TENNIS: Glacier sweeps crosstown clash
<p>Glacier's Holland Blalack smashes a return against Flathead's Ryan Keenan at Flathead Valley Community College on Tuesday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Flathead's Ridge Lembka stretches for a ball during a singles match against Glacier's Spencer Johnson at Flathead Valley Community College on Tuesday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Coming off three-set battles earlier in the afternoon and with a long day of tennis easing into night, Glacier’s Tessa Howe and Flathead’s Claire Bradley fought dwindling sunlight — and each other — with crosstown bragging rights on the line.
In the end, Howe had just enough to send the Wolfpack to victory.
Glacier’s boys and girls went 4-0 Tuesday night at Flathead Valley Community College against Columbia Falls and the rival Braves and Bravettes, topping the Flathead girls 5-3 and blanking the boys, 8-0.
Howe fended off Bradley, 6-3, 6-4 at third singles to clinch the crosstown win for the Wolfpack. It was Glacier’s only singles win over the Bravettes, who picked up straight set wins in the other three matches. The Pack swept in doubles to earn the victory.
The boys match was all Glacier, with the Pack winning seven of the eight matchups in straight sets. Flathead nearly nabbed a point at first doubles, but Ben Wright and Hunter Danz won a marathon clash 7-6 (12), 5-7, 12-10 over Rydell Welk and James Flannigan.
Both Glacier and Flathead faced off with Columbia Falls before the crosstown matches, and the two Class AA schools prevailed in each meeting.
The Glacier girls took care of Columbia Falls, 7-1, and the Bravettes prevailed 6-2. Both boys teams swept, the Pack 5-0 and Flathead 7-0.
Wildkats senior Emily Getts did win both of her matches at first singles, beating Glacier’s Shelby Odell, 7-5, 6-2 and Flathead’s Ellie Berreth, 6-2, 6-2.
At Flathead Valley Community College
Tuesday
BOYS
Glacier 8, Flathead 0
Singles — Spencer Johnson, GLA, def. Ridge Lembke, 6-1, 6-0; Holland Blalack, GLA, def. Ryan Keenan, 6-2, 6-2; Graham Friedman, GLA, def. Blake Rausch, 6-1, 6-1; Ryker McIntyre, GLA, def. Garrett Regoli, 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles — Ben Wright/Hunter Danz, GLA, def. Rydell Welk/James Flannigan, 7-6 (12), 5-7, 12-10; Kyle Buckingham/Ethan Lockwood, GLA, def. Ethan Hundley/Aaron Lucas, 6-2, 6-4; Logan Hill/Tyler Keller, GLA, def. Alex Noglich/Trevor Weyers, 6-1, 6-1; Morgan Cordell/Matt LaGrandeur, GLA, def. Liam Crowley/Justin Lavilla, 6-0, 6-1.
Glacier 5, Columbia Falls 0
Singles — Holland Blalack, GLA, def. Brock Denny, 6-0, 6-1; Graham Friedman, GLA, def. Patrick Tillman, 6-2, 6-0; Ryker McIntyre, GLA, def. Chris Howell, 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles — Ben Wright/Hunter Danz, GLA, def. John Gilk/Sean Hoerner, 6-0, 6-2; Kyle Buckingham/Ethan Lockwood, GLA, def. Miguel Garate/Jordan Axeborg, 6-0, 6-1.
Flathead 7, Columbia Falls 0
Singles — Ridge Lembke, FLT, def. Brock Denny, 2-6, 6-1, 11-9; Ryan Keenan, FLT, def. Patrick Tillman, 6-0, 6-1; Blake Rausch, FLT, def. Chris Howell, 6-1, 6-4; Garrett Regoli, FLT, won by forfeit.
Doubles — James Flannigan/Rydell Welk, FLT, def. Sean Hoerner/John Gilk, 6-3, 6-1; Ethan Hundley/Aaron Lucas, FLT, def. Jordan Axeborg, 6-0, 6-1; Alex Noglich/Trevor Weyers, FLT, won by forfeit.
GIRLS
Glacier 5, Flathead 3
Singles — Ellie Berreth, FLT, def. McKenna Tinseth, 6-2, 6-3; Rayna Darrow, FLT, def. Shelby Odell, 6-3, 6-3; Tessa Howe, GLA, def. Claire Bradley, 6-3, 6-4; Lauren McCarter, FLT, def. Anna Johnson, 6-2, 6-0.
Doubles — Maya Buckingham/Anna Cecil, GLA, def. Noelle Senner/Bailey Bladholm, 6-4, 6-2; McKenna Johnson/Cayli Mower, GLA, def. Liz Stone/Hannah Holderbaum, 6-2, 7-5; Megan Denna/Jazmyn Austin, GLA, def. Isabelle Sherman/Katie Stobie, 6-2, 6-2; Libby Hill/Erica Braig, GLA, def. Tess Huckeba/Olivia Mohatt, 6-3, 7-5.
