Division play starts for area tennis teams
Flathead and Glacier will go their separate ways for the first time this tennis season.
The Braves/Bravettes will compete in the Western AA divisional, which begins today in Missoula. That field includes Big Sky, Sentinel and Hellgate. The finals will take place Friday.
Glacier heads east to Great Falls for the Northern AA divisional. C.M. Russell and Great Falls High are the other two competing schools. Play also starts today and winds up Friday.
Up to this point, Flathead and Glacier competed at the same location basically every weekend.
In Kalispell, Bigfork is the host school for the Western A divisional, a three-day event beginning today.
Opening-day play will feature just boys and girls singles at the courts at Flathead Valley Community College and the Glacier Tennis Club at The Summit. Action starts at 3 p.m.
In Class B-C, the West divisional at Troy includes Eureka and St. Ignatius.
The top four singles players and doubles teams from AA and A divisionals advance to state tournament action.
Class AA state tennis is May 21-23 in Bozeman; for Class A it's the same dates, but in Kalispell; and for Class B-C, the same dates in Missoula.
Glacier
Last year, Glacier qualified two girls for state - Liana Bates and Cami Mathison.
Bates went on to finish second.
This year, the number of divisional qualifiers for state should at least double. Coach Josh Munro is hoping to qualify as many as seven girls, and five to seven boys.
Glacier did not have a state qualifier last year on the boys side.
"The potential is there, definitely," Munro said of reaching those numbers.
"The kids have been playing real hard, and have put themselves in a position where they can challenge."
Just like last year, Munro expects there will be a few surprises.
"That's the fun part of divisional," he said.
Last year, Mathison pulled off the divisional shocker.
"She upset a senior in the semifinals, who had been to state three times," Munro said.
Mathison wound up taking second place at the divisional and Bates third.
Munro said Shelby Ballard and Mary Snipstead also have a shot at qualifying in singles.
He said the doubles team of Lindsea Vaudt and Rachell Sherrill "have a real good chance" of advancing to state.
For the Glacier boys, Munro has juggled the lineup.
Phillip Phattharaampornchai, who did not play in last week's Flathead Invitational because of an injury, returns to singles.
Patrick Phattharaampornchai moves from singles to doubles. He will be partnered with Jon Hammett.
"Jon has lost out the last two years in the (division) consolation semifinals," Munro said.
"One match from qualifying for state."
Despite the late pairing, Munro says "they have found a connection, already."
Brandon Simpson and Kyle Schmauch have turned in a solid doubles season.
"We're in a division that gives us a lot of opportunities," Munro said.
"Because there are only three of us, we should challenge on both sides for a title."
Glacier's Divisional Lineup
Girls
Singles - Liana Bates, Cami Mathison, Shelby Ballard, Mary Snipstead
Doubles - Rachel Sherrill/Lindsea Vaudt, Genna Boyer/Arica Avila, Katlyn Hacke/Amy Snipstead
Boys
Singles - Phillip Phattharaampornchai, Scott Marvin, Michael Boettcher, John Patrick
Doubles - Patrick Phattharaampornchai/Jon Hammett, Kyle Schmauch/Brandon Simpson, Graham Schmaltz/Dan Howell
Flathead
Brett Harrison will be looking for a return trip state, but he will have to do it with a different partner.
Harrison and Jon Cattron are playing together this year. Harrison and Erik Skybak finished third at the divisional in 2008.
Play begins today at 10 a.m. at Playfair Park.
"The Missoula schools are very tough at this point," Flathead coach Buck Measure said.
"They all have some experienced No. 1 and 2 players who have done well this year. Missoula Hellgate is probably the strongest of the group, both the boys and girls."
Measure is hoping his younger players, playing in their first divisional, can pick up a win or two, especially against someone they lost to earlier.
Measure hopes some of his more experienced players will come away with the upset.
"A couple of our players are capable of making it through and going on to state," Measure said.
Flathead's Divisional Lineup
Boys
Singles - Jonathan Pfeifer, Ben Stone, Jordan Arnold, Shawn Lau
Doubles - Brett Harrison/Jon Cattron, Neil McIntyre/Logan Hunter, Cameron Worth/Miles Sorlie
Girls
Singles - Izzy Makman, Kenisha Himsl, Kelsie Leu, Sierra Donnelly
Doubles - Maxine Sugarman/Lisa Kelecy, Kimlie Johnson/McCall Smith, Andrea Battello/Annie Marshall
West A
The Polson girls and Whitefish boys are defending divisional champions.
Top-seed Jackie Mee of Libby will be shooting for her third divisional title, all in singles, while Whitefish's Matt Harris will be gunning for his fourth. He won last year in doubles and twice previously in singles.
Harris is undefeated in Class A play.
Mee, 13-0 this spring, has lost only twice in divisional play in three seasons.
Class A Divisional Seeding
Girls
Singles
1 - Jackie Mee, Libby; 2 - Kate Klundt, Whitefish; 3 - Jane Probst, Polson; 4 - Jade Bosic, Bigfork
Doubles
1 - Kayla Rochin/Kendyall Rochin, Polson; 2 - Nichole Newman/Anna Valentine, Libby; 3. - Jenn Wirth/Ariana Schultz, Bigfork; 4 - McCara Cullen/Anne Miller, Whitefish
Boys
Singles
1 - Matt Harris, Whitefish; 2 - Scott Taylor, Bigfork; 3 - Alex Cislo, Libby; 4 - Bridger Mahlum, Bigfork
Doubles
1 - Jake Ronish/Grant Getts, Columbia Falls; 2 - Zachariah Deister/Matt Whitehead, Whitefish; 3 - Tyler Engebretson/Stefan McCrumb, Polson; 4 - Evan Jordt/Ryan Gembala, Bigfork