Dethroned
Bulldogs defeat Cut Bank, winners of the last eight state championships, 4-2
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The Mission Bulldogs picked a great time to come through with their first win of the season.
The Bulldogs, who had tied all their previous matches 3-3, controlled Cut Bank Friday in St. Ignatius, winning all singles matches in a 4-2 victory over the winners of the last eight state championships.
“Even if Cut Bank has different players than years past, they still have that tradition to try and uphold and don’t take it lightly,” Mission coach Kimimi Ashley said. “In no way does our win this Friday mean that they are going to be easy at state. You have to respect the championships and work twice as hard and plan on going out there and playing your absolute best each and every time.”
While beating Cut Bank at state won’t be easy, the win Friday did prove that the Bulldog boys, led by singles players Spencer Ahlborn and Wesley Knowlen, will be contenders at the tournament at the end of May.
“I think that we are definitely in the run for state. I think that it is going to be more of a “which team” is going to step up this year. All the teams in our conference have been doing well this year, so it won’t be handed to us,” Ashley said “We will have to work very hard to get it and the boys are going to be ready. They are a great bunch of kids and it would be awesome to have them there on the last day of play.”
Ahlborn, Mission’s number one singles player, was crushed in his first set against Cut Bank’s Jace Kimmet – only winning one game – but came back to win the next two sets, 6-4, 6-1.
Ahlborn said that after the first set, he just started focusing on keeping the ball in play.
“I just made sure to be more accurate and make sure they went in for a long time to see who had the most patience,” Ahlborn said after picking up his fourth win in four tries this season.
“He (Ahlborn) is very smart on the tennis court. He not only notices how his opponent plays, but also things like which direction the wind is blowing and how it will affect his shots and little things like that to help give him an advantage in a match,” Ashley said.
Though undefeated in team play, Ahlborn said he still hasn’t hit his stride and maybe played better last year.
“Who knows? I’m still going to try to improve and keep getting better,” said Ahlborn, who defeated Valley Christian’s Shane Kaufman Monday in a 3-3 tie.
If Ahlborn continues to improve, Ashley said he has a chance at playing for the state championship.
“He (Ahlborn) has things to work on and he knows it, but if he works hard and if he will take those little adjustments out to the court he definitely can be there for the championship,” Ashley said, “If he puts in the extra hours after practice and on the weekends for the next couple of weeks, he will be hard to stop.”’
One player that could challenge Ahlborn at the state championship is Mission’s number two single players Wesley Knowlen. Knowlen was all business Friday, wasting no time in dispatching Nathan Voeller, 6-1, 6-1.
“I knew how to hit his (Voeller) forehanded stuff and I just kept smashing it at him,” Knowlen said. “He couldn’t keep up with my groundstrokes,” Knowlen added.
The rout was Knowlen’s third win this season. Knowlen picked up his second win of the season Monday against Valley Christian’s Christopher Manuel. After dropping the first set 5-7, Knowlen cruised in the next two sets, winning both of them 6-1.
While Ahlborn and Knowlen have been solid for the Bulldogs all season, – the two have a combined 7-1 record in team play – Bass Labaisa-Ard and Brian Schock came through with some big wins against Cut Bank. Labaisa-Ard, Mission’s number three singles player, fought hard for his first singles win of the season, coming from behind to defeat Brandon Greco 5-7, 7-5, 6-4. Brian Schock picked up his second win of the season, dropping only three games in a straight set victory over Jeremy Moss.
“We had told them (Labaisa-Ard and Schock) before the matches that we just wanted them to focus hard on how they were going to put each point together. Win or lose, coming off the court they were supposed to leave every ounce of energy out on the court. I think that all of the kids did that,” Ashley said.
In her first full week back from a sprained ankle, Mission’s number two singles player Jane Makepeace picked up two wins. The sophomore defeated Valley Christian’s Sarah Larson 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in a 3-3 tie Monday. Friday, Makepeace won two tiebreakers against Jessica Greenwald to pick up the Lady Bulldogs’ lone win in the dual. Makepeace controlled the backline in the marathon 7-6 (7-3), 7-6, (7-3) victory.
