titles in 9 years. LeFevre believes a key motive for his or her success is depth. In keeping with Chalmers, Brophy’s Varsity crew carries roughly 20 gamers, along with a 12-person junior varsity program and a developmental crew known as the Bronco League.

Whereas LeFevre mentioned having fewer gamers on Desert Mountain (19 mixed on varsity and JV this 12 months) may make it tougher to vary the lineup in gentle of an injured participant, his crew continues to be capable of compete with the Broncos. 

That is due to their expertise, which over time has included gamers corresponding to Adam Oscislawski, now a senior enjoying at Rice.

The Broncos’ gamers typically get a glimpse of the Wolves’ talent once they run into one another at clinics, camps and tournaments on the junior circuit. In keeping with Jack Woodrow, a 2018 Brophy graduate, he and his teammates used these interactions to organize for Desert Mountain. 

“In the weeks main as much as it, we’d herald among the guys both that have been decrease on varsity or that have been on JV,” mentioned Woodrow, at present a senior at Yale. “We would inform them what fashion of play to be like and how one can act on the courtroom and what mannerisms to do simply to imitate them. 

“We would not actually try this for another college. We at all times knew on the calendar after we have been enjoying Desert Mountain.” 

Whereas the rivalry has elevated since each groups joined Division I forward of the 2012 season, the faculties have encountered one another on the courtroom for years. They performed twice a season whereas in several divisions of the 5A Convention. 

It was throughout this time that LeFevre, who took over Desert Mountain in 2004, first discovered of the Brophy dynasty. Invoice Woods had led the Broncos to eight consecutive championships between 1996-2003 and would earn three extra titles in 5A Division I from 2006-08. In the meantime, LeFevre added two 5A Division II titles in 2006 and 2007. 

Chalmers, who performed for Woods from 2006-10, has continued his predecessor’s success by successful three titles of his personal. His crew, who beat the Wolves 7-2 within the common season, is hoping to earn one other one and avenge final 12 months’s state championship loss to Desert Mountain. 

“I would like to play (Desert Mountain) once more,” Kukla mentioned. “This 12 months we now have a extremely good shot.” 

The Broncos are at present 14-0, a promising precedent since three of their championship groups went undefeated. 

Consequently, the Wolves — who are at present targeted on enjoying exhausting and competing in each playoff match — nonetheless have their eyes on Brophy. Desert Mountain sophomore Ivan Perisic believes that a postseason rematch with the storied program from Phoenix will assist his crew increase their objectives and requirements for the long run. 

“Our most important aim is to beat Brophy once more after which win back-to-back state titles,” he mentioned. “That might be a tremendous accomplishment for us and the entire crew. That might imply so much for us.”