Polson, Whitefish eye tennis hardware
Mission Valley hosts Class A state tourney
Not that there's a bad place to win a title, but nothing beats doing so close to home.
The Class A state tennis tournament begins at 8 a.m. today in Polson and Ronan, and the Polson girls and the Whitefish boys are Western A's top bets to finish the week as champions.
The Lady Pirates are represented by three doubles teams, including undefeated conference champs Malika Erickson and Cali Hislop. Maddie Grebetz and Mattea York took second at last week's divisional tournament in Kalispell, while Cassie Ward and Kayla Rochin placed fourth.
"We're pretty excited about what we can do if it all comes together," Polson coach Bob Hislop said.
"The big thing is you've got some kids that are in their first matches in the state tournament, so you pretty much hope the first round goes as expected, and if it does, the kids start to get their feet on the ground and roll on from there."
The Bulldogs finished second at last year's state tournament in Miles City. They have three singles players (divisional champion Renzo Caimi, Ryan Rottenbiller and Ian Hosek) and two doubles teams (divisional champs Matt Harris/Brendan Viscomi and Kyle Jacobson/Trey Lagrandeur) in the Mission Valley.
Caimi has yet to drop a set, and Harris and Rottenbiller placed second and fourth, respectively, in Miles City.
"We're hoping for good things," Whitefish coach Kathy Cummings said. "It's going to be one point at a time, one game at a time.
"They've been there before; they know what it's going to take. We have to come to play."
Today's girls' matches are slated for Polson, with boys' action in Ronan. The tournament could conclude by 3 p.m. on Friday, but only if weather cooperates.
Coach Hislop said all of Friday's matches will be in Polson, but play could move inside to The Summit in Kalispell as a last resort.
"We know that we're up against it a little bit weather-wise, but otherwise we're fine," he said.
"If we do move to Kalispell, we'll keep it in Kalispell. We won't come back."
Bigfork also has a strong state contingent. Phillip Myers and Tyler Butts/Scott Taylor represent the Vikings, while doubles tandem Quindee Averill and Roxy Thurman look to net points for the Valkyries.
Columbia Falls doubles duo Grant Getts and Cody Maynard round out Western A's boys.
Libby's Jackie Mee and Columbia Falls' Sarah Marcille are in the girls' field. A two-time divisional champion, Mee placed fourth in Miles City as a freshman.
Brielle Menegazzi and Kate Klunt give Whitefish two outstanding singles players, but the two likely will face each other in the quarterfinals.
York and Grebetz have been Hislop and Erickson's toughest competition this season. Coach Hislop knows his doubles teams may pick each other off, but he's not too worried.
"The 1s and 2s wouldn't see each other until the championship or the loser-out bracket well into the tournament," he said, "and if the 1s and 2s are in the loser-out bracket, we're in trouble anyway."
Livingston took last year's girls' title, followed by Butte Central, Lewistown and Havre. Hislop expects Livingston, Havre and Billings Central to join Polson in the trophy hunt.
Billings Central won last year's boys' championship. Cummings said she is most concerned with the Rams and the Havre Blue Ponies.
"We had a good showing at divisionals and we scored well," she said. "Hopefully we can carry that into state.
"I want all the kids just to relax and play and have fun. If we can get the points, everything else will take care of itself."