State next stop for FHS netters
Flathead High School has four kids going to the State AA tennis tournament in Billings.
The tourney starts today and finishes Saturday.
Singles players Travis Cattron and Sarah Newgard will join the doubles team of Alix Dixon and Hanna Hanes as representatives from the Northern AA divisional at state.
"I have a good feeling," Flathead coach Buck Measure said. "I'm really happy with the team I am taking. It's not the largest, though, after graduating nine boys and six girls from last season's team."
Cattron, a junior, is the only boy from Flathead who advanced out of the Northern AA divisional last weekend at Flathead Valley Community College. He carries the school's highest seed as the No. 2 out of the North and will play Bozeman's Adam Shapiro in the first round.
Cattron is athletic and has a strong service game and Measure said, "If he is mentally ready, he will have a good weekend."
Measure said his only weakness is his experience after picking up a racket for the first time just a year and a half ago.
"If he gets a couple of wins this weekend, it will be a big deal for him."
Newgard is a junior and is going to state for the second straight year after doubling with Kelli Walterskirschen last season and placing fourth at state. She will carry the division's No. 4 seed and play Missoula Hellgate's Margo Lentz in the first round.
"We are happy with the fourth seed because of a broken foot she suffered during basketball season," Measure said. "She didn't get to play in any matches until about halfway through the season and has been building into shape and has been picking up the pace."
Measure said she can cover the court very well and has a variety of strokes, but not getting much court time in the winter due to basketball may be a weakness as well as being in shape after the injury.
Dixon and Hanes have been playing together for two seasons and will take the No. 3 seed into the first round against Fox and Meyer of Helena Capital. They advanced to state last year but didn't do well.
Measure said their positive attitude has made them productive and mentally ready all the time.