Boys tennis team places second; Vals' No. 1 doubles qualify for state

By FAITH MOLDAN/Bigfork Eagle

Bigfork's boys tennis team exceeded expectations at the Western A Divisional Tennis Tournament last week in Kalispell.

The Vikings finished the tournament second as a team with 33 points and will send three players to the state tournament this weekend.

"We were really pretty pleased," Bigfork coach Matt Porrovecchio said. "A lot of people contributed point-wise."

Jordan Sabo and Sean Barrett started the winning for the Vikes. They won their opening-round singles matches 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 and 6-0, 6-0 respectively. Sabo and Barrett lost their second-round matches, while Bridger Mahlum and Philipe Myers won theirs. Mahlum won 6-1, 6-1 and Myers defeated Whitefish's Tanner Hosek 5-7, 6-0, 6-3.

Bigfork's youngest doubles pair, Ryan Gembala and Evan Jordt, lost their first two matches. The Vikes fell 6-2, 6-0 in the opening round and 6-3, 6-2 in their first-round consolation match.

Scott Taylor and Tyler Butts, who earned third-place honors at the tournament, won their first-round match 6-2, 6-4. Also notching wins in doubles were Seth Gordon and Cole Francisco. They went to three sets to start with and won 7-5, 6-7 (4-7) 6-4. The Bigfork duo lost to doubles champions Matt Harris and Brendan Viscomi 6-0, 6-0 the next round while Taylor and Butts won in three sets 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Gordon and Francisco were blanked 6-0, 6-0 in the second-round consolation match.

All four of the Bigfork singles players found themselves in the consolation bracket on Saturday. Mahlum lost his quarterfinal match to eventual champion Renzo Caimi 6-0, 6-0. Myers won his match that round 6-1, 6-1. He lost the next round 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Barrett lost out in a close third-round consolation match 6-4, 7-5. Sabo held on with a 6-3, 6-1 win and went on to face teammate Mahlum. Mahlum edged out his teammate 6-3, 6-1.

Another win put Mahlum up against another teammate. He defeated Tanner Hosek 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to go on and face Myers for the right to play in the third and fourth-place match. With some fresh legs under him, Myers beat out Mahlum 6-1, 6-0 before losing the consolation championship match to Ian Hosek 6-2, 6-1. Myers' fourth-place finish qualifies him for the state tournament today (Thursday) through Saturday in Polson and Ronan. He faces off with the No. 1 seed from the east in the opening round.

Taylor and Butts earned their way to the state tournament, battling back through the consolation bracket. They lost their championship bracket semifinal match by a narrow 6-4, 6-4 margin and then came charging back with a consolation semifinal 6-3, 6-4 win and final 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3 win. The pair face the No. 2 seed.

"I believe so strongly in our kids," Porrovecchio said. "On any given day they can beat anyone. They have to play out the points. They have the skills."

Boys' Singles

First Round

Caimi, W, bye; Medland, P, def. May, L, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1; Ronish, CF, bye; Mahlum, B, bye; I. Hosek, W, bye; Sheffield, L, bye; Barrett, B, def. Bartkoski, CF, 6-0, 6-0; Erickson, P, bye; Meyers, B, bye; T. Hosek, W, def. Giles, P, 6-4, 6-3; Gou, CF, bye; Hauck, L, bye; Engebretson, P, bye; Ballard, CF, bye; Sabo, B, def. Schnackenberg, L, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; Rottenbiller, W, bye.

Second Round

Caimi, W, def. Medland, P, 6-0, 6-0; Mahlum, B, def. Ronish, CF, 6-1, 6-1; I. Hosek, W, def. Sheffield, L, 6-1, 6-1; Erickson, P, def. Barrett, B, 6-1, 6-2; Meyers, B, def. T. Hosek, W, 5-7, 6-0, 6-3; Hauck, L, def. Gou, CF, 6-1, 6-1; Engebretson, P, def. Ballard, CF, 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2; Rottenbiller, W, def. Sabo, B, 6-0, 6-0.

