Cascade's Zach Moore earns state title

CORVALLIS — Cascade's Zach Moore just kept giving more and more even in the state title match on Saturday.

Moore, a junior, defeated Catlin Gabel's No. 2 seed Tai Leong, 6-2, 6-0 and was crowned state champion at the 2022 OSAA Class 4A/3A/2A/1A state tennis championships held at Oregon State University.

"This is crazy," Moore said. "I really had to trust the process and the repetition − practicing almost every day of the week. It feels really great to finally be where I want to be."

The No. 1 seed and 2022 district champion became Cascade's first-ever state champion in tennis and the first to compete in a state title match since its girls' doubles pair lost in 2018.

For Moore, the road to victory was a walk in the park from the moment he defeated Catlin Gabel's Wylly Fields in the first round (6-2, 6-1).

He allowed no offensive points in the quarterfinals against Maxwell Furman of Riverdale, 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals.

"The semifinals," Moore said, was more nerve-racking. "In the back of my mind all I kept thinking of was that I finally made it here and what happens next."

"It's reliving to actually win and be here."

Cascade's doubles pair Ariel Tobiasson and Marilyn Suelzle took third at state despite not being seeded in the tournament.

Cascade's head coach Ron Suelzle said he was notified by the OSAA on Monday afternoon that the duo would compete in the state tournament after Estacada's pair and district champions Maria Portillo de Mueller and Ana Garica Munoz were deemed ineligible to compete.

Edith Noriega is a sports reporter. You may reach her at ENoriega@salem.gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Noriega_Edith.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Cascade's Zach Moore sweeps his way to 4A state title