Glacier boys division giants
Glacier's Rory Smith hits a return against Flathead's Brett Thompson during crosstown tennis at Flathead Valley Community College on Tuesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Kendall Pyron hits a return against Glacier's Maggie Rudbach during crosstown tennis at Flathead Valley Community College on Tuesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
By DAVID LESNICK
The Daily Inter Lake
What the Glacier boys tennis program has accomplished, and continues to do, is quite impressive.
“In some ways, it’s unbelievable,” Glacier coach Josh Munro said.
The Wolfpack have won eight straight divisional titles (seven as a member of Northern AA and one in Western AA in 2015) and will be looking to make it nine in a row today and Friday on the courts at Flathead Valley Community College.
Play starts today at noon for Northern AA.
Also competing are Flathead and Great Falls C.M. Russell.
“That’s a lot of good quality play as well as depth,” Munro said of Glacier’s divisional success. “That’s the biggest thing. Depth has been one of our stronger points overall.”
Munro said this year will another challenging one, just like the previous divisionals.
“It will be a very interesting call with us a very slim favorite, primarily because we have Rory (Smith),” Munro said. “He looks like he is the favorite in singles.”
Smith is the defending divisional singles champion.
“Meanwhile in doubles, Flathead has the edge,” Munro continued. “CMR has a couple of strong singles players that could easily make state.
“We have a doubles team that will be seeded. Any one of them could win it.”
And all of that should make for an interest battle for the team title.
Kyle Buckingham won a divisional title last year for Glacier in doubles and has a new partner this year in Akhil Patel.
“They are .500 on the year,” Munro said. “They have had some good battles with Sentinel and Hellgate (in doubles). I would say they (Sentinel and Hellgate doubles) are the two favorites for state right now. They (Buckingham and Patel) have played a couple three-set matches with Flathead and Flathead has got the best of them so far.”
Munro said Smith, a sophomore, has had a very successful spring season.
“He has beaten a lot of kids he should have and has been challenged by two of the favorites for state.”
One of those favorites — Liam Johnson of Missoula Big Sky — needed three sets to beat Smith. Johnson finished second at state last year.
For girls divisional, CMR has two very strong singles players and a strong doubles team which will most likely be seeded No. 1.
“I would give them (CMR) a slight edge based on that,” Munro said for the team title. “We get a boost with Maria Frampton (in singles). A lot will be decided at three and four doubles. About six doubles teams are battling for those couple spots.”
Frampton has played just five high school matches while seeing limited play in USTA play this spring. She has also been battling a leg injury.
Frampton, a senior, is the defending divisional champion. She finished third at state last year.
The top four singles players and doubles teams advance to state, which starts May 16 in Great Falls.