Lady Bulldogs lead State A tennis
BOZEMAN — The Whitefish girls lead the team race after the first day of action at the State A tennis tournament in Bozeman Thursday.
The Bulldogs have nine points, followed by Hamilton and Billings Central in a tie for second with eight points each.
Whitefish’s boys are in third with 6 points, three behind leader Billings Central and two back of second-place Havre.
Neither Whitefish team has a player in championship contention, but a few are busy still picking up points.
Whitefish singles players Lauren Brown and Anyah Cripe fell in early rounds but are both alive in the consolation bracket.
Clara Todd of Polson, the Northwest A divisional winner, advanced to today’s semifinal, where Eliana Foss of Hamilton awaits.
Whitefish’s Elliette Haigh and Ashley Gunset have been working their way through the doubles consolation bracket after a first-round loss and will play Polson’s Camilla Foresti and Katie Smith in their next match. Teammates Emma Trieweiler and Tallory Workman made it to the second round but were bounced after one round in consolation.
Aaliyah Decker and Alyssa Pretty On Top of Ronan advanced to semifinals after knocking off top-seeded Glendive duo Mataya Tipton and Madeline Steinbran.
The surprise Northwest A divisional winner, Libby’s Ryan Beagle, advanced to semifinals, as did Ronan’s Beau Decker.
Whitefish’s Joe Brandt fell in an early round but has a shot at making the third-place game.
Boys doubles teams Aaron Dicks and Mason Kelch of Whitefish, and Polson’s Trent Wilson and Owen McElwee are working their way through the consolation bracket.
Columbia Falls pair Cody Schweikert and Cade Morgan won their first match but fell later in consolation.
State A Tennis
Thursday, Bozeman
BOYS
Team scores — Billings Central 9, Havre 8, Whitefish 6.
Singles
Round 1
Joe Brandt (WF) def. Jameson Noteboom (HAR) 6-2, 6-0; Ryan Beagle (LIB) def. Kyle Schreiber (BLC) 6-2, 6-3; Torrin Ellis (POL) def. Hank Jagodinski (BLC) 6-0, 6-1; Beau Decker (RON) def. Bodie Shepardson (LIV) 6-3, 6-2.
Round 2
Josh Currie (HAV) def. Brandt 6-0, 6-1; Dalton Polesky (MC) def. Ellis 6-1, 6-1; Beagle def. Carson Staiger (GLE) 6-4, 6-3; Decker def. Ryan Hutchison (COR) 3-6, 7-6(9-7), 6-2.
Consolation
Round 4
Brandt def. Shepardson 6-1, 6-1; Ellis def. Kyle Hawley (DIL) 6-3, 7-5.
Doubles
Round 1
Trent Wilson/Owen McElwee (POL) def. Theron Peterson/Carter Spangler (HAV) 6-2, 6-2; Cade Morgan/Cody Schweikert (CF) def. Jake Larson/Samson Hostman (MC) 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-4; Aaron Dicks/Mason Kelch (WF) def. Austin Jacobsen/Tristian Jarvis (GLE) 6-3, 6-1; Trenton Maloughney/Caleb Spangler (HAV) def. Finn Stagg/Jesse Burrough (WF) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Round 2
Andy Purcell/Colin Hanley (HAM) def. Dicks/Kelch 4-6, 6-1, 6-3; Matthew Newbury/Braydon Petermann (BLC) def. Wilson/McElwee 6-1, 6-2; John Bramblet/Marcus Sandall (DIL) def. Morgan/Schweikert 6-2, 6-0.
Consolation
Round 3
Nik Talia/Luke Sangster (COR) def. Stagg/Burrough 6-0, 6-2.
Round 4
Sean Mehling/Derek Blankenship (HAR) def. Morgan/Schweikert 7-6(8-6), 6-2; Wilson/McElwee def. Talia/Sangster 6-3, 1-6, 6-1; Dicks/Kelch def. Larson/Hostman 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
GIRLS
Team scores — Whitefish 9, Hamilton 8, Billings Central 8.
Singles
Round 1
Lauren Brown (WF) def. Dakota Powell (COR) 6-4, 6-2; Gracie Hawkes (HAM) def. Anyah Cripe (WF) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1; Clara Todd (POL) def. Alanah Rose (DIL) 6-0, 6-1; Eliana Foss (HAM) def. Cloey Ramage (CF) 6-1, 6-3.
Round 2
Evelyn Nelson (BLC) def. Brown 6-2, 6-3; Todd def. Rayna Ponessa (MC) 6-1, 6-0.
Consolation
Round 3
Cripe def. Taiya Guptill (HAR) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1; Ramage def. Elsa Cajune (LIV) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Round 4
Cripe def. Skylar Rutten (LEW) 2-6, 6-4, 7-6; Brown def. Debra Don’t Mix (HAR) 6-0, 6-2; Hawkes def. Ramage 6-2, 6-3.
Doubles
Round 1
Camilla Foresti/Katie Smith (POL) def. Rachel Fluckiger/Eden Kindberg (DIL) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; Aaliyah Decker/Alyssa Pretty On Top (RON) def. Maria Kanewisher/Brynn Lehtola (HAM) 6-0, 6-2; Emma Trieweiler/Tallory Workman (WF) def. Kennedy Yaskus/Lilly Trail (COR) 6-2, 1-6, 6-1; Hailey Anderson/Madison Henry (COR) def. Elliette Haigh/Ashley Gunset (WF) 6-0, 7-6.
Round 2
Lainey Smith/Emma Barlog (MC) def. Trieweiler/Workman 7-6, 3-6, 6-4.
Consolation
Round 3
Haigh/Gunset def. Erin Doran/Kailey Brimmer (MC) 6-1, 6-3.
Round 4
Haigh/Gunset def. Mataya Tipton/Madeline Steinbran (GLE) 6-2, 6-3; Foresti/Smith def. Ocielly Black Eagle/Avery Schubert (HAR) 6-2, 6-1; Fluckiger/Kindberg def. Trieweiler/Workman 6-3, 6-2.