AA divisional tennis: Glacier rules Day 1; Flathead strong in singles

The Glacier boys and girls dominated the first day of play at the Northern AA divisional tennis tournament at Flathead Valley Community College on Thursday.

The Wolfpack placed teams in three of four doubles spots in both the boys and girls semifinals and has two spots in the semifinals in each of the singles brackets. In total, 23 of the 24 players Glacier started the tournament with are still alive for a spot at the state tournament.

“Everybody had a great day,” Glacier coach Josh Munro said. “All the kids are in good positions. The only kid who got knocked out was by her own teammate.”

Defending state champion Kellen Bates and Glacier teammate Hunter Blalack cruised to the semifinals with 6-0, 6-0 victories. Flathead’s Glenn Strickler and Matt Widen also moved on to the semis with flawless victories, each topping his opponent 6-0, 6-0.

The wins set up a pair of familiar matches in the semifinals, between Bates and Strickler and Blalack and Widen.

“Those kids know each other pretty well,” Munro said. “They all have their game plans, what they want, what they’ve learned (from the previous matches). It’s gonna come down to who hits their shots.”

Each pair has met a handful of times this season, with all the matches favoring Glacier. Despite that, the Braves are confident in their chances this time around.

“It’s gonna be a slugfest,” Flathead coach Sue Corrigan said.

“Matt is convinced he knows how to beat Hunter the third time around. I hope he’s right ... Glenn is hoping to outstrategize Kellen Bates. Glenn’s been hitting well. It will be a good one.”

In girls singles, Glacier’s Katya Kulikova and Hailey Blalack each advanced to the semifinals in convincing fashion. Kulikova beat teammate Hannah Davis 6-1, 6-0 and Blalack beat Great Falls’ Abigail Davidson 6-0, 6-1.

They’ll play each other in the semis in a rubber match. They’ve played twice earlier this season, with Kulikova taking the first match in three sets and Blalack winning last weekend in a close match, 6-4, 6-4.

“Unfortunately, they ended up on the same side of the draw,” Munro said. “It’s gonna be a tough one.”

Flathead’s Ashli Petek advanced to the semis with a win over teammate Emily King, 6-0, 6-1. She’ll face off against one of the state favorites, Great Falls’ Molly Crum, who beat her Bison teammate 6-0, 6-0 to move on.

Looking to get production from its doubles teams, Glacier is guaranteed to get at least one team in the finals of each the boys and girls brackets. Glacier dominated the doubles side of the meet, placing three teams in each semifinal.

The Wolfpack’s Mitch Byrnes and Brad Jones will play teammates Izaak Castren and Logan Iverson in one semifinal, while Glacier’s top pair of Spencer Johnson and Britt Walton play Great Falls’ Nate Sheffels and Josh Haagenson.

On the girls side, Glacier’s Molly Wright and Ingrid Ericksen will face off against teammates Kali Mathison and Kirstyn Haugenoe on one side of the bracket, while the top Wolfpack pair of Veronica Walton and Kailea Vaudt take on Great Falls’ Jackie Santin and Laura Gilligan.

Matches begin tomorrow at FVCC at 8 a.m.

2013 Northern AA

Divisional Tennis Tournament

Thursday

At Flathead Valley Community College

Boys

Team scores — Glacier 27, Great Falls 17, Flathead 11

Singles

Round 1

Bostian Johnstone, GFH, def. Bridger Putnam, F, 6-2, 6-4; Tyler Beagley, F, def. Jourdan Goudatis, GFH, 6-0, 6-2; Ryan Porch, G, def. Eric Abarr, GFH, 6-2, 6-0; Jordan Bridwell, G, def. Thomas Johnson, GFH, 7-5, 7-6 (5).

Round 2

Kellen Bates, G, def. Johnstone, 6-0, 6-0; Glenn Strickler, F, def. Beagley, 6-0, 6-0; Matt Widen, F, def. Porch, 6-0, 6-0; Hunter Blalack, G, def. Bridwell, 6-0, 6-0.

(No matches in round 3)

Round 4

Beagley def. Putnam, 6-0, 6-1; Goudatis def. Johnstone 6-3, 6-3; Bridwell def. Abarr, 6-0, 6-0; Porch def. Johnson, 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles

Round 1

Kylar Clifton/Taylor Lunn, GFH, def. Daniel Olszewski/Tristan Dills, F, 6-0, 6-0; Nate Sheffels/Josh Haagenson, GFH, def. Eric West/Keenan Wills, F, 6-0, 6-0; Jordan Jernigan/Tanner Lightboarne, GFH, def. Joey Wisher/Kody Butts Jr., F, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2; Andrew Leo/Andrew Kromarek, GFH, def. Wyatt McGillen/Jake Williams, F, 6-3, 6-3.

Round 2

Spencer Johnson/Britt Walton, G, def. Clifton/Lunn, 6-0, 6-0; Sheffels/Haagenson def. Ryan Edwards/Greg Jones, 6-1, 6-2; Mitch Byrnes/Brad Jones, G, def. Jernigan/Lightboarne, 7-5, 6-2; Izaak Castren/Logan Iverson, G, def. Leo/Kromarek, 6-3, 6-2.

(No matches in round 3)

Round 4

Edwards/Jones def. Olszewski/Dills 6-3, 6-1; Clifton/Lunn def. West/Wills, 6-2, 6-4; Leo/Kromarek def. Wisher/Butts Jr., 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; Jernigan/Lightboarne def. McGillen/Williams, 6-1, 6-0.

Girls

Team Scores — Glacier 26, Great Falls 17, Flathead 11

Singles

Round 1

Hannah Davis, G, def. Darby Mackenstadt, F, 6-2, 6-0; Abigail Davidson, GFH, def. Briahna Bennett, G, 6-0, 6-0; Emily King, F, def. Faith Hurley, GFH, 6-0, 6-4; Mary McDunn, GFH, def. Jenna Boles, F, 6-4, 6-0.

Round 2

Katya Kulikova, G, def. Davis, 6-1, 6-0; Hailey Blalack, G, def. Davidson, 6-0, 6-1; Ashli Petek, F, def. King, 6-0, 6-1; Molly Crum, GFH, def. McDunn, 6-0, 6-0.

(No matches in round 3)

Round 4

Davidson def. Mackenstadt, 6-0, 6-0; Davis def. Bennett, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3; McDunn def. Hurley, 6-1, 6-0; Boles def. King, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.

Doubles

Round 1

Kayla Harwood/Keckeley Habel, G, def. Camas Carlson/Jenna McGuire, F, 6-2, 6-4; Bailey Thomas/Libbey Fellows, GFH, def. Sarah Seynei/Dana Pfeifer, F, 6-0, 6-1; Sarah Christensen/Barrie Sugarman, F, def. Bailee Roady/Brooke Dart, GFH, 6-0, 6-1.

Round 2

Veronica Walton/Kailea Vaudt, G, def. Harwood/Habel, 6-2, 6-1; Jackie Santin/Laura Gilligan, GFH, def. Thomas/Fellows, 6-2, 6-1; Molly Wright/Ingrid Ericksen, G, def. Christensen/Sugarman, 6-3, 6-2; Kali Mathison/Kirstyn Haugenoe, G, def. Mackenzie Williams/Katie Goodnough, F, 6-3, 6-2.

(No matches in round 3)

Round 4

Thomas/Fellows def. Carlson/McGuire, 6-2, 6-1; Harwood/Habel def. Seynei/Pfeifer, 6-3, 6-2; Williams/Goodnough def. Roady/Dart, 7-5, 6-4.