Libby’s Beagle claims Class A singles title

Libby's Ryan Beagle eyes up a backhand return in a boys singles match against Hamilton's Ryan Purcell at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Polson's Torrin Ellis plays a backhand against Hardin's Jameson Noteboom at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Libby's Ryan Beagle gets congratulated by Loggers coach Kyle Hannah after a win over Hamilton's Ryan Purcell at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Polson's girls doubles pairing of Julia Barnard and Katelyn Smith celebrate after a point during a match against Hardin's Taiya Guptill and Johanna Limberhand at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Polson's Julia Barnard plays a shot at the net with girls doubles teammate Katelyn Smith during a match against Hardin's Taiya Guptill and Johanna Limberhand at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Polson's Katelyn Smith plays a shot at the net with girls doubles teammate Julia Barnard during a match against Hardin's Taiya Guptill and Johanna Limberhand at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Whitefish's Mason Kelch hits a return in a boys doubles match with teammate Dane Hunt against Billings Central's Braydon Petermann and Aiden Sorenson at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Whitefish's Dane Hunt plays a shot at the net in a boys doubles match with teammate Mason Kelch against Billings Central's Braydon Petermann and Aiden Sorenson at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Whitefish's boys doubles pairing of Mason Kelch and Dane Hunt tap rackets as they take on Billings Central's Braydon Petermann and Aiden Sorenson at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Libby's Ryan Beagle hits a return against Hamilton's Ryan Purcell at the Class A State Tennis Tournament at Logan Health Medical Fitness Center on Friday, May 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

by JON ALLEN
Staff Writer | May 25, 2024 12:31 AM

The Libby championship curse was broken after Logger junior Ryan Beagle bested Polson’s Torrin Ellis for the boys singles title Friday at the State A Tennis tournament.

Beagle claimed set number one in a tiebreaker, 7-6. Then he nabbed set two from Ellis 6-0 to claim the crown.

“This has been a goal of mine since early in my life,” Beagle said. “To finally get it done and represent Libby, it felt pretty good.”

Despite the scoreline, set two was a battle between the two with most games going to deuce before Beagle took the win.

Beagle finished third in the 2023 state tournament, falling in the semifinals to Jameson Noteboom of Hardin. The two squared off again in the semifinals Friday.

“It was nice to get the second one and get past that,” Beagle said.

Ellis worked his way past Andy Purcell in the semifinals for the second consecutive season. He finished second in the 2023 tournament, behind Noteboom.

In all Ellis was proud of his performance at the tournament.

“They were all pretty quick matches,” Ellis said. “I had some great competitors, but I played really well. The final match was just a battle.”

Play on Friday moved to The Summit due to poor weather making the courts at FVCC unplayable.

Polson finished with a pair of runner-up finishes on the day as Julia Bernard and Katie Smith fell in the girls doubles championship match to Billings Central’s Evie Reck and Billie Cate Schmitt in straight sets.

Smith and Bernard defeated Hardin’s Taiya Guptill and Johana Limberhand in the semifinals.

Whitefish’s Maggie Mercer and Ainsley Scott brought home sixth in the competition.

Polson grabbed fourth in the girls team competition with 13 points, while Whitefish finished seventh with 10. Columbia Falls came ninth with two points. Billings Central won the title with 32 points.

Whitefish’s Jack Oehlerich finished sixth in the boys singles competition.

The Pirate boys finished in second in the team competition with 18 points, behind Billings Central (27). Whitefish finished in a tie for third with Hardin and Libby with 16. Columbia Falls finished in a tie for eighth at four points.

In the boys doubles tournament, Whitefish’s Mason Kelch and Dane Hunt grabbed a victory in the third place match after dropping their semifinal to the eventual champions from Billings Central: Brayden Peterman and Aiden Sorenson.

Polson’s Tate Barentsen and Otto Lund secured a fifth place finish over Columbia Falls’ Logan Heupel and Will Pickard.