Flathead boys focus on divisional championship
The Flathead boys tennis team returns almost everyone from last year's squad and have their sights set on a divisional championship.
The Bigfork boys are in a similar spot with similar aspirations in Class A, but a deep and talented Polson team stands in the way.
In girls tennis, defending state singles champion Dani Paulson is back to lead Whitefish in defense of team title, but the depth of Bigfork could prevent a repeat.
In Eureka, the Lions have a strong girls team hoping to repeat as conference champions.
Here now is a team-by-team look at the local tennis scene:
BOYS
Class AA
Flathead
Coach: Buck Measure, 5th year.
Last year: Second at divisionals.
Graduated: None.
Key returners: Tyler Barth and Gabe Dawson, doubles; Shea Koness, doubles; Dan Lard, singles; Dayson Mathison, singles; Greg Radel, doubles; Travis Vaughan.
Coach's outlook: "I have very high expectations for this team. As a whole they've all played together as freshmen and worked very hard in the offseason.
"I am expecting first place at divisionals and top four at state.
"Having seven seniors on a team who have all been playing since (they were) freshmen, for the most part, will help.
"Both CMR and Great Falls have a couple of strong players, but as far as a whole team, CMR lost a lot of seniors."
First meet: Thursday at Bigfork.
Class A
Bigfork
Coach: Paul Wallin
Last year: Second at divisional.
Graduated: None.
Key returners: Joe Wolstein and Aaron Miles, No. 1 doubles; Laine Averill, No. 1 singles; Pete Collins, singles, returns after a year off; Matt Roberts, Owen Roberts, John White, Cy Murer returns after a year's absence.
Coach's outlook: "We have a strong boys team. It's as deep talent-wise as we've had in four or five years. In district it will be Polson and Bigfork fighting for the top spot.
"I hope that competition within the team will bring the best out of the boys. Even in the weeks that we've had prior to spring break we've had good practices and the skill levels have consistently grown."
First meet: Thursday vs. Flathead.
Columbia Falls
Coach: Jerry Smalley, 2nd year.
Last year: First year of program.
Graduated: Tait Rocksund, singles.
Key returners: Devon Hagen, doubles; Josh Kaplan; Chuck Sneddon; Kevin Kropp.
Key newcomer: Exchange student Frederich Schweinitz, No. 1 singles; 15 boys out for tennis.
Coach's outlook: "We're still really young. The kids are having a lot of fun learning tennis, and that's really our goal right now. We want to give them an environment to learn enough where they want to learn more."
First meet: Saturday at Libby.
Libby
Coach: Lisa Bardole, 1st year.
Last year: N/A.
Key returners: Brian Kehn, singles; Michael Bardole, singles; Justin Thorstenson, singles; Gabe Sorensen, singles; Wyatt Chrismore and Austin Nelson, doubles; Zach Erchanbrack and Taylor Rios, doubles.
Coach's outlook: "We've got a pretty good strong boys team. I'm seeing a lot of teamwork, encouraging each other. There's a lot of potential there, we only have one senior.
"This is the first year we didn't have to shovel the courts."
First meet: Saturday vs. Mission.
Polson
Coach: Bob Hislop, 14th year.
Last year: Won divisionals, fifth at state.
Graduated: Josh York, No. 1 doubles; Ian Freemole, No 4 singles.
Key returners: Eight varsity players - Brett Vandeberg moves to No. 1 doubles from No. 2 doubles, paired with Logan Klein, who was No. 1 doubles last year; Brian Dubuque, No. 1 singles, third at divisionals; Andy Dykstra, No. 2 singles.
Coach's outlook: "I think probably this is the strongest boys team that we've had since I've been at Polson. They'll have a chance to repeat as division champions, and it's safe to say they'll be in the top six in state. Their toughest competition is Bigfork. We were neck and neck last year."
First meet: Tuesday at Ronan.
Whitefish
Coach: Michelle Malletta, 3rd year.
Last year: Second at state.
Graduated: Eleven seniors.
Key returners: Izaak Opatz, No. 1 singles; Kyle Archer, No. 2 singles.
Coach's outlook: "I'm really excited. I have some really good freshmen and sophomores. I'm looking to strengthen my doubles teams, so I'm going to put some of those young kids together so they can play together for three or four years.
"Kyle Jacobson and Cody Harrison will be No. 1 doubles. Everything else we're really jockeying for position.
"Going into it, I thought this was a rebuilding year, but I'm really surprised at the talent I have. I think we're going to surprise a few people."
First meet: Saturday at Corvallis, Hamilton.
GIRLS
Class AA
Flathead
Coach: Buck Measure, 5th year.
Last year: Seventh at state.
