TENNIS: Polson girls lead Class A state tournament
BOZEMAN — The girls teams from Polson and Whitefish are both still in contention for a state championship after strong showings on day one of the Class A state tournament at Montana State University on Thursday.
The Pirates are tied with Dillon for the team lead with 11 points, while Whitefish is just two points behind.
Both of the Bulldogs’ doubles teams won twice at the double-elimination tournament in day one, meaning both are in the tournament semifinals. Divisional champions Katie Fyall and Anna Peterson beat Hardin’s Imani Kindness and Naumie Dushane 6-1, 6-1 in the first round, then swept Belgrade’s Lilly Reddick and Brooke Gilbertson to reach the semifinals. They will face Glendive’s Marenah Crocett and Ceeara Staiger there.
Whitefish’s other girls doubles team, Hannah Madsen and Heather Luedke, reached the semis but not quite as comfortably. They were forced to three sets in round one, eventually taking down Kenna Adolph and Hailey Keller of Billings Central 6-2, 6-7 (4) and 6-4. In the quarterfinals they swept Park’s Lindsay Lane and Sophie Badten, 6-4, 7-6 (0). Madsen and Luedke will face Dillon’s Jennifer Womack and Nicole Thompson in the semifinals, a match that is hugely important in the team race.
Polson’s doubles team of Cassie Carlyle and Shawna Lenz is still playing in the consolation bracket despite a second round loss.
The Pirates have a chance to make bigger waves in the singles draw, where Marlee Congdon and Mollie Lemm are both still alive. Congdon, the Northwestern A divisional champ, is in the semifinals. She eased past Olivia Fehr of Corvallis 6-1, 6-1 in the first round and held off Glendive’s Alyssa Kessel 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-1 to reach the semifinals. Congdon is matched up there with Hardin’s Madisan Chavez.
Lemm won her first round match but had to advance in the consolation draw after falling in round two. She eliminated Whitefish’s Lili Szundy 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) to set up an intriguing matchup today when Lemm will face Emily Getts of Columbia Falls. Lemm beat Getts in the divisional tournament, preventing the Wildkats senior from winning a third straight divisional title. Getts, who has finished fourth in the state the last two years, was sent into the consolation bracket by defending state champion Barclay Fagg of Billings Central, 6-0, 6-0, in round two.
The boys tournament has not been as kind to local teams. Whitefish’s Max Smyley is the only boys singles player remaining, albeit in the consolation draw, after his 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over Fergus’ Danyon Rice in a loser-out match. Polson’s doubles team of Quaid Harlan and Jaron Morgan lost in round one but won back-to-back matches to move on in the consolation bracket.
Play resumes Friday in Livingston.
Class A state tournament
At Montana State University (Bozeman)
Thursday
GIRLS
Team scores — Polson 11, Dillon 11, Whitefish 9, Park 7, Glendive 7, Billings Central 7, Hardin 6, Columbia Falls 3, Belgrade 2, Corvallis 1.
BOYS
Team scores — Glendive 11, Dillon 8, Billings Central 8, Havre 7, Corvallis 5, Hardin 4, Hamilton 4, Park 3, Stevensville 3, Polson 3, Whitefish 3, Fergus 2, Belgrade 2, Butte Central 1.