All-Region boys tennis player of the year: Colton Reed, Mountain View

Mountain View’s Colton Reed doesn’t quite wear his heart on his sleeve like he used to. He’s just got a little tougher and arguably a little better.

Andrew Kabacy, fr., Skyview

Owen Carlson, jr., Columbia River

Nick Shiraishi, jr., Mountain View

Tyler Sparling, sr., Mountain View

Dat Vo, sr., Hudson’s Bay

Thanh Vo, sr., Hudson’s Bay

Reed started his career in doubles, making his way to the state tournament his freshman season, finishing third in the state in 3A doubles with then teammate Trevor Jones.

According to him, it was the peak of his accomplishment and in his demonstrative attitude on the tennis court.

“I was pounding my chest and stuff like that, I was just really pumped on adrenaline,” he said. “I’ve never felt like that. I probably never will again.”

During that tournament, in a victorious match against Bainbridge, the normally cordial post-match handshakes nearly led to blows.

“I almost got into a fist fight with one of the guys,” Reed said. “He was just like … I probably shouldn’t say the words.”

It’s the type of stuff you don’t see on a tennis court this side of John McEnroe.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Reed said. “Besides me.”

Reed’s competitiveness has since been tapered a bit. He’s also focused more on singles since then, winning the 2014 s 4A Greater St. Helens League boys singles title.

“Singles I’ve probably just gotten tougher,” Reed said. “Especially in my attitude. I used to just be crazy I guess. Singles really helped me control my attitude.”

But there’s also been something else that’s helped Reed gain control. It starts in another solitary place.

A body of water, a boat, a fishing pole and patience is all that’s needed for Reed’s pasttime. Fishing is Reed’s escape.

“I absolutely love it,” Reed said. “It’s the solitude. It’s actually kind of like tennis. You’re out there on your own. I mean unless you’re fishing with your buddies. I never do.”

In May, in addition to doing Running Start at Clark College along with responsibilities of work and school, Reed said he fished almost every day of the week.

“If I’m stressed or something like that, I’ll just go fishing,” Reed said.

A major part of Reed’s growth has been suppressing his emotions in matches.

“I used to be really negative too,” Reed said. “I’d throw my racket, all that type of stuff. I don’t really do that anymore.”

Reed says that were it not for his ability to keep those feelings in check during matches he wouldn’t have been able to come back from 5-0 in the third set of his district semifinal match against Camas’ Jonathan Ho.

“It was triple match point and I came back,” he said of what he called the highlight of his season. “I just didn’t want to lose. I was just like ‘What am I doing?’ So I just got my stuff together and I came back.”

“I don’t think I would have been able to have done it freshman year because I was such a hot head then,” Reed said.

Fishing perfects the art of waiting and the patience he’s learned in the boat has helped him keep his cool under pressure.

“The patience, there’s definitely is a correlation between the two,” he said.

“I’m happy that he was selected for this,” Mountain View coach Mat Clark said. “I’m very proud of him, and he’s very deserving based on the season he had this year.”

Reed, a junior, has one more season left at Mountain View. He also thinks that he will play doubles again next year after focusing on singles, a decision that seemed to benefit both he and the team.

But in the meantime, he has a whole summer in between. And no doubt more time doing his favorite thing.

“Fighting the fish,” he said. “That’s the best part.”