Glacier, Flathead: Back to Missoula for AA state tennis
It’s been Flathead’s and Glacier’s home away from home all spring.
And that should help players from both schools this weekend at the Class AA state tennis tournament in Missoula.
This will be the fourth time varsity players from Flathead and Glacier have competed in the Garden City this spring.
“The venue is familiar ... we’ve had some success down there,” Glacier coach Josh Munro said.
“We know the highway well,” Flathead coach Jeff Anderson added.
Play starts 9 a.m. today with singles at Playfair Park and doubles at Fort Missoula. Action winds up on Saturday.
The Glacier girls are going for their third straight state championship and have qualified seven players — three in singles and two doubles teams.
“We’ve got a lot of singles strength,” Munro said.
“We have to match Bozeman in the doubles.”
The Glacier boys, third a year ago, have qualified nine for this season ending event.
“It’s Hellgate’s to lose,” said Munro of the Missoula school and the tournament favorites.
“It really is. They have one more boy at state than we do. They have four doubles (teams) at state. They have some serious firepower in doubles.”
Glacier is led by two-time state champion Kellen Bates.
Bates is 11-0 this season in match play. He is 22-0 in set play and has won 133 games while losing just 33.
Bates has won 49 straight high school matches, which also happens to be a school record.
In singles the Knights have Alex Braun — who Bates beat 6-2, 6-2 last year in the state semis.
“Doubles ... the draw doesn’t look bad,” Munro said.
“They (Glacier’s entrants) have some chance for early success and the potential to fight through. A path to third and fourth.
“We’re solidly in the fight for second,” Munro said team-wise.
“Helena High will be there right with us. If Helena can get some doubles wins against Hellgate and if that happens, it’s anybody’s game.”
One encouraging sign for all the state players will be the weather.
“We’re looking to be outside (both days) for the first time in three years and not have to play three in the morning like the last two years,” Munro said.
“We were inside the entire tournament at Great Falls. It rained the entire time. (The year before in) Bozeman, we woke up to a blizzard.”
Glacier is coming off a strong showing at the Northern AA divisional last week in Great Falls. The Wolfpack won both team titles, singles titles for boys and girls and placed 1-2-3 in boys doubles.
Sixteen of Glacier’s 24 divisional participants earned trips to state.
Here’s Glacier’s lineup for state ...
Senior Amy Snipstead is playing in her fourth tournament.
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).
Kulikova, the divisional singles champion, has a school record 21-match winning streak in singles.
State first timers are Hunter Blalack, Mario Hernandez, Izaak Castren, Kali Mathison, Kirstyn Haugenoe, Andy Boyer and Logan Iverson.
Representing Flathead will be Glenn Strickler. He finished third in divisional play.
“He played a really good tournament,” Anderson said of Strickler’s divisional.
“It was his best tournament so far. Hopefully things are coming together for him at state.”
AA State Tennis
Today/Saturday
At Missoula
Today’s First Round Schedule
For Flathead, Glacier
Boys
Singles
Kellen Bates, Glacier, vs. Garrett Ryerson, Helena High; Hunter Blalack, Glacier, vs. Robbie Pike, Bozeman; Glenn Strickler, Flathead, vs. Noha Strizich, Helena Capital; Mario Hernandez, Glacier, vs. Layne Ryerson, Helena High.
Doubles
Evan Froystad/Izaak Castren, Glacier, vs. Braydon Dutton/Josh Adamson, Billings Skyview; Andy Boyer/Logan Iverson, Glacier vs. Aaron Lyon/Andrew Havens, Billings Skyview; Karl Hellwig/Danny Roe, Glacier, vs. Colton Coffee//Willy Schuman-Kline, Billings Senior.
Girls
Singles
Veronica Walton, Glacier, vs. Racquel Ramsbottom, Billings West; Katya Kulikova, Glacier, vs. Sophie Dimich-Louvet, Billings Senior; Hailey Blalack, Glacier, vs. Jade Goodyear, Billings West.
Doubles
Amy Snipstead/Kailea Vaudt, Glacier, vs. Cortney Collins/Maddy Petersen, Bozeman; Kirstyn Haugenoe/Kali Mathison, Glacier, vs. Madi Henning/Christine Olivo, Bozeman.
Northern AA Divisional
In Great Falls
May 10-11
BOYS
Team Totals
Glacier 68, Flathead 21, CMR 15, Great Falls High 8
State Qualifiers
Singles
1. Kellen Bates, Glacier; 2. Hunter Blalack, Glacier; 3. Glenn Strickler, Flathead; 4. Mario Hernandez, Glacier.
Doubles
1. Evan Froystad-Izaak Castren, Glacier; 2. Karl Hellwig-Danny Roe, Glacier; 3. Andy Boyer-Logan Iverson, Glacier; 4. Braden Murphy-Nick Yeager, CMR.
GIRLS
Team Totals
Glacier 44, Great Falls High 33, CMR 28, Flathead 7
State Qualifiers
Singles
1. Katya Kulikova, Glacier; 2. Molly Crum, Great Falls; 3. Hailey Blalack, Glacier; 4. Veronica Walton, Glacier.
Doubles
1. Lise Spencer-Lindsay Martinez, CMR; 2. Katie Cerotzke-Jackie Santin, Great Falls; 3. Amy Snipstead-Kailea Vaudt, Glacier; 4. Kirstyn Haugenoe-Kali Mathison, Glacier.