Vikes split with division rivals

By FAITH MOLDAN

Bigfork Eagle

The Bigfork boys’ tennis team wasn’t able to topple Northwest A powerhouse Whitefish, but it did record a win against the Polson Pirates May 12.

The Vikings defeated the Pirates 6-1 before losing 5-2 against the Bulldogs in Bigfork Saturday.

Every singles player won for the Vikes against Polson.

Sean Barretts’ match went the longest. He beat Seth Hovenkotter 6-1 in the first set, stumbled a little in the second (4-6) and came back in the final set 6-2.

David Meyers, Bigfork’s No. 3 singles player, won his match 6-1, 6-0. He topped Ky Simshaw with what he called “all around good play.”

“I got it (the ball) in and was consistent. I made him make some mistakes,” Meyers said. “It was a pretty good match in my eyes.”

Scott Taylor and Travis Boughton won both of their matches Saturday. They first beat Steven Roberts and Sefan McCrumb of Polson 6-1, 6-4 and then Whitefish’s Tanner Hosek and Trey Lagrandeur 6-1, 6-0.

“They’re on fire,” Bigfork coach Denny Sabo said of the duo. “They’re both tall, big and athletic. Their game has improved all season.”

The Vikes’ matches against Whitefish, with the exception of Taylor and Boughton, ended with the opposite result as their Polson matches.

Having lost their match against Polson’s Karston Erickson and Jake Grebetz, Bigfork’s Owen Roberts and Kainoa Lake came back to win their match against Whitefish’s Kyle Jacobson and Brendan Viscomi. Roberts and Lake lost 7-5, 6-2 against the Pirates and won 6-2, 6-2 agaisnt the Bulldogs.

“It was razor thin,” Sabo said of the competition between the Vikes and Bulldogs.

Jordan Sabo and Dylan Richmond won their first set 6-1 and lost a “squeaker” in the second set, according to Coach Sabo.

“The momentum went with Whitefish,” he said.

Bridger Mahlum lost his first set in a tiebreaker 6-6 (8-6), 6-2.

“If a couple points had gone the other way, it would have tipped the match our way,” Sabo said.

The Vikes start with a clean slate and plenty of focus on the Northwest A Divisional Meet, which starts Thursday at the Flathead Community College courts and The Summit, in Kalispell.

“Hopefully, I’ll have a good game. If I play like I did against Whitefish, I’ll be pretty good,” Meyers said of his chances at divisionals.

Boys

Bigfork 6, Polson 1

Singles — Tyler Butts, B, def. Tyler Engebretson, 6-3, 6-4; Sean Barrett, B, def. Seth Hovenkotter, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2; David Myers, B, def. Ky Simshaw, 6-1, 6-0; Bridger Mahlum, B, def. Matt Roberts, 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles — Karston Erickson/Jake Grebetz, P, def. Owen Roberts/Kainoa Lake, 7-5, 6-2; Scott Taylor/Travis Boughton, B, def. Steven Roberts/Stefan McCrumb, 6-1, 6-4; Jordan Sabo/Dylan Richmond, B, def. Joe Allik/Kyle Cooper, 6-4, 6-3.

Singles — Matt Harris, W, def. Tyler Butts, 6-1, 6-0; Ryan Rottenbiller, W, def. Sean Barrett, 6-1, 6-0; Ian Hosek, W, def. David Myers, 6-2, 6-0; Chase Pierce, W, def. Bridger Mahlum, 6-6 (8-6), 6-2.

Doubles — Owen Roberts/Kainoa Lake, B, def. Kyle Jacobson/Brendan Viscomi, 6-2, 6-2; Scott Taylor/Travis Boughton, B, def. Tanner Hosek/Trey Lagrandeur, 6-1, 6-0; Scott Johnson/Lucas Peace, W, def. Jordan Sabo/Dylan Richmond, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Exhibition

Doubles — Matt Whitehead/Tanner Hosek, W, def.

Casey Brown/Javier Guevara, 8-5.