The Hillcrest boys tennis team claimed a share of the region championship this season—its third title in as many years—tying with Murray High. 

Junior Crew Hutchings led the way at region, winning the title at third singles. Sophomore Harith Sathish took second at first singles, while freshman Jaden Ngo earned second in second singles. Additionally, senior captain Rohan Khakural and sophomore Kabir Kandukuri finished second at first doubles.

At state, coach Creighton Chun changed up the lineup, pairing Sathish and Ngo at first doubles, where they earned the No. 2 seed. Khakural and Kandukuri moved to second doubles, entering as the fourth seed. 

“For the first time in more than 20 years, we had two teams to make it to the semifinals on day two,” Chun said.

Hutchings, playing first singles at state, won his opener at Brighton High and advanced to Liberty Park for the later rounds. Freshman Alton Gerrard, competing at second singles, also won his first match at Brighton to reach Liberty Park.

The strategy paid off.

“We finished at seventh place at state—the highest finish in more than 20 years. It almost went as planned. First doubles had a 5-2 lead in the first set of the semis. Jaden and Harith got upset in the semis otherwise we would have finished fifth,” Chun’s said of Hillcrest’s strong season. “I was very proud of them.” λ