Glacier 7, Columbia Falls 1
Singles — Emily Getts, CF, def. Shelby Odell, 7-5, 6-2; McKenna Tinseth, GLA, def. Molly Schmit, 6-1, 6-3; Tessa Howe, GLA, def. Harley Molchan, 6-2, 4-6, 10-7; Anna Johnson, GLA, def. Sammi Mueller, 6-1, 6-2.
Doubles — Maya Buckingham/Anna Cecil, GLA, def. Sydney Grilley/Morgan Stenger, 6-2, 6-1; McKenna Johnson/Cayli Mower, GLA, def. Samantha Gilk/Meghan McCallum, 6-2, 6-3; Megan Denna/Jazmyn Austin, GLA def. Shelby Anderson/Mariah Lingle, 6-2, 6-2; Libby Hill/Brittyn Olsen, GLA, def. Taylor Keller/Brianna Kirby, 6-0, 6-0.
Flathead 6, Columbia Falls 2
Singles — Emily Getts, CF, def. Ellie Berreth, 6-2, 6-2; Rayna Darrow, FLT, def. Molly Schmit, 7-5, 6-3; Harley Molchan, CF, def. Claire Bradley, 1-6, 6-3, 10-5; Lauren McCarter, FLT, def. Sammi Mueller, 6-4, 6-0.
Doubles — Bailey Bladholm/Noelle Senner, FLT, def. Sydney Grilley/Morgan Stenger, 6-2, 3-6, 10-7; Liz Stone/Hannah Holderbaum, FLT, def. Samantha Gilk/Meghan McCallum, 6-1, 3-6, 10-6; Delani Long/Abbey Lembke, FLT, def. Shelby Anderson/Mariah Lingle, 7-5, 6-1; Tess Huckeba/Olivia Mohatt, FLT, def. Brianna Kirby/Taylor Keller, 6-2, 6-1.
Bigfork at Missoula Loyola | Bigfork vs. Valley Christian
MISSOULA — Bigfork’s girls notched a pair of wins and the boys topped Missoula Loyola Sacred Heart but fell short against Valley Christian.
Bigfork’s girls notched a 4-2 win over the Breakers, taking three of four singles matches. Karlee Park and Anna Fox each won in straight sets. Against Valley Christian, the Valkyries won all three singles points to claim a 3-2 victory.
The boys won all three singles matches that were played against Loyola en route to a 4-1 victory. Alex Buenz downed Toren Garnags at first singles, 6-2, 6-2. The Vikings fell 3-2 to Valley Christian.
GIRLS
Bigfork 4, Missoula Loyola 2
Singles — Lauren Bodlovic, LOY, def. Kalia Wicklund, 6-4, 6-2; Alanna Weilacher, BGF, def. Melanie Benson, 6-4, 6-0; Karlee Park, BGF, won by forfeit; Anna Fox, BGF, def. Megan Toomey, 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles — Jacy Job/Mattie Burke, LOY, def. Melissa Maittanu/Brooke Fraley, 6-4, 6-3; Stacey Poulson/Hailey Boisvert, BGF, def. Danika Firth/Julia Nicholson, 6-3, 6-2.
Bigfork 3, Valley Christian 2
Singles — Alanna Weilacher, BGF, def. Lanna Sweet, 6-1, 3-0 (ret.); Karlee Park, BGF, def. Larissa Sweet, 6-3, 6-3; Stacey Poulson, BGF, def. Lea Gross, 4-6, 6-1, 10-7.
Doubles — Rebecca Hall/Cheyenne Jones, VC, def. Melissa Maittanu/Anna Fox, 6-3, 6-0; Sophie Rachel/Erika Howard, VC, def. Brooke Fraley/Drew Schmidt, 6-4, 6-5.
BOYS
Bigfork 4, Missoula Loyola 1
Singles — Alex Buenz, BGF, def. Toren Garnags, 6-2, 6-2; Michael Bedford, BGF, def. Teddy Heuchling, 6-3, 6-0; Noah VanQueckelberg, BGF, def. Jack Johnson, 6-2, 6-3.
Doubles — David Ramsey/Fisher Richardson, LOY, def. George Gibson/Grant Gibson, 6-3, 6-4; Colton Reichenbach/Clayton Reichenbach, BGF, def. Charles Burns/Jacob Hollenback, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
Valley Christian 3, Bigfork 2
Singles — Trey Chatham, VC, def. George Gibson, 6-0, 6-1; Alex Buenz, BGF, def. Adam McCoy, 6-4, 7-6; Micahel Bedford, BGF, def. Ladder Harkins, 6-1, 6-4.
Doubles — Phillip Manuel/Andrew Harkins, VC, def. Colton Reichenbach/Clayton Reichenbach, 6-3, 6-3; Casey Ramer/Christopher Beckett, VC, def. Noah VanQueckelberg/Grant Gibson, 6-1, 6-3.