Boys may have an answer in doubles

The Columbia Falls boys may have finally found a lineup that works as the team eyes postseason play in a couple of weeks.

Coach Gary Yee paired up Vadim Zyvgelskiy with Brian Marcille in doubles and the pair came away with two solid wins, dropping Ian Laimbeer and Will Davey of Polson 6-0, 6-4 and Ryan Dufresne and Travis Griffin of Stevensville 6-2, 6-4.

"I hadn't been satisfied with the doubles lineup," Yee said.

Vadim had played No. 1 singles up until this weekend and was struggling a bit. So Yee paired him up with Marcille.

"They played really well together," he said.

Prior to this weekend the two had never played together.

"They were both enthusiastic," Yee said.

As a team, the boys lost to Whitefish last Thursday 5-2, and Polson 6-1, but beat Stevensville 5-2.

All season long Yee has been changing his lineup, moving this player or that player here and there.

"The problem with so many new kids is they look different every week as their skills evolve," he said.

But this lineup is likely how the team will head into the divisional tourney. The boys end the regular season with a match at home against Libby today (Thursday) at 1 p.m. and then travel to Libby Saturday.

On the girls side, coach Jerry Smalley said he continues to see improvement in his squad.

The girls beat Whitefish 6-1 last Thursday, Dillon 5-2 last Saturday, but lost to Polson 6-1.

"Even though Lexie Bartkoski and Marissa Getts didn't win their match, they showed flashes of being able to play great doubles tennis against an unbeaten team from Dillon," Smalley said. "Shay Grilley and Courtney Tamburelli found a way to win at No. 3 doubles and with Elena Potter maintaining focus in her third set tie-breaker, we managed to pull out a decisive 5-2 win against Dillon."

On Monday the boys lost to Bigfork 5-2 and the girls beat Eureka 5-2. On Tuesday the girls blanked Whitefish 7-0 and the boys lost 6-1.