Jackson boys tennis dominates district tournament

SNOHOMISH — It wasn’t 100% guaranteed, but the odds that the Jackson High School boys tennis team would claim the Class 4A District 1 singles and doubles titles on Thursday at Glacier Peak’s courts were very likely.

The top two singles players and doubles teams earned a spot at the Class 4A state tournament, which will be held in Kennewick in May 2025.

Timberwolves senior Ben Lee comfortably secured his fourth-consecutive singles title in a 6-1, 6-1 victory against his teammate, junior David Song. In the second-third place match against Cascade junior Nathan Kim, Song won 6-1, 6-0 for Jackson to sweep the singles bracket.

“It feels amazing to be out here four times in a row,” Lee said. “It’s actually really special because all four years I played Jackson teammates in the finals. … It’s a privilege to go out there and represent Jackson.”

Lee, who finished second at state last year after winning the Class 4A title as a sophomore, will bring high expectations to the Tri-Cities in the spring.

“First is the goal. Any other outcome, it is what it is. But I would definitely be disappointed,” he said. “I always try to think of the other person as it’s going to be like another (Novak) Djokovic you have to play. Never looking down, always looking up because you never know what happens, especially in tennis. It’s an unexpected game.”

Timberwolves junior Ashton Bergman and sophomore Andy Stark bested their teammates, sophomores Arhan Sinha and Rajveer Lahankar, 6-2, 6-2 in the doubles championship match.

“We play (Sinha and Lahankar) every day after school,” Stark said. “It’s good to know how they play, but it’s even more competitive than ever because we really want the whole team to go to state. But we got to fight for it first between ourselves.”

Bergman said, “We have the mindset of trying to find the opponent’s weaknesses and strategize against them.”

Sinha and Lahankar later faced Kamiak juniors Levi Seslar and Dylan Kim in the second-third place match, which was a chance for the Knights’ pair to get revenge after losing to Jackson’s duo 6-3, 7-5 in the semifinals.

But in a 6-4, 6-1 victory, Kamiak’s doubles team made sure the Timberwolves didn’t sweep the doubles bracket, and Seslar and Kim claimed the second state berth.

“To have the doubles and singles champion is very impressive,” Jackson coach David Hutt said. “It’s really nice to see the kids do well, especially the time they spend all season and see that it comes through where they have some results from it.”

Jackson’s next task: state trophy

The Timberwolves have clinched three Class 4A team trophies in the past three seasons, placing first in 2022, tied for second in 2023 and first again in 2024.

Lee, who’s earned three top-five finishes, is seeking to not only place in the top eight for the fourth-consecutive year but to also win his second state title. Lee lost to Skyline sophomore Justin Lin 6-2, 6-2 last year.

Next spring will also mark a second state appearance for Stark and Bergman. The two placed eighth last year as Jackson’s freshman-sophomore duo.

“I definitely want to try to bring it home this year, get the doubles title and the team title,” Stark said. “(Hutt) has taught me to stay solid and you don’t have to hit the best shot every point, you don’t have to hit a winner, but just staying in that point and fighting really helps.”

Hutt said his practices are not the usual two-hour trainings of most programs, which is the reason his team is a district and state contender each year. A love for the sport and willingness to improve by his players is why Jackson produces talent like Lee who has the opportunity to claim he’s placed at state each year.

“The better (the players are), the more you have to do,” Hutt said. “People have the opposite impression that ‘These guys are so good, you don’t have to do anything.’ Actually, if you don’t do anything, they don’t play. They don’t want to play for you. They don’t want to do stuff. You got to spend time with them regardless of how good they are. … If my team wasn’t very good, I could be going home so much earlier. But the better they are, they want to be on the course.

“There are some coaches that get a great team, and they just roll the balls out and let them hit and play,” he continued. “But I just don’t find that to be true for me. If I get home by 6 o’clock, I’m shocked. I’d say most coaches are done by 4:30 and going home, but I can’t remember the last time I was home before 6. Because even if I stop practice at 4:30, there’s guys that say, ‘Coach can you (set this drill up for us)?’”

Since the 2022 season, the Timberwolves have compiled 30-0 league and 42-4 overall records. Hutt hopes for another team trophy and for Lee, Stark and Bergman to play to their potential.

“I’d like to see (Lee) get to the final and give himself another chance at it. … He shows great composure win or lose,” Hutt said. “Sometimes kids worry too much like, ‘Are we going to place? Are we going to win a trophy?’ I say, ‘No, just get to Saturday. There’s no conversation to have unless you get to Saturday. If we get to Saturday, then we will talk about scenarios and who needs to win.

“I don’t care if you’re one through eight, … if they can just get to Saturday and place, that’s a cool thing.”

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Click here for full results.

At Glacier Peak H.S. (Top two to state)

Singles:

1. Ben Lee, Jackson

2. David Song, Jackson

3. Nathan Kim, Cascade

4. Caiden Bernstein, Lake Stevens

5. Chris McCullough, Kamiak

6. Landon Herston, Cascade

Doubles:

1. Andy Stark-Ashton Bergman, Jackson

2. Levi Seslar-Dylan Kim, Kamiak

3. Arhan Sinha-Rajveer Lahankar, Jackson

4. Nathan Olson-Parker Choquette, Glacier Peak

5. Andrew Hein-Peter Lapin, Lake Stevens

6. Robbie Balderas-Isaac Prouty, Arlington