The Hillcrest High School girls tennis team has ended a 17-year championship drought, claiming the 5A state title and giving the program its first top prize since 2009. The Knights finished the state tournament with 34 points, outpacing runner-up Century, which ended with 28.5 points.
The victory is especially meaningful given how close the team came last year — Hillcrest’s girls finished second at the 2025 state tournament with 28 points. That near-miss appears to have fueled a focused climb to the top in the year that followed.
A Team Built on Depth and Process
While no individual player carried the championship on her own, several Knights made significant contributions to the point total. Kaia Kessler reached the singles podium, finishing third at state after a season in which she also placed second at the Capital Classic Invitational. Avrie Johnson and Kyden Hanney added to the team’s total with a third-place finish in mixed doubles.
Brinley Nelson advanced all the way to the singles championship match before falling to Sandpoint’s Pepper Rickert. Nelson’s run to the title match alone demonstrated the competitive caliber Hillcrest brought to the tournament. Meanwhile, Brinley Miller did not make it past the district tournament, an early exit that made the team’s overall margin of victory all the more impressive.
Hillcrest also showed strength at the regional level, with the girls finishing 1-2-3 at the East Idaho High School Tennis Tournament — a sweep that signaled the team’s depth well before the state bracket began.
On the boys side, Hillcrest also showed marked improvement, scoring 22 points for a third-place finish. That is a dramatic leap from the previous year, when the boys scored just 4 points and tied for eighth place.
Coach Duque’s First Year at Hillcrest Ends With a Banner
First-year Hillcrest coach Lary Duque arrived with an established reputation. He spent more than 15 years leading the tennis program at Madison High School before stepping down roughly three years ago. His experience in building competitive programs was a known quantity — but even Duque seemed genuinely humbled by winning a state title in his first season with the Knights.
“One year at Hillcrest and win a state championship, so you know it’s not coaching,” Duque said, deflecting credit toward his players.
That kind of team-first mindset appears to be central to Duque’s approach. He has spoken about the mental side of the sport, describing the discipline required for consistent execution — including focusing on three shots in a row as a way to stay sharp under pressure. The philosophy clearly resonated with a roster that held off a strong Century squad and, according to tournament history, what has traditionally been a tough field anchored by programs like Bishop Kelly, considered a perennial force in Idaho 5A tennis.
For students, parents, and fans at Hillcrest, the moment will have a lasting mark. A championship banner and ring ceremony is planned to coincide with the team’s first home volleyball game this coming fall — giving the full community a formal opportunity to celebrate the achievement.
The Hillcrest program’s success is part of a broader pattern of competitive high school athletics across Southeast Idaho. Area schools like Malad have also seen standout performances at the state level this spring, with multiple athletes earning all-tournament recognition in baseball. For Hillcrest, however, this tennis title stands as the signature moment of the 2025-26 school year.
What Comes Next
With the core of the team expected to return and Duque now having a full season with the program under his belt, Hillcrest’s girls tennis program enters next year as a defending champion and a recognized contender. The banner ceremony this fall will serve as both a celebration of this year’s title and a reminder of the standard the Knights have now set for themselves going forward. Whether Hillcrest can defend atop a competitive 5A field will be one of the storylines to watch when the 2026-27 tennis season gets underway.