Vals tennis puts together strong week

The Bigfork girls tennis team won all three of their matches this week. They beat Whitefish 4-3 and Ronan 4-1 on Saturday in Whitefish and hosted Glacier on Monday and beat them 4-3. The boys team beat Ronan 7-0, but lost to both Whitefish and Glacier 6-1.

Bigfork's Kelly Deaton played Glacier's Cami Mathison in the number one singles match and lost 6-2, 6-4. In doubles play, Hannah Barrett and Nicolette Peterson defeated Rachel Sherrill and Lindsea Vaudt. After losing the first match 7-5, the duo came back to win the second 6-4 and the tiebreaker 7-5. The Bigfork pair also found success against Ronan, beating Shelby Fisher and Darian Blixt-Leo 8-2. Barrett and Peterson played in the number two spot last week while Ariana Shults and Jenn Wirth, who usually play number one, were out of town for a school trip.

"All the girls played great against Glacier," said Bigfork assistant tennis coach Matt Porrovecchio. "Even those girls who did not come out ahead on the point total showed a lot of improvement. They played with a lot of heart against a good Glacier team. Their work at practice is starting to show during competition."

Against Glacier the boys number one singles match was won by Glacier's Phillip Phattharaampornchai, who defeated Scott Taylor, 6-2, 6-3. Glacier's Brandon Simpson and Kyle Schmauch also won the number one doubles match over Bigfork's Sean Barrett and Evan Jordt, 6-2, 6-4.

"The boys are continuing to improve as a team," said Bigfork head tennis coach Paul Wallin. "What we haven't done yet is have a breakout performance where someone really comes out and wins a match they weren't expected to win. We've had some matches that we lost that we played well in and we played just OK in some of the matches that we won. At this level it is really about the unforced errors. "

The only victory the boys had against the Wolfpack was by Ryan Gembala in the number three match. He beat Michael Boettcher 6-1 in the first set, lost the second 6-3 and then came back to win the third 7-5. Gembala also had a win against Ronan's Colten Cheff, 8-3.

Sean Barrett had a pair of victories Saturday in singles play beating Ronan's Austin Bulter, 8-0 and Whitefish's Chase Pierce, 6-4, 6-2. He played doubles against Glacier and lost.

Elyse Myers had two victories this week in the number three singles spot for Bigfork. She beat Sydney Sharf of Glacier, 6-5, 6-0, and Courtney Wilder of Whitefish, 8-0. Myers, as well as Jade Bosic, did not play against Ronan because of time constraints and a shortage of players on both teams, which led coaches to decide that since the schools are in different conferences, the additional matches could be left out. Both teams had already played Whitefish that day, as well.

Claire Wilken also got herself a pair of wins, defeating Montana Ziglar in the number four match against Glacier. She lost the first set 7-5, won the second 6-2 and the tiebreaker 6-4. Freshmen partners McKinze Shults and Kianna Wicklund beat Ronan's Sophie Muniche and Haley Warston, 8-3 and Whitefish's Alexa Holliday and Bailey Chauner, 8-6, in the number four spot. Shults and Wicklund were paired with different partners against Glacier and neither girl won their match.

On Saturday, April 25, Bigfork will host Libby and Cut Bank starting at 11 a.m. Rescheduled from earlier this season, the boys and girls teams will split on Monday, April 27. The boys travel to Columbia Falls and the girls will host the Kats at 4 p.m. The following day both teams will host Mission at 4 p.m.

Monday

Girls

Bigfork 4, Glacier 3

SINGLES — Cami Mathison, G, def. Kelly Deaton 6-2, 6-4; Jade Bosic, B, def. Kayla Nelson, 6-0, 6-0, Elyse Myers, B, def. Sydney Sharaf 6-5, 6-0; Claire Wilken, B, def. Montana Ziglar, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.

DOUBLES — Hannah Barrett/Nicolette Peterson, B, def. Rachel Sherrill/Lindsea Vaudt, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), Arica Avila/Katlyn Hacke, G, def. Ariel Stallknecht/Kianna Wicklund, 6-2, 6-0; Amy Snipstead/Shelby Ballard, G, def. McKenzie Shults /Kaitlyn Shults, 6-0, 6-1;

Boys

Glacier 6, Bigfork 1

SINGLES — Phillip Phattharaampornchai, G, def. Scott Taylor, 6-2, 6-3; Patrick Phattaraampornchai, G, def. Bridger Mahlum, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-5; Ryan Gembala, B, def. Michael Boettcher, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5; John Patrick, G, def. Nate Roberson 6-0, 6-4.

DOUBLES — Brandon Simpson/Kyle Schmauch, G, def. Sean Barrett/Evan Jordt 6-2, 6-4; Dan Howell/Jon Hammett, G, def. Cole Francisco/Colter Mahlum 6-2, 6-0; Evan Froystad/Graham Schmaltz, G, def. John Lyon/Dylan Reichenbach, 6-1, 6-1.

Saturday

Girls

Bigfork 4, Whitefish 3

SINGLES — Kate Klundt, W, def. Jade Bosic, 8-8 (10-7); Kelly Deaton, B, def. Meredith Reed, 8-0; Elyse Myers, B, def. Courtney Wilder, 8-0; Bigfork won by forfeit.

DOUBLES — McCara Cullen/Anne Miller, W, def. Hannah Barrett/Nicolette Peterson, 8-6; Hanna Weaver/Chelsi Birgensmith, W, def. Claire Wilkins/Ariel Stallknecht, 8-4; McKenzie Shults/Kianna Wicklund, B, def. Alexa Holliday/Bailey Chauner, 8-6.

Bigfork 4, Ronan 1

SINGLES — Brit Courville, R, def. Kelly Deaton 8-1.

DOUBLES — Hannah Barrett/Nicolette Peterson, B, def. Shelby Fisher/Darian Blixt-Leo 8-2; Claire Wilken/Ariel Stallknecht, B, def. Katelyn Matkovich/Breanna Frank 8-0; McKinze Schults/Kianna Wicklund, B, def. Sophie Muniche/Haley Warston 8-3.

Boys

Whitefish 6, Bigfork 1

SINGLES — Matt Harris, W, def. Scott Taylor, 6-3, 6-4; Tanner Hosek, W, def. Bridger Mahlum, 6-3, 6-3; Sean Barrett, B, def. Chase Pierce, 6-4, 6-2; Lucas Peace, W, def. Nate Roberson, 6-1, 6-0.

DOUBLES — Matt Whitehead/Zachariah Deister, W, def. Evan Jordt/Ryan Gembala, 6-1, 7-5; Jake Morrison/Travis Adams, W, def. Colter Mahlum/Cole Francisco, 6-0, 6-4; Austin Sattler/Tyler Schiff, W, def. Dylan Reichenbach/John Lyon, 6-2, 6-6 (10-8).

Bigfork 7, Ronan 0

SINGLES — Sean Barrett , B, def. Austin Bulter 8-0; Evan Jordt, B, def. Jeff Blixt-Leo 8-2; Ryan Gembala, B, def. Colten Cheff 8-3; John Lyon, B, def. Kyle Yankey 8-5.

DOUBLES — Scott Taylor/Bridger Mahlum, B, def. Sage Burland/Hunter Shime 8-0; Colter Mahlum/Cole Francisco, B, def. Kyle Yankey/Riley Cordis 8-1; Nate Roberson/Dylan Reichenbach, B, def Chase Allen/Matteo Ruis 8-5.