Juneau-Douglas senior Elliot Welch returns a shot during the championship match of the boys singles competition at the Alaska State Tennis Tournament on Saturday at Alaska Club East. (Chris Bieri / ADN)

There were plenty of familiar winners Saturday at the Alaska State Tennis Tournament.

West High continued its dominant run of state titles by taking the team competition. The Eagles’ top girls player, Lana Cebrian, notched her second state singles title.

Likewise, the Chugiak girls doubles team of Mary Jo Landon and Timber Fleischhacker repeated as champions.

But several newcomers joined the winners circle as well.

Juneau-Douglas senior Elliot Welch used a straight set victory to become the first boys singles champion in the history of the school.

And the mixed doubles team of Evan Dimmick and Emery Bryan earned the first state tennis title of any type for the Wolves.

Welch had to win a battle with West’s Boden Mason in the quarterfinals before topping Dimond’s Todd Debenham in straight sets for two straight matches to take the title.

“Everyone that made it to state made it for a reason, so everyone’s really good,” Welch said.

While Juneau-Douglas has produced state champions before, it never had in the boys singles competition.

“Already winning it is cool,” he said. “I didn’t know going through the whole season that it would be the first. My coaches did know, they just didn’t want to tell. Probably a good thing but it’s really cool.”

The scrappy Wolves team of Dimmick and Bryan cruised in the first set against Marais Anderson and Leif Anderson of Lathrop but needed a tiebreaker in the second set.

The team erupted into cheers after taking the final point.

“We came into regionals and state just trying to do our best, diving for balls, bleeding, sweating, just giving it everything we got,” Dimmick said.

Bryan said the team’s ability to stay in the present helped them to the state title.

“Just keeping each other positive is the best thing,” she said. “Making sure none of us hangs our head. Just focus on this point and have fun.”

West’s Lana Cebrian serves during the championship of the girls singles competition at the Alaska State Tennis Tournament on Saturday at Alaska Club East. (Chris Bieri / ADN)

Cebrian battled Chugiak’s Emerson Sims in a pair of epic matches over the course of the tournament.

In the semifinals, Cebrian won 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3) to advance to the final. But in the double elimination tournament, the two seniors met again with another competitive battle.

Cebrian won that one as well, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.

She said the two battles drained her.

“I’m tired,” she said, adding with a laugh. ”I want to go to sleep. I didn’t drink enough electrolytes.”

Cebrian, a junior, won state singles as a freshman. But last year she was topped by Colony’s Jan Chongkavinit. The win Saturday got her back in the top spot with an opportunity to win a third next season.

She comes from a family of successful tennis players, who started playing in the Valley. Cebrian and her brother played at West with a pair of a sisters still on their way up the ranks.

“I’m thankful for all of my coaches, teachers and all my teammates (at West),” she said. “They make everything better.”

Landon and Fleischhacker did not find an easy path to their second straight title.

They were defeated in the first championship by the West team of Sarah Kim and Grace Yang. it was the first loss of the year for the Chugiak team. But in the double elimination tournament, the Mustangs duo came back to win 4-0, 5-4 against the West team in the final match.

“It was quite challenging but we did it,” Landon said.

The Chugiak team used a ninja and grasshopper approach, with Fleischhacker playing mostly on the baseline, hopping from sideline to sideline to track down shots. Meanwhile, Landon was at the net picking off slow returns for quick-hitting points.

“She’s definitely very dominant at net,” Fleischhacker said. “I think it comes from her soccer (background). She can jump really high and get the spikes down. I think I’m pretty good at back, especially when I can get the angles and get an opening so she can score.”

The Lathrop team of Trevor Sabey and Bode Leonelli were dominant in taking the boys doubles title.

But that win came much easier than the first matchup between the two teams, which the Lathrop duo won in a close third set.

State Tennis Tournament

Boys Singles

Championship

Elliot Welch, Juneau-Douglas, def. Todd Debenham, Dimond, 6-2, 6-2

Girls Singles

Championship

Lana Cebrian, West, def. Emerson Sims, Chguiak 7-6 (7-4), 6-4

Boys Doubles

Championship

Trevor Sabey/Bode Leonelli, Lathrop, def. Finn Albertson/Jonathan Church, East 6-1, 6-1

Girls Doubles

First championship

Sarah Kim/ Grace Yang, West, def. Mary Jo Landon/Timber Fleischhacker, Chugiak 7-5, 2-6, 1-0

Second championship (double elimination)

Landon/Fleischhacker def. Kim/Yang, 4-0, 5-4

Mixed Doubles

Championship

Evan Dimmick/Emery Bryan, Eagle River, def. Marais Anderson/ Leif Anderson, Lathrop 6-0, 7-6 (7-5)