High school girls tennis: Green Canyon keeps its tradition going with another state crown

A little over a year ago, Mika Schwartz made the difficult decision to transfer from Sky View High School to nearby Green Canyon. Schwartz didn’t move, she just felt a change of scenery might help her personal situation.

Schwartz, however, was one of Sky View’s top girls tennis players and had to abide by the UHSAA’s rules for relocating. She could not play at the varsity level in 2023, so she watched as her Green Canyon teammates captured the 4A state title.

This season, she earned a spot in coach Camille Jeppson’s lineup and put the finishing touch on a successful season by winning the No. 2 doubles state championship along with teammate Hattie Maughan on a warm, breezy Saturday afternoon at Liberty Park. They prevailed 6-2, 6-4 over Ridgeline’s Lindy Ellis and Lydia Theurer.

“When she first joined our team, she wanted to be our manager,” Jeppson said, “but I told her we could use her and she played on the JV team and this (finish) was just a great way for her to finish her career.”

Green Canyon earned two individual first-place finishes and won the team trophy with 60 points, followed by Hillcrest (49), Ridgeline (25), Park City (19) and Crimson Cliffs (17).

Macy Huish took home her second straight individual trophy in No. 3 singles as she defeated Hillcrest’s Nivedita Bakshi.

The title was Green Canyon’s fourth straight, and Jeppson said the seven year-old school has quickly created a reputation for being a tennis power.

“Coming into the season, we knew we had a shot,” Jeppson said. “We had a lot of girls returning and adding Mika helped us a bit. The girls all know each other and play together all year long. They know what needs to be done to keep our program at a high level and are willing to do the work.

“To get everyone to the championship round was such a great accomplishment. I am so happy for Bailey (Huebner) as a four-year team champion. She truly led our team. To have to play first singles all four years is so tough. Macy had to play so patient and steady to win and Mika and Hattie really came together as a team toward the end of the season and at state. It was so fun to see them win the championship.”

Coach Jeppson said Green Canyon’s top competition came from an unknown. Hillcrest, a Salt Lake Valley school, had traditionally had a larger enrollment and competed against bigger schools.

The Huskies, however, took advantage of their new 4A status, and Fabiana Gonzalez rolled through her opponents in No. 1 singles as did Luciano Gonzalez at No. 2 singles.

Fabiana Gonzalez beat Green Canyon’s Bailey Huebner 6-2, 6-2 for the first singles title, while Luciano Gonzalez beat Green Canyton’s Tori Jeppson 6-0, 6-1 for the second singles.

The first doubles championship was won by Logan top seed Angela Zhan and Demi Larsen as they beat Green Canyon’s Ruby Warner and Carly Nielsen, 6-2, 7-5