Glacier netters dominate divisional play
GREAT FALLS — All titles belong to Glacier.
Well, almost.
The Wolfpack captured boys and girls team titles, boys and girls singles titles and placed 1-2-3 in boys doubles on the final day of the Northern AA divisional tennis tournament.
The only championship to elude Glacier was girls doubles. That title went to a C.M. Russell duo.
“In my 13 years of coaching, this is the most I have ever seen qualify for state,” Glacier coach Josh Munro said.
“Last year the record was 14 (individuals). We got 16 this time.”
Glacier had 24 players at the divisional.
“Everyone played very, very well,” Munro said.
“A couple matches in doubles that were close, if it had broken our way we would have had four more kids (qualify for state).”
The top four singles players and doubles teams from divisionals advance to state, which begins next Friday in Missoula.
So here are the numbers for Glacier ...
Senior Amy Snipstead will be advancing to state for a fourth time.
Kellen Bates, Veronica Walton and Hailey Blalack are state bound for the third-straight year.
Second-time state qualifiers are Katya Kulikova, Kailea Vaudt, Karl Hellwig, Even Froystad and Danny Roe (made state as a freshman in Class A at Havre).
State first timers are Hunter Blalack, Mario Hernandez, Izaak Castren, Kali Mathison, Kirstyn Haugenoe, Andy Boyer and Logan Iverson.
“It was a great weekend,” Munro said.
“It was a fun tournament, competitive tournament. It was fun to see semifinal time with several Glacier-Glacier matchups.”
In one of those, Bates defeated Hunter Blalack 6-0, 6-1 in the boys singles final.
It was Bates’ third divisional championship.
The boys doubles final was another one. Froystad and Castren topped Hellwig and Roe 6-2, 7-5.
Kulikova beat Molly Crum of Great Falls 6-2, 7-6 (8-5) in the girls final.
“We’re excited about the possibilities for state,” Munro said.
“One week to go. We just have to close out the season on this type of high note, again.”
Glacier’s girls have now won divisional team honors the last three years. The Glacier boys made it two straight.
Flathead’s state hopes again ride on Glenn Strickler. He finished third.
“Glenn played very well,” Flathead coach Jeff Anderson said.
The Flathead boys finished second.
“We had a number of players who were in the hunt but just fell one match short,” Anderson said.
“Tucker Moe had a super weekend, as well as (Barrie) Sugarman ... just came up one match short.”
Northern AA
In Great Falls
BOYS
Team scores
Glacier 68, Flathead 21, CMR 15, Great Falls High 8
Singles
Semifinals—Kellen Bates, Glacier, def. Mario Hernandez, Glacier, 6-1, 6-0; Hunter Blalack, Glacier, def. Glen Strickler, Flathead, 6-4, 6-4
Championship—Kellen Bates, Glacier, def. Hunter Blalack, Glacier, 6-0, 6-1
Consolation Third Round—Will Runkel, CMR, def. Tucker, Moe, Flathead, 6-1, 6-2; Ben Gold, CMR, def, Jeremy Zug, Flathead, 6-1, 6-1
Consolation Semifinals—Glen Strickler, Flathead, def. Will Runkel, CMR, 6-0, 6-1; Mario Hernandez, Glacier, def. Ben Gold, CMR, 6-0, 2-6, 6-1
Consolation Finals—Glen Strickler, Flathead, def. Mario Hernandez, Glacier, 6-2, 6-4
Doubles
Semifinals—Karl Hellwig-Danny Roe, Glacier, def. Braden Murphy-Nick Yaeger, CMR, 6-0, 6-2; Evan Froystad-Izaak Castren, Glacier, def. Andy Boyer-Logan Iverson, Glacier, 6-1, 6-3
Championship—Evan Froystad-Izaak Castren, Glacier, def. Karl Hellwig-Danny Roe, Glacier, 6-2, 7-5
Consolation Third Round—Sam McCormick-Josh Haggenson, Great Falls, def. Tyler Bagley-Triston Dills, Flathead, 6-0, 6-3; Ryan Edwards-Ryan Schmauch, Glacier, def. Nate Scheffels-Jaime Serrano, Great Falls, NA
Consolation Semifinals—Andy Boyer-Logan Iverson, Glacier, def. Sam McCormick-Josh Haggenson, Great Falls, NA; Braden Murphy-Nick Yeager, CMR, def. Ryan Edwards-Ryan Schmauch, Glacier, 7-5, 6-2
Consolation Finals—Andy Boyer-Logan Iverson, Glacier, def. Braden Murphy-Nick Yeager, CMR, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1
GIRLS
Team scores
Glacier 44, Great Falls High 33, CMR 28, Flathead 7
Singles
Semifinals--Katya Kulikova, Glacier, def. Hailey Blalack, Glacier, 6-1, 6-2; Molly Crum, Great Falls, def. Veronica Walton, Glacier, 6-1, 6-3
Championship—Katya Kulikova, Glacier, def. Molly Crum, Great Falls, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
Consolation Third Round—Barrie Sugarman, Flathead, def. Mary McDunn, Great Falls, NA; Lexi Pyette, CMR, def. Cecily Meade, CMR, 0-6, 6-4, 7-6
Consolation Semifinals—Veronica Walton, Glacier, def. Barrie Sugarman, Flathead, 6-1, 6-1; Hailey Blalack, Glacier, def. Lexi Pyette, CMR, 6-1, 6-1
Consolation Finals—Hailey Blalack, Glacier, def. Veronica Walton, Glacier, 6-4, 6-1
Doubles
Semifinals—Lise Spencer-Lindsay Martinez, CMR, def. Kirstyn Haugenoe-Kali Mathison, Glacier, 6-3, 6-0; Katie Cerotzke-Jackie Santin, Great Falls, def. Amy Snipstead-Kailee Vaudt, Glacer, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
Championship—Lise Spencer-Lindsay Martinez, CMR, def. Katie Cerotzke-Jackie Santin, Great Falls, 6-3, 6-2
Consolation Third Round—Maddie Hazelip-McKenzee Richards, CMR, def. Ingrid Erickson-Molly Wright, Glacier, 6-1, 6-4; Brittany Basinger-Libbey Fellows, Great Falls, def. Keeli Telleen-Kyla Campbell, CMR, 6-2, 6-4
Consolation Semifinals—Amy Snipstead-Kailea Vaudt, Glacier, def. Maddie Hazelip-McKenzee Richards, CMR, 6-1, 6-4; Kirstyn Haugenoe-Kali Mathison, Glacier, def. Brittany Basinger-Libbey Fellows, Great Falls, 6-2, 6-4
Consolation Finals—Amy Snipstead-Kailea Vaudt, Glacier, def. Kirstyn Haugenoe-Kali Mathison, Glacier, 6-1, 6-1