Glacier's Smith Class AA boys singles tennis champ

The Daily Inter Lake

GREAT FALLS — Rory Smith of Glacier upset top seed Connor Joly of Bozeman 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 on Friday to capture the Class AA state boys singles tennis championship.

(Smith) played a really, really solid match,” Glacier coach Josh Munro said.

“It was fun to watch,”

The first set was tied 3-3, Smith went on top 5-3 before Connor rallied for a 6-5 lead.

“Connor caught fire,” Munro said. “There were a couple quick changes of momentum.

“Rory evened it up, got an early 4-2 edge in tie-break and just maintained that distance to finish it out.

“In the second set he got an early break and used that as momentum and stayed strong. The other kid (Connor) kinda lost his cool, didn’t play as strong.”

Smith opened play Thursday by beating Elijah Scheinz of Helena High 6-0, 6-0; Aiden Binau of Billings Skyview 6-0, 7-5 and Ethan Violette of Missoula Sentinel in the semifinals 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 7-6 (7-4).

Smith, a sophomore, is the second Glacier boy to win a state title. Kellen Bates won four straight for the Wolfpack (2010-13).

Maria Frampton of Glacier finished third for a second straight year. She beat Kirsten Kraske of Missoula Sentinel 6-7 (4), 6-3, 10-7 in the consolation semifinals and Gail Parambi of Great Falls C.M. Russell 6-2, 6-2 in the consolation final.

Frampton, a senior, went through three racquets in the win over Kraske. She finished that match using Smith’s.

“Once she got comfortable with Rory’s racquet, her shots started to fall,” Munro said.

She did get her racquet back for the consolation final.

Flathead’s Joston Cripe lost to Violette in consolation play 6-2, 6-2 on the final day.

Flathead’s Nathan White/Ethan Hawkins dropped their consolation match, but in doubles 7-6 (10-8), 6-2 to Austin Mosely and Henry Stahl of Missoula Hellgate.

Missoula Sentinel, 27 points, won the boys title. Missoula Hellgate, 16, was second and Bozeman, 15, third. Glacier, 14, was fourth and Flathead, 7, sixth.

Bozeman captured the girls title with a 30 score. Missoula Hellgate, 20, was second and Billings Senior, 17, third. Glacier, 8, was fifth. Flathead did not score.

Maicy McCarty of Bozeman defeated Hannah Worden of Missoula Hellgate 6-0, 6-3 in the girls singles final.

Anna Woods/Gigi Montague of Billings Senior defeated Laurel Ward/Sasha Hathaway of Bozeman 6-1, 6-0 to claim the girls doubles championship.

Cody Curtis/Connor D’Angelo of Missoula Sentinel are the boys doubles champions. They beat Timmy Johnson/Jayden Ostler of Billings West in the final 6-3, 6-2.