Wildcats have a busy week of tennis, sweep Ronan, Polson
Bailey Windauer returns serve in a match from earlier this season.
The Columbia Falls tennis teams enjoyed a strong showing on the courts last week, sweeping Ronan and Polson in a packed doubleheader Thursday, April 24.
The Wildkats stormed past Ronan with a dominant 7-1 win before taking a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Polson. The Wildcats were equally sharp, blanking Ronan and taking a 5-2 win against the Pirates.
GIRLS VS. RONAN
The Wildkats opened their Thursday action in convincing fashion, claiming seven of eight matches against Ronan. Columbia Falls controlled the singles courts, with all four Wildkat players winning in straight sets.
Bailey Windauer rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 shutout over Amy Snyder at No. 1 singles, while Ella Heppner surrendered just one game in her 6-0, 6-1 win over Chevy Reum. Apani Awua handled Loren Olson 6-1, 6-4, and Campbell LaCasse secured the fourth singles point with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Kate Johnson.
In doubles action, Alanis Petersen and Aliyah Arends picked up a win by forfeit. Ava Scholz and Khloe Perry added another point with a flawless 6-0, 6-0 sweep.
The only blemish came in a tightly contested No. 2 doubles match, where Lucie Love and Madi Yerian battled but ultimately fell in back-to-back tiebreakers, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-7 (4).
BOYS VS. RONAN
On the boys’ side, Columbia Falls blanked Ronan, winning all seven matches.
Jax Ramage cruised through Tristan Buckallew 6-0, 6-2 to lead the singles sweep. Jackson Scholz, Jack Austin, and Brady Heitz dropped just seven combined games across their straight-set wins.
In doubles play, the Wildcats benefited from a forfeit at No. 1, then added two more wins on the court. Silas Ypma and William Oberholtzer dominated 6-0, 6-1, while Jackson Bowler and Jason Donsbach held off a late rally to win 6-3, 7-6 (5).
GIRLS VS. POLSON
The afternoon brought a tighter battle against Polson. The Wildkats fell behind early after dropping three of four singles matches, but bounced back with a clean sweep in doubles to take the team victory.
LaCasse once again held strong in singles, earning Columbia Falls’ lone point with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Maddie Lake. Windauer, Heppner, and Awua were each bested by their Pirate opponents.
The doubles trio of teams came through in the clutch. Petersen and Arends edged out Vivian Grainey and Josie Henriksen in a back-and-forth match, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1. Love and Yerian followed with a confident 6-4, 6-0 victory, and Scholz and Perry completed the comeback with a 7-5, 6-3 win to secure the overall match for Columbia Falls.
BOYS VS. POLSON
The Wildcats kept their momentum rolling in the afternoon, defeating Polson 5-2 behind a solid mix of singles and doubles victories.
After Will Pickard dropped a tough 2-6, 2-6 match at No. 1 singles, Columbia Falls responded with three straight wins. Scholz and Austin picked up straight-set victories, and Heitz clinched a tight three-set battle, bouncing back from a second-set loss to win the match 6-4, 5-7, (10-7).
In doubles, Ramage and Masters worked through their match for a 6-3, 6-2 win. Ypma and Oberholtzer delivered a similar result with another 6-3, 6-2 effort.
Columbia Falls’ only loss in doubles came at No. 3, where Bowler and Donsbach fell 1-6, 4-6.