“She (Makepeace) didn’t miss a beat while being gone with her sprained ankle. She is hitting the ball well. She just needs to learn to end her points earlier. She is one of those players that will go out there and play a marathon three-set match, when she probably could have ended it in two by just being a bit more aggressive and knowing when to end the point,” Ashley said, adding that she is very proud of the fight Makepeace showed in her two victories.
Mission’s number one singles player Sarah Bowers defeated Valley Christian’s Hollyn Whittmeir 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 and ended the week with a tough 7-5, 6-3 loss to Cut Bank’s Morgan McDivitt.
Ashley said with Bowers only being a sophomore playing in the number one spot she is mostly going against upper classmen with more experience, who know how to win the close matches. She said Bowers will learn how to focus on one point at a time and pull out the close matches as she gets more matches under her belt.
Mission’s number three singles Rachel Jensen continues to impress her coach. Jensen, a senior playing tennis for the first time this season, picked up another win. Jensen, who had to check the Internet to learn how to hold a racket before the season started, defeated Valley Christian’s Jodie Satterlee 4-6, 6-4, 10-3.
“Rachel is another player that just needs more time on the courts. We will get her playing more during these next couple of weeks so she has more time to let her shots come together with her thinking,” Ashley said. “It will be exciting to see how she does in the end of the year tournaments and divisionals.”
The Bulldogs will travel to Corvallis Saturday with the dual starting at noon. The Lady Bulldogs will host Eureka Saturday. The first match starts at 11.
Summary
Mission 3, Valley Christian 3
Boys: Singles - Spencer Ahlborn, M, def. Shane Kauffman, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1; Geoffrey Glidewell, VC, def. Brian Schock, 6-2, 6-2; Wesley Knowlan, M, def. Christopher Manuel, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1; Nikko Alexander, M, def. Llincoln Palmer, 6-0, 7-6 (9-7):
Doubles - M.Bohlken/J.Potter, VC, def. B.LaBaisa-Ard/P.Alexander, 6-3, 6-4; D.Nurse/J.Kauffman, VC, def. K. Schock/T.Bundy, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.
Mission 3, Valley Christian 3
Girls: Singles - Sarah Bowers , M, def. Hollyn Wittmier, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2; Jane Makepeace, M, def. Sarah Larson, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2; Adrienne Newton , VC, def. Jenny Dillard, 6-4, 6-4; Rachel Jensen, M, def. Jodie Satterlee, 4-6, 6-4, 10-3.
Doubles - H.Cross/T.Pearson, VC, def. B.Hiatt/A.Guinnee 6-1, 2-6; S.King/S.Mollenhoff, VC, def. M.Andres/S.Larsen, 7-6 (7-5) 10-6
Mission 4, Cut Bank 2
Boys: Singles - Spencer Ahlborn, M, def. Jace Kimmet, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1; Wesley Knowlan, M, def. Nathan Voeller, 6-1, 6-1; Pakin LaBaisa-Ard, M, def. Brandon Greco, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4; Brian Schock, M, def. Jeremy Moss, 6-2, 6-1.
Doubles - N.Kavanaugh/J.Hoof, CB, def. X.Streets/N.Alexander, 6-0, 6-1; C.Cooper/D.Johnston, CB, def. T.Bundy/P.Alexander, 2-6, 6-7 (5-7).
Cut Bank 5, Mission 1
Girls: Singles - Morgan McDivitt , CB, def. Sarah Bowers, 7-5, 6-3; Jane Makepeace, M, def. Jessica Greenwald, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4). Emily Anderson, CB, def. Rachel Jensen, 6-2, 6-3; Kayla Kraft, CB, def. Morgan Andres, 6-0, 6-2.
Doubles - A.Cline/B.Bauer, CB, def. B.Hiatt/J.Dillard, 6-2, 6-2; K.Fitzgerald/T.Harvie, CB, def. A.Guinnee/S.Larsen, 6-0, 6-0.
