Breland eyeing second state title

Stan Breland doesn't need any additional edge.

The defending state boys singles champion has a new look, though, and it has made him even more dangerous.

Breland added a pair of devilish-looking orange-colored contact lenses that enable him to see the ball better, and it has his opponents seeing red.

"It makes the ball pop out and gives me the best possible vision on the ball," said Breland, who began wearing the lenses this year. "Everybody says they look red, but I don't use them for intimidation."

With the new look and his already-stellar game, the Canyon Springs junior breezed to a Sunrise Region title Saturday at The Meadows, defeating Brian Kenyon when the Coronado senior retired from the match with a back injury.

The top two finishers in each regional move on to the state tournament, which begins Friday at the Darling Tennis Center. The third-place finishers must win a play-in match Tuesday for a state berth.

Coronado freshman Chrissy Uriarte and Silverado sophomores Nicole Santero and Kristen Santero also won regional titles, and Basic senior Marcus Romero and junior Mike Feher took the boys doubles crown.

Breland has power, precision and tremendous athletic ability that make him a favorite to win nearly every match.

The contact lenses are a freaky touch, making his eyes look like a werewolf's.

"It's to better my game and give me an opportunity to play better," Breland said.

Breland lost only 16 games in five matches in the regional.

Against Kenyon, who labored through a semifinal match Friday with a severely strained lower back, Breland committed only three unforced errors, had three aces and four service winners.

Kenyon pulled out of the match with Breland leading 5-0 in the first set.

"It's not the way I wanted to win," Breland said. "But I feel pretty good going into state."

In the girls singles final, Uriarte avenged a loss earlier in the week to Del Sol's Farwa Husain, posting a 6-3, 6-0 win.

Uriarte lost a 6-0 set to Husain in the team regional final Monday. Uriarte was in control from the start Saturday and faced only two game points in the second set.

"Monday was a blur to me," Uriarte said. "Today, I knew what I wanted to do when I walked on the court."

In the girls doubles final, the Santero sisters downed Coronado's Bea Kamoen and Maja Banas, 6-3, 6-4. The Santeros were runners-up in last year's state meet.

In the boys doubles championship, Romero and Feher overcame a shaky second set to post a 7-5, 0-6, 6-1 win over Silverado's Dillon McNamara and Devon Morrissey.

Third-place winners were: Green Valley's Evan Song in boys singles and Jessica Hsu in girls singles; Coronado's Jordan Fenn and Colton Pate in boys doubles; and Del Sol's Katie Fischer and Katie Perryman in girls doubles.