Boys' Singles

Championship Bracket

Quarterfinals

Caimi, W, def. Mahlum, B, 6-0, 6-0; I. Hosek, W, def. Erickson, P, 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 7-6 (7-5); Myers, B, def. Hauck, L, 6-1, 6-1; Rottenbiller, W, def. Engebretson, P, 6-1, 6-1

Semifinals

Caimi, W, def. I. Hosek, W, 6-1, 6-0; Rottenbiller, W, def. Myers, B, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3

Consolation Bracket

First Round

May, L, bye; Bartkoski, CF, bye; Giles, P, bye; Schneckenberg, L, bye

Second Round

Ronish, CF, def. May, L, 6-1, 6-3; Medland, P, bye; Barrett, B, bye; Sheffield, L, def. Bartkoski, CF, 6-1, 6-0; Giles, P, def. Gao, CF, 6-0, 6-2; T. Hosek, bye; Sabo, B, bye; Ballard, CF, def. Schnackenberg, L, 6-1, 6-3

Third Round

Ronish, CF, def. Medland, P, 6-2, 6-4; Sheffield, L, def. Barrett, B, 6-4, 7-5; T. Hosek, W, def. Giles, P, 6-4, 6-2; Sabo, B, def. Ballard, CF, 6-3, 6-1

Fourth Round

Engebretson, P, def. Ronish, CF, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Hauck, L, def. Sheffield, L, 6-0, 6-3; T. Hosek, W, def. Erickson, P, 6-4, 6-4; Mahlum, B, def. Sabo, B, 6-3, 6-1

Boys' Doubles

Championship Bracket

First Round

Harris/Viscomi, W, bye; Gordon/Francisco, B, def. Spencer/Zvyagelskliy, CF, 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4; Garcia/Hopkins, CF, def. Maloney/Maloney, L, 6-3, 6-4; Roberts/Roberts, P, def. Gembala/Jordt, B, 6-2, 6-0; Butts/Taylor, B, def. Cooper/Lipko, P, 6-2, 6-4; Jacobson/Lagrandeur, W, def. Edwards-Myslicki/Frament, L, 6-0, 6-0; Whitehead/Deister, W, def. McCrumb/Hovenkotter, P, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4); Getts/Maynard, CF, def. Broden/Ercanbrack, L, 6-0, 6-1

Quarterfinals

Harris/Viscomi, W, def. Gordon/Francisco, B, 6-0, 6-0; Roberts/Roberts, P, def. Garcia/Hopkins, CF, 6-4, 6-3; Butts/Taylor, B, def. Jacobson/Lagrandeur, W, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5; Getts/Maynard, CF, def. Whitehead/Deister, W, 6-4, 6-0

Semifinals

Harris/Viscomi, W, def. Roberts/Roberts, P, 6-0, 6-1; Getts/Maynard, CF, def. Butts/Taylor, B, 6-4, 6-4

Consolation Bracket

First Round

Spencer/Zvyagelskiy, CF, bye; Maloney/Maloney, L, def. Gembala/Jordt, B, 6-3, 6-2; Cooper/Lipko, P, def. Edwards-Myslicki/Frament, L, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2; McCrumb/Hovenkotter, P, def. Broden/Ercanbrack, L, 6-3, 6-4

Second Round

Whitehead/Deister, W, def. Spencer/Zvyagelskiy, CF, 6-4, 6-0; Jacobson/Lagrandeur, W, def. Maloney/Maloney, L, 6-0, 6-0; Cooper/Lipko, P, def. Garcia/Hopkins, CF, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1; McCrumb/Hovenkotter, P, def. Gordon/Francisco, B, 6-0, 6-0

Boys' Singles

Championship

Caimi, W, def. Rottenbiller, W, 6-0, 6-0

Consolation Bracket

Quarterfinals

Hauck, L, def. Engebretson, P, 6-1, 6-3; Mahlum, B, def. T. Hosek, W, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2

Semifinals

I. Hosek, W, def. Hauck, L, 6-3, 6-3; Myers, B, def. Mahlum, B, 6-1, 6-0

Finals

I. Hosek, W, def. Myers, B, 6-2, 6-1

Boys' Doubles

Championship

Harris/Viscomi, W, def. Getts/Maynard, CF, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

Consolation Bracket

Quarterfinals

Jacobson/Lagrandeur, W, def. Whitehead/Deister, W, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5; McCrumb/Hovenkotter, P, def. Cooper/Lipko, P, 6-1, 6-4

Semifinals

Jacobson/Lagrandeur, W, def. Roberts/Roberts, P, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2; Butts/Taylor, B, def. McCrumb/Hovenkotter, P, 6-2, 6-4

Finals

Butts/Taylor, B, def. Jacobson/Lagrandeur, W, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3

A few points and a couple marathon matches kept a number of Valkyrie tennis players from advancing on to the state tournament at last week's Western A Divisional Tennis Tournament in Kalispell.

