For the past several seasons, the Newport Knights boys tennis team proved itself to be one of premier programs in the Pacific Northwest.

The Knights, who didn’t win a Class 4A state title in 2015 after winning back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014, redeemed themselves by capturing the Class 4A state championship on May 28 in Richland. Newport compiled a staggering 34 team points. Olympia finished in second place with 18 points.

Newport senior Austin Gu won the Class 4A singles state title, cruising to a 2-0 (6-3, 6-1) win against West Valley’s Daniel Foster. In doubles action, Alex Namba and Payton Namba defeated teammates Derek Huang and Travis Kayahara 2-1 (6-1, 3-6, 6-4) in the Class 4A doubles state championship.

Newport head coach Ron Coleman said the Knights haven’t lost a KingCo match in the past four seasons and were glad to hoist the state title after a one-year hiatus.

“It is pretty special any time you have a group of kids that start off as freshman and you watch them mature all the way through their senior year,” Coleman said. “You see all of the accomplishments, successes, wins and how they all came together as a team. It has been really great.”

Coleman said his team was prepared to complete the task of winning the state title after not completing the goal in 2015.

“We knew at the very beginning of the season that winning the state championship was the goal,” Coleman said. “That was the mindset the entire time. The two weeks of practice before state were intense and competitive. They went hard for at least two hours every day and had lots of spirit. Oftentimes when I left the courts, they would stay and continue on hitting. They had the goal and it was going to happen.”

Coleman said his team was athletically and academically gifted, which played a pivotal factor in his squad earning a state title. Newport 2016 varsity players Edwin Carlos (Stanford), Huang (Stanford), Gu (Johns Hopkins University), Travis Kayahara (Seattle Pacific University) and Alex Namba (George Fox) all will study at universities in the fall of 2016. Payton Namba will return to the Knights as senior for the 2016-17 school year.

“It is a combination of mindfulness as well as athleticism,” Coleman said. “These guys are extremely disciplined and are success-oriented, whether it be athletics or academics.”