Graduated: Annie Dotson, doubles; Nicole Howe, doubles; Christy Colyer and Melissa Berdimurat, doubles; Camille Howell, doubles.
Key returners: Kelsey Corrigan, singles; Kelli Walterskirchen; Jenessa Hatfield, singles; Danielle Newton, singles; Sara Newgard, singles; Mallory Pisk, Alix Dixon, Hanna Hanes.
Coach's outlook: "We have four very strong returning seniors who will all be good leaders. We will have a lot of underclassmen that will be filling spots who have all shown they're willing to work hard as well, and they're fighting for spots on the team.
"CMR is going to be very tough at divisionals. They have a lot of returning players."
First meet: Thursday at Bigfork.
Class A
Bigfork
Coaches: Paul Wallin.
Last year: No state placers.
Graduated: Cassie Shields, doubles; Emily Ascione, doubles; Laura Trembath, doubles.
Key returners: Kaia Locke, singles; Beth Bermel, Ashley Brunette; Trisha Smith, state qualifier doubles; Rebecca Buffington, singles.
Coach's outlook: "It's fairly clear cut who the best players in the conference are, and that starts with the players that qualified for state last year. Whitefish is going to accumulate quite a lot of points.
"I think that our depth will pay off at divisionals. I think that because we have relatively few numbers out, the girls will get a chance to play more often."
First meet: Thursday vs. Flathead.
Columbia Falls
Coach: Jerry Smalley, 9th year.
Last year: N/A.
Graduated: Amy Fredericks, doubles.
Key returners: Emily Emmert, singles; Crystal Nieves and Nikki Freebury, No. 1 doubles; Kate Marcille, moves to singles.
Coach's outlook: "We've got 27 girls out, we run a separate varsity and junior varsity program with the opportunity to move up if they can.
"We just want to give them the opportunity to be the best tennis players they can. Every year we see more and more kids take lessons, which means we're doing something right. That's how you improve, in the offseason.
"At the end of the year, if they leave the court with a smile, we had a good year."
First meet: Tuesday at Eureka.
Libby
Coach: Lisa Bardole, 1st year.
Last year: N/A.
Key returners: Jessica Doubek, doubles; Tiffany Casey, No. 1 singles; Brenna Chvilicek, doubles.
Coach's outlook: "We've got a lot of young players on the girls team. There's a lot of good potential there. Jessica (Doubek) is the only senior on the girls team.
"We want them to get experience and get a good, firm foundation in the game."
First meet: Saturday vs. Eureka, Mission.
Polson
Coach: Bob Hislop, 12th year.
Last year: Third at divisionals.
Graduated: Val Aman, Rosanna Ho, Mackenzie Stark, Raechel Bennett, Heather Owens, Christine Woidtke.
Key Returners: Jenn Orchard, moves to No. 1 singles from No. 1 doubles; Emily Fors, No. 1 doubles; Jessica Bowers, Elise Bennett.
Coach's outlook: We have a real nice group of girls coming in. The future looks bright. I think we can finish in the top three in the division if we have a good year. We want to get some kids to state so they get the experience."
First meet: Tuesday at Ronan.
Whitefish
Coach: Patrick Dryden, 8th year.
Last year: State champions.
Graduated: Allison Fey, state runner-up singles; P.J. Kasper, doubles; Tammy Lucke, doubles; Shannon O'Leary, doubles.
Key returners: Dani Paulson, singles state champ; Taylor Beach, singles; Jessie Kuennen, singles; Allie Connelly, doubles; Kelsi Peace, doubles; Maresa Jenson, doubles.
Coach's outlook: "Right now we're just trying to get in shape. The weather was kind of teasing us, but we did get indoors and work on fundamentals.
"Bigfork is probably the favorite right now, they're just really deep. I'm hoping we can challenge Bigfork for the division title.
"At state it would be nice to bring home a trophy. We've placed the last three years.
"Dani is a very competitive person, every time she walks on the court she plays to win. She works hard throughout the year. Class A singles is very strong. Out of the top six girls, five of them are back. There are some people that can challenge Dani."
First meet: At Hamilton, Corvallis on Saturday.
Class B
Eureka
Coach: Dave Loy, 12th year.
Last year: Conference champs, seven individuals to state.
Graduated: Julia Rupert and Kayla Butler, doubles; Emma Simuns, singles.
Key returners: Jenny Bruns, singles; Cara Parrish and Bailey Dierman, No. 1 doubles; Aisha Hadlock, singles; Beca Richard, singles; 21 players turned out.
Coach's outlook: "We always set a goal for winning the conference, and everything else after that is a bonus. It was a little unexpected to take seven to state last year; that's the most we've ever taken.
"In Class B the most you can send is eight, so seven out of eight is pretty good.
"Mission might be our toughest competition."
First meet: Saturday at Libby.