Wolfpack bites Flathead
<p>Glacier's Hunter Blalack returns a serve with a backhand Friday afternoon during a crosstown tennis match between Glacier and Flathead at Flathead Valley Community Collge. April 18, 2014 in Kalispell, Montana. (Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Glacier's Kayla Harwood (left) and Kali Matheson slap hands after a point Friday afternoon during a crosstown tennis match between Glacier and Flathead at Flathead Valley Community Collge. April 18, 2014 in Kalispell, Montana. (Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Glacier junior Hunter Blalack took a unique approach in his crosstown tennis match against Flathead’s Glenn Strickler on Friday at the Flathead Valley Community College tennis courts.
Battling swirling winds, Blalack decided to play defensively rather than attack both Stricker and the elements.
“It was really windy, so neither one of us played how we usually do,” Blalack said. “We usually have some pretty good matches, but it was all over the place today.
The strategy worked. Blalack topped Strickler in No. 1 singles in straight sets 6-1, 6-3.
“I was trying to stay consistent and only go for aggressive shots when it really made sense,” Blalack said. “In the first set, I went up early and was able to keep the lead and keep the pressure. In the second set, he got more of a hang of what the wind was doing. I was eventually able to break and hold serve at the end to win it.”
His win was just part of a dominant day from the Wolfpack, which dropped just one match in both the boys and girls duals.
The Glacier boys won their dual with the Braves 7-1, sweeping the doubles matches and earning straight-set singles victories from Blalack, Grant Germann and Ben Grieser.
Kody Butts was the lone Flathead player to earn a victory, winning No. 3 singles against Matt LaGrandeur 6-3, 6-2.
The Wolfpack girls only lost one set against Flathead, and dropped more than a point in a set just six times.
The Bravettes’ Bailey Bladholm nearly pulled out a victory at No. 3 singles, pushing Olivia Malchi to a 20th tiebreaker point before losing 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (9).
Both teams will travel to the Missoula Invite this weekend for their next competition.
GIRLS
Glacier 7, Flathead 0
Singles — Amber Hamblin, G, def. Jenna McGuire 6-2, 6-1; Miranda Hoffman, G, def. Noelle Senner 6-2, 6-3; Olivia Malchi, G, def. Bailey Bladholm 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (9).
Doubles — Kali Mathison/Kayla Harwood, G, def. Katie Goodnough/Melanie Treece 6-0, 6-2; Gabbie Ruis/Natalie Newberry, G, def. Courtney Rufenach/Emily Dardis 6-0, 6-1; Anna Cecil/Caitlin Ward, G, def. Makenna Marvin/Makayla Dillon 6-0, 6-0; Berta Jover-Llorens/Maya Buckingham, G, def. Paloma Buck-Harrington/Liz Stone 6-0, 6-1.
BOYS
Glacier 7, Flathead 1
Singles — Hunter Blalack, G, def. Glenn Strickler 6-1, 6-3; Grant Germann, G, def. Daniel Olszewski 6-1, 6-1; Kody Butts, F, def. Matt LaGrandeur 6-3, 6-2; Ben Grieser, G, def. Bodie Scheiffer 6-2, 6-1.
Doubles — Spencer Johnson/Greg Jones, G, def. Eric West/Tristen Dills 6-1, 6-0; Eli Hertlein/Holland Blalack, G, def. Joey Wisher/Daniel Tame 6-1, 6-4; Kyler Harkins/Sam Stern, G, def. Nick Buenz/Carson Regoli 6-1, 6-1; Chazz Upton/Ben Wright, G, def. Carter Warnell/Rydell Welk 6-1, 6-1.