Four FHS netters head to state
Flathead High School’s Travis Cattron returns a volley during Northern divisional tennis play Friday in Kalispell. Cattron defeated several players before finally losing in the finals. Chris Jordan/Daily Inter Lake
The Daily Inter Lake
Four Flathead High School netters qualified for state on Friday during the AA Northern divisonals at FVCC.
Travis Cattron placed second, Sarah Newgard placed fourth, and the doubles team of Alix Dixon and Hanna Hanes placed third.
"It's less than I had wanted," Flathead coach Buck Measure said. "A couple of kids had close matches. Josh Brann and Cody Harrison lost in a really tight tiebreaker."
Only the top four players in each bracket qualified to compete at the state tournament next weekend in Billings.
Great Falls Russell swept the meet in the team category, winning the girls side with 57 points and the boys with 51. The Bravettes placed second with 24 points, and the Braves finished third with 24 points.
This is the second year in a row that CMR won divisionals.
Dixon and Hanes qualified last year for state by placing fourth. Measure said he hopes their improved standing will lead to strong play for the pair at state. Dixon and Hanes beat Addison Murphy and Bailey Lagee of CMR to take third.
Dixon and Hanes beat the same pair of Rustlers on Thursday with strong physical and mental play. Friday's match was won by an even larger margin, 6-1, 6-0.
Newgard is also making her second trip to state after qualifying last year in doubles.
After falling to Rustler Quincy Carter in the semis, Newgard battled back through the consolation round to place fourth.
"Her singles game is picking up as the season goes on," Measure said.
Cattron is the lone Brave heading to state, which will be his first trip. Cattron lost in the finals to Tyler Fagenstrom of Great Falls High, 6-0, 7-5.
"Travis will have a very tough field at state," Measure said. "His play has also been improving every match."
Flathead will practice hard this week to prepare for the big dance, which begins on Friday.
AA Northern Divisionals
Team Scores
Girls
1. Great Falls Russell, 57; 2. Flathead 24; 3. Great Falls High, 19.
Boys
1. Great Falls Russell, 51; 2. Great Falls High, 25; 3. Flathead, 24.
Girls
Semifinal
Singles - Quincy Carter, CMR, def. Sarah Newgard, FHS, 6-1, 6-1; Sam Selstad, GFH, def. Charlie Murphy, CMR, 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles - Jordan Skovron/Katie Russel, CMR, def. Teresa Gill/Maggie Sherrill, FHS, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0; Mary Anderson/Lisa Mason, CMR, def. Alix Dixon/Hanna Hanes, FHS, 6-3, 6-2.
Championship
Singles - Q. Carter, CMR, def. S. Selstad, GFH, 7-5, 6-0.
Doubles - Skovron/Russel, CMR, def. Anderson/Mason, CMR, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4.
Third place
Singles - Murphy, CMR, def. Newgard, FHS, 6-2, 6-2.
Doubles - Dixon/Hanes, FHS, def. Murphy/Lagee, CMR, 6-1, 6-0.
Consolation Round Four
Singles - Sophie Lockerby, GFH, def. Ellie Brown, FHS, 6-1, 6-1; Izzy Mackman, FHS, def. Brittney Scheer, CMR, 6-2, 6-0.
Doubles - Finished Thursday.
Consolation Round Five
Singles - Newgard, FHS, def. Lockerby, GFH, 7-6 (7-3), 6-0; Murphy, CMR, def. Mackman, FHS, 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles - Murphy/Lagee, CMR, def. Gill/Sherrill, FHS, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; Dixon/Hanes, FHS, def. Becca Triplett/Kaylee Altringer, GFH, 6-1, 6-3.
Boys
Semifinal
Singles - Tyler Gagenstrom, GFH, def. Wesley Mathison, FHS, 1-6, 6-1, 6-0; Travis Cattron, FHS, def. Korey Alfred, GFH, 6-2, 6-4.
Doubles - David Anderson/Nick Richards, CMR, def. Austin Erwin/Barret Belew, CMR, 6-3, 6-0; Josh Tierney/Guilhem Gaugrey, CMR, def. Josh Brann/Cody Harrison, FHS, 6-2, 6-4.
Championship
Singles - Fagenstrom, GFH, def. Cattron, FHS, 6-0, 7-5.
Doubles - Anderson/Richards, CMR, def. Tierney/Gaugrey, CMR, 6-7 (7-5), 7-5, 6-0.
Third Place
Singles - Knutson, GFH, def. Alfred, GFH, (no score).
Doubles - Erwin/Belew, CMR, def. Hlavaty/Alfred, GFH, 6-0, 6-2.
Consolation Round Four
Singles - Brian Knutson, GFH, def. Austin Davis, GFH, 6-1, 6-3; Jake Skovron, CMR, def. Kale Husbey, CMR, 6-0, 6-3.
Doubles - Finished Thursday.
Consolation Round Five
Singles - Knutson, GFH, def. Mathison, FHS, 6-3, 6-0; Alfred, GFH, def. Skovron, CMR, 6-3, 6-0.
Doubles - Erwin/Belew, CMR, def. Thiebes/Loween, FHS, 6-1, 6-1; Hlavaty/Alfred, GFH, def. Brann/Harrison, FHS, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6.