Flathead invites stiff competition for invitational tennis

Today's Flathead Invitational tennis tournament means something different to each team in attendance - especially Flathead and Whitefish.

Northern AA's Great Falls High and CMR, and Western AA's Missoula Big Sky, Hellgate and Sentinel, join Flathead and Whitefish beginning at 9 a.m., with finals expected about 4 p.m. Boys will play at Flathead Valley Community College with girls competing in Whitefish.

Each school may enter three singles players and three doubles tandems.

"This is our last home tournament before we go to (Northern AA) divisionals next week (in Great Falls), and it's the only chance we see Great Falls as a whole school in a little smaller format than the Helena Invite," Flathead coach Buck Measure said.

"This can be a deciding point, which makes a big difference in a divisional match as well as, potentially, placing for state."

Implications loom large for the Braves and Bravettes as today's individual results affect seeding for divisionals, which begin Thursday.

While today's competition helps Flathead gauge its competition before divisionals, Whitefish's athletes are overwhelming favorites to don Western A crowns two weeks from now in Kalispell. Facing six Class AA schools is ideal preparation.

"It really helps in tennis to play a notch above your talent level," Whitefish girls coach Patrick Dryden said.

"This is the time of year when you see the dramatic improvement in some kids. I'm sure it's going on in Polson and Bigfork and our other Western rivals. And these invitationals - the kids get a lot of court time, and they're crucial to your team's success."

Whitefish's boys and girls have known little but success this season as both squads are undefeated in duals. There is no team emphasis today, though, allowing each school to shuffle its lineups and focus on individual accomplishments.

The Braves field Travis Cattron in their No. 1 singles slot. Cattron will likely cross paths with Whitefish's Matt Harris, who placed fourth at last week's Missoula Invitational.

According to Measure, the Braves' No. 2 singles player, Wesley Mathison, "had a fabulous tournament in Helena two weeks ago," finishing second.

Ryan Rottenbiller illustrates Whitefish's superb depth. He is undefeated as the Bulldogs' No. 2 singles player.

Whitefish's Ian Hosek is undefeated as well, but Bulldogs coach Kathy Cummings said he won't play today because he is taking the SAT.

Sophomore Izzy Makman is coming off a third-place finish in Missoula. She is the Bravettes' No. 1 singles player, followed by Sara Newgard, who is battling back from illness.

"This is an important weekend for Flathead as a team, and the girls' singles will be one of the most difficult fields to be playing in," Measure said.

Brielle Menegazzi (7-0) is the Lady Bulldogs' top singles athlete, but she, too, is taking the SAT and likely won't play. Sophomore Mariah Driscoll (9-2) looks to fill Menegazzi's role.

Whitefish's second and third singles spots are unsettled.

"We've got a lot of depth and we've just been shuffling people in and out of those other singles spots," Dryden said.

The Bulldogs' No. 1 doubles tandem of Kyle Jacobson and Brendan Viscomi has lost just once. Josh Brann and Cody Harrison are also playing very well as Flathead's top pair.

Measure expects the Bravettes' No. 1 duo of Hanna Hanes and Alix Dixon to face a stiff test in Sentinel's top pair, whom they have yet to beat.

Whitefish's Kate Whittaker and Kimberly McIntyre (6-4) battled Sentinel in doubles and earned a victory against Helena High in Missoula before dropping a tough match to Big Sky.

Dryden left Missoula impressed with Class AA doubles play.

"Our kids have got to learn how to play that style, and they've got to learn how to defeat that style," Dryden said.

Cummings said the Flathead Invitational field gives the Bulldogs strong competition while exposing their weaknesses before divisionals.

"They're playing as well as I think they can right now, and we've got a few things to work on," she said. "I'd like to see our serving improve, and (our) aggressiveness."

Measure hopes the Braves and Bravettes are peaking at the right time.

"They will be competing against kids who will be their divisional rivals, therefore, they'll be able to decide mentally whether they'll be able to play against those kids and win, or whether they're not ready to compete at that level yet," he said.