Breck's Myles Tang Wins Class A Singles Title

Move over, coach. A new champion’s reign is just beginning.

Breck boys tennis sophomore Myles Tang became the first Mustangs singles player to win a state title Friday since coach Reven Stephens won in 1998. Tang defeated St. Paul Academy & Summit’s John Hill 7-6 (1), 6-3 at Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis on Friday to claim the Class A title.

“He can have it,” Stephens said. “He deserves it—he’s put in the time. We’ve got two more years, so we’ll see what we can do. Maybe a three-peat?”

Tang accomplished several feats in Friday’s win. His individual title comes two days after Breck won the Class A team championship, and in doing so he defeated Hill, the defending state champion who beat Tang 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 last year in the state finals.

This time around, Stephens said Tang needed to be the aggressor. Tang took charge in the second set.

After winning the first set in a tie-break, Hill took an early 1-0 lead in the second. But Tang held serve, then broke in the third game to take a 2-1 advantage. 

“I was serving well today,” Tang said. “So I think that (breaking serve) definitely helped me.”

Tang raced to a 4-1 advantage, and despite Hill cutting the lead to one game at 4-3, Tang never wavered. He finished off the final two games with wins, then offered a jubilant fist-pump when he secured championship point.

“I can’t describe what I’m feeling right now,” Tang said. “Everything brings a smile to my face.”

Stephens, who has coached Tang since his seventh-grade year, said he always saw his potential to be a champion.

“He just loves tennis so much,” Stephens said. “He has matured as a player and has gotten stronger. So it doesn’t surprise me, but I’m still excited for him. And I know he’s excited, too.”

Carpenter, doubles teams earn medals

The Mustangs also solidified three other groups of medals at the Class A tournament on Friday. Senior Daniel Carpenter finished fourth in the singles tournament, while Joey Gamer and Tucker Sjoblad took fourth in doubles and Felix Mettke and Trotter Oberrender took fifth in doubles.

Gamer and Sjoblad opened up Friday with a semifinal loss to St. Paul Academy and Summit’s Max Hommeyer and Birk Mitau in 6-4, 6-4 fashion. They lost the third place match to Rochester Lourdes’ Brian Utz and Ross Haller.

Still, the pair of sophomores said they enjoyed their state tournament run.

“It’s an honor, actually, because of how young we are,” Gamer said. “There are big names here, and to be able compete with them is an honor.”

Sjoblad said he didn’t expect to compete on a doubles team because of the Mustangs’ upperclassmen depth. But when the opportunity arose, he and Gamer stepped up to the challenge.

“To get fourth place, the fourth-best doubles team, that’s a big deal,” Sjoblad said.

Breck’s other doubles team finished Friday as the consolation champions.

Mettke and Oberrender beat Mound Westonka’s William Griffith and Wells Brose 6-1, 6-3 in the consolation semifinals, then defeated Virginia’s Cody Mauston and John Morgan 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the consolation finals.

Carpenter opened up Friday with a 6-4, 7-5 loss to SPA’s John Hill in the Class A semifinals, then withdrew from the third place match due to illness against Rochester Lourdes’ Robert Turlington.