The Vals, who finished the tournament third in the team standings with 34 points, battled for each win during the three-day tournament May 25-17. Doubles pair Quindee Averill and Roxy Thurman earned third place at the tournament.

"Everybody played pretty dang well," Bigfork coach Matt Porrovecchio said. "We were really pretty pleased."

Ariana Shults and Jade Bosic opened up the tournament with first-round singles wins. Bosic was topped by eventual division champion Jackie Mee in the second round 6-0, 6-0. Shults lost her second-round match to divisional runner-up Brielle Menegazzi 6-2, 6-1. Both Vals came back to win in the third round of the consolation bracket. They had byes the second round. Bosic notched a 6-2, 6-1 win, while Shults won 6-3, 6-4.

Also winning their first-round matches were all three Valkyrie doubles teams. Averill and Thurman blanked their Columbia Falls opponents 6-0, 6-0 in the first round. Cassie Lepper and Hannah Barrett won 6-2, 6-4, while Jen Wirth and Nicolette Peterson went to three sets in their match. They won 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. Wirth and Peterson fell to eventual champions Malika Erickson and Cali Hislop in the quarterfinals 6-2, 6-0. Both Lepper and Barrett and Averill and Thurman lost out to second-place winners Mattea York and Maddie Grebetz. Lepper and Barrett fell 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. The Lady Pirates topped Averill and Thurman 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals.

Bosic was the only girls singles player remaining after the fourth round. She, along with Shults went into a tiebreaker that round. Bosic came out on top 6-1, 6-7 (1-7), 6-3. Shults lost out 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4, as did Kelly Deaton. Deaton, who won her second-round match 6-1, 6-2, lost to Whitefish's Kate Klundt in the quarterfinals and then fell 6-3, 6-1 in the final round.

"Jade (Bosic) was playing really well," Porrovecchio said. Bosic played out each point with evenly matched opponents, using every part of the court and well-selected shots to her advantage.

After a quarterfinal consolation bracket 6-1, 6-4 win, Bosic fell to third-place winner Klundt 6-4, 6-1.

"On a different day it could have been flip-flopped," Porrovecchio said of the match between Bosic and Klundt.

The losses didn't deter the Vals' doubles teams. Lepper and Barrett and Wirth and Peterson won their second-round consolation matches. Lepper and Barret came out with a 7-5, 6-2 victory and the Wirth-Peterson combination won 6-7 (3-7), 6-0, 6-3. The duos lost out the next round. Lepper and Barrett fell 6-1, 6-1. Wirth and Peterson lost 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.

"Jen (Wirth) and Nicolette (Peterson) were a point away from qualifying for state," Porrovecchio said. "They were playing a great Whitefish team."

Possibly worn down by Averill and Thurman's teammates, the Vals' No. 1 doubles team beat both teams which had knocked out the other Vals. Their semifinal match saw Bigfork win 6-1, 6-3. They went to three sets in the final match and won 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.

Averill and Thurman face the second-place central division team in the opening round of the Class A State Tennis Tournament, held in Polson and Ronan today (Thursday) through Saturday.

Girls' Singles

First Round

Mee, L, bye; Bosic, B, def. Opel, W, 6-2, 6-2; Freeman, CF, bye; Reilly, P, bye; Deaton, B, bye; Bartkoski, CF, bye; K. Rochin, P, def. Poppen, L, 6-1, 6-1; Klundt, W, bye; Marcille, CF, bye; Jones, P, def. Kelsey, B, NA; Sekecri, W, bye; Cislo, L, bye; Probst, P, bye; Getts, CF, bye; Shults, B, def. Shaw, L, 6-1, 6-2; Menegazzi, W, bye.

Second Round

Mee, L, def. Bosic, B, 6-0; 6-0; Reilly, P, def. Freeman, CF, 6-0, 6-1; Deaton, B, def. Bartkoski, CF, 6-1, 6-2; Klundt, W, def. K. Rochin, P, 7-5, 0-6, 6-2; Marcille, CF, def. Jones, P, 6-0, 6-1; Cislo, L, def. Sekecri, W, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; Probst, P, def. Getts, CF, 6-2, 6-2; Menegazzi, W, def. Shults, B, 6-2, 6-1.

