Oberholtzer, C-Falls soaring into State A tennis

The weather for Thursday and Friday may not be conducive to outdoor play as the State A tennis tournament heads to FVCC — and potentially The Summit.

Columbia Falls’ Lexi Oberholtzer is ready no matter where the matches are played. The Northwest A divisional champion is playing her best tennis at the right time.

“I have a lot of momentum and I think it's going to carry over,” Oberholtzer said. “I think it was some of the best tennis I have played this season.”

Oberholtzer notes that the girls singles tournament is a pretty even playing field, and that anyone could take home the championship on Friday.

Columbia Falls sends a pair of doubles teams to Kalispell also — one girls and one boys. Alanis Peterson — who just started playing tennis in March — and Lucie Love represent the Wildcats as the No. 2 seed in Northwest A, while the boys pairing of Logan Heupel and Will Pickard earned their way to the final spot in boys doubles from the Northwest. 

“Our team did amazing,” said Columbia fAlls coach Michele Colliander, who sent five players to state for the first time in her nine years at the school. “We had really high energy and we just kept a really positive outlook all season and I feel like that helped contribute to our numbers headed into state.

“We have been working on the basics, ground strokes, then we have been working on getting to the net and putting points away at the net.”

Down the road Whitefish sends 11 players to the state tournament — four doubles pairings (two boys and two girls) and three singles players (two girls and one boys).

Girls coach Pat Dryden feels extra confident in his team knowing they are playing so close to home.

“Familiarity with the surroundings and background plays a factor,” Dryden said. “We play a lot of matches there, it does feel like a home court too.”

Dryden expects the team competition to be a battle on the girls side, but Hamilton and Billings Central will be tough to beat.

“I’m not sure if anyone can compete with them,” Dryden said. “I think a lot of schools will be fighting for third place.”

On the boys side for the Bulldogs, Mason Kelch and Dane Hunt head into the state tournament after defeating teammates Buren Brust and Jesse Burrough in the Northwest A divisional final. A match-up they hope to play once again in the state championship match.

“There is something a little bit different about when they come together and play, be it in practice or in a tournament,” boys coach Chris Schwaderer said. “They just don't want to lose and there is a lot of pride involved.”

Bigfork sends one representative to FVCC: Tessa Troyer in girls singles. Troyer finished second at the Northwest A divisional, losing to Oberholtzer in the final.

Polson — the defending boys team champions — sends five players to the tournament. Torrin Ellis looks to improve on his second-place finish last spring in boys singles, while Tate Barentsen returns in doubles play with new partner Otto Lund. 

Katie Smith returns in the girls doubles competition looking to improve on her fifth-place finish last season; this season she’s playing with Julia Bernard.

Libby’s Ryan Beagle makes his return to the state tournament after a third-place finish one year ago. Beagle looks to be one of the favorites in the boys singles tournament after defeating Polson’s Ellis in the Northwest A divisional final.