Wolfpack on the prowl at state tennis

Two things Glacier's tennis team is concentrating on this week are titles and hardware.

The Wolfpack, led by Northern AA divisional doubles champions Cami Mathison and Veronica Walton and singles runner-up Liana Bates, will be one of the teams to beat once again at the Class AA state tournament Friday and Saturday in Bozeman.

In boys play, Glacier's Kellen Bates is undefeated and hopes to lead an upstart Wolfpack crew into a top-three finish.

"The odds are in our favor," Glacier coach Josh Munro said.

"We just have to go out and do our job and play our matches."

Glacier's girls will battle Great Falls High and Bozeman for trophies.

Great Falls High, led by defending state singles champ Ellie Crum, will have four girls at state. Crum, a senior, finished third at state in 2008.

Bozeman has qualified 11 girls, while Glacier is sending six.

"They are going to be tough, really tough," Munro said of Bozeman.

As will be Great Falls High.

"Those four girls can score some points," he said of the Bison qualifiers.

"That's what you need. It doesn't matter how many you have (qualified), but how many can score."

Glacier will also have Hailey Blalack in singles and Katlyn Hacke and Amy Snipstead in doubles.

The Glacier girls have finished third the last two years.

Liana Bates is 17-2 on the season with both losses to Crum. Those two met in the divisional final with Crum prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. That marked the first time ever Bates won the first set against Crum.

"She's feeling confident," Munro said of Bates.

"She knows it's now or never. It's the last shot at Ellie."

Crum downed Bates in last year's state championship match 6-2, 6-4.

Mathison and Walton have developed into quite a force in their first year together. They have lost just once and should be favored in doubles.

"They get their chance to prove it this weekend," Munro said.

"They will have tough competition from the Bozeman team and Big Sky."

Munro expects Kellen Bates, a freshman, to continue his high level of play for one more weekend. Earlier this season, Bates dropped two-time defending state champion Eric Braun of Missoula Hellgate twice in invitational finals.

Braun has since moved to doubles, where he has qualified for state.

Bates is 19-0 in singles play and has not lost a set. That breaks down to 232 wins and 52 losses in games played.

Patrick Phattharaampornchai joins Bates in boys singles play. Kyle Schmauch and Brandon Simpson are the Wolfpack's qualifiers in doubles.

Phattharaampornchai was Glacier's first state qualifier as a doubles players in 2009. His playing partner was Jon Hammett.

Glacier's highest state finish for boys was 11th last year.

Hellgate has qualified 12 boys for state and will be a heavy favorite. Bozeman is sending five and Great Falls High will have four on the courts this weekend.

Bozeman, Hellgate and Billings West finished 1-2-3 last year.

"It's going to be a dogfight this year," Munro said.

"It will be fun. The only thing we're going to worry about is the weather."

Rain and cooler temperatures are in the forecast.