Girls' Singles

Championship Bracket

Quarterfinals

Mee, L, def. Reilly, P, 6-2, 6-1; Klundt, W, def. Deaton, B, 6-3, 6-1; Marcille, CF, def. Cislo, L, 6-3, 6-1; Menegazzi, W, def. Probst, P, 6-0, 6-2

Semifinals

Mee, L, def. Klundt, W, 6-0, 6-0; Menegazzi, W, def. Marcille, CF, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1

Consolation Bracket

First Round

Opel, W, bye; Poppen, L, bye; Kelsey, B, bye; Shaw, L, bye

Second Round

Opel, W, def. Freeman, CF, 6-0, 6-2; Bosic, B, bye; Rochin, P, bye; Poppen, L, def. Bartkoski, CF, 6-0, 6-0; Sekecri, W, def. Kelsey, B, 6-3, 6-2; Jones, P, bye; Shults, B, bye; Getts, CF, def. Shaw, L, 6-3, 6-2

Third Round

Bosic, B, def. Opel, W, 6-2, 6-1; Rochin, P, def. Poppen, L, 6-4, 6-4; Sekecri, W, def, Jones, P, 6-0, 6-2; Shults, B, def. Getts, CF, 6-3, 6-4

Fourth Round

Bosic, B, def. Probst, P, 6-1, 6-7 (1-7), 6-3; Rochin, P, def. Cislo, L, 6-3, 7-5; Sekecri, W, def. Deaton, B, 6-3, 6-1; Reilly, P, def. Shults, B, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4

Girls' Doubles

Championship Bracket

First Round

Hislop/Erickson, P, bye; Wirth/Peterson, B, def. Rozar/Osland, W, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2; Cullen/Birgensmith, W, def. Horelick/Kehn, L, 7-5, 6-4; Newman/Dinning def. Anderson/Raymond, CF, 7-5, 6-1; York/Grebetz, P, def. Miller/Reed, W, 6-2, 6-2; Lepper/Barrett, B, def. Hobbs/Burgi, CF, 6-2, 6-4; Ward/Rochin, P, def. Zwang/Valentine, L, 6-2, 6-2; Averill/Thurman, B, def. Potter/Lueken, CF, 6-0, 6-0

Quarterfinals

Hislop/Erickson, P, def. Wirth/Peterson, B, 6-2, 6-0; Newman/Dinning, L, def. Cullen/Birgensmith, W, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1; York/Grebetz, P, def. Lepper/Barrett, B, 6-1, 6-1; Averill/Thurman, B, def. Ward/Rochin, P, 6-2, 6-4

Semifinals

Hislop/Erickson, P, def. Newman/Dinning, 6-2, 6-3; York/Grebetz, P, def. Averill/Thurman, B, 6-3, 6-4

Consolation Bracket

First Round

Rozar/Osland, W, bye; Anderson/Raymond, CF, def. Horelick/Kehn, L, 1-6, 7-5, 7-5; Miller/Reed, W, def. Hobbs/Burgi, CF, 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-2; Zwang/Valentine, L, def. Potter/Lueken, CF, 7-5, 6-4

Second Round

Ward/Rochin, P, def. Rozar/Osland, W, 6-4, 6-2; Lepper/Barrett, B, def. Anderson/Raymond, CF, 7-5, 6-2; Cullen/Birgensmith, W, def. Miller/Reed, W, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2; Wirth/Peterson, B, def. Zwang/Valentine, L, 6-7 (3-7), 6-0, 6-3

Girls' Singles

Championship

Mee, L, def. Menegazzi, W, 6-3, 6-1

Consolation Bracket

Quarterfinals

Bosic, B, def. Rochin, P, 6-1, 6-4; Sekecri, W, def. Reilly, P, 6-2, 6-1

Semifinals

Klundt, W, def. Bosic, B, 6-4, 6-1; Marcille, CF, def. Sekecri, W, 6-3, 6-4

Finals

Klundt, W, def. Marcille, CF, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4

Girls' Doubles

Championship

Erickson/Hislop, P, def. Grebetz/York, P, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4

Consolation Bracket

Quarterfinals

Ward/Rochin, P, def. Lepper/Barrett, B, 6-1, 6-1; Cullen/Birgensmith, W, def. Wirth/Peterson, B, 1-6, 6-3, 7-5

Semifinals

Ward/Rochin, P, def. Newman/Dinning, L, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 6-1; Averill/Thurman, B, def. Cullen/Birgensmith, W, 6-1, 6-3

Finals

Averill/Thurman, B, def. Ward/Rochin, P, 6-4, 0-6, 6-3