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In St. Ignatius, tennis is synonymous with family

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ST. IGNATIUS — Tennis is a unique sport in that it affords athletes the opportunity to play their entire lives. Sara Ison and Kimimi Ashley know this well. A mother-daughter tennis-coaching duo, the pair has coached St. Ignatius tennis teams for a combined 14 years. 

“It’s fun; I definitely love it,” Ashley said of having the opportunity to coach alongside family. “It’s nice to be able to see (Sara) every day during the tennis season, and we don’t usually get to do that ... tennis has always been a big part of my family, so it’s special for us to be able to share coaching together.”

Ashley said this year’s team is one of the largest she’s ever coached, adding that the high number of athletes is a good thing because, “The new people are younger kids. They can be here for four years and they’re also very competitive.”

Ashley’s goal for the season has little to do with winning and losing, but everything to do with the young players. 

“I think this year we’re concentrating more on getting the young players to have the correct form and buy into the program for future years,” Ashley said. “A lot of them are walking out as freshmen and playing more experienced players. When they come back next year, we want them to be the ones everyone is looking toward.”

On such player, Karl Daniels, is the No. 1 singles player on Mission’s team this year. Ashley said the biggest difference between last year and this year is his maturity and confidence level.

“I think he really wants to do well at state, and I believe that he can get to the finals at state, but he has to believe that. He’s much more coachable this year and he’s stepped up as a leader on the court,” Ashley said. 

Andrew Esslinger, a freshman, said the season was going well and that he hopes to continue playing for years to come. 

“I’m definitely going to stick with (tennis,)” he said. “It’s a sport I can really connect with and it’s a stress reliever. It’s competitive but it’s a lot of fun.”

Ison, coach of the girl’s squad, said this year was very different, having lost many of her team leaders and top players to graduation. However, several athletes are stepping up into leadership rolls. 

“They’re doing well now that we’re a little farther into the season,” Ison said. “They’re having to learn how to step up and be leaders of the team and everything that comes with it.”

Ison singled out three juniors — Briar Ahlborn, Kayla Billette and Sierra Dougherty — as leaders on the court.

“They’re more comfortable now,” she said. “In the beginning of the season, I think it was a little scary and intimidating to them, but (Ahlborn) especially has definitely risen. She’s more confident and seeing herself as the top player.”

Ahlborn said her father got her into playing tennis. Her brother, Spencer, won state two years in a row and, at the behest of her dad, she joined Mission’s tennis team. 

“My dad loved watching me play,” she said. “He said, ‘Give it a shot,’ and I said, ‘OK, dad, for you.’ He really liked watching us play, and that’s the only sport I actually had fun in, but out of all the sports he watched me and my brother play, tennis was his favorite to watch.”

Ahlborn’s father has since passed away, but she keeps playing because she loves the sport, and it connects her with her father.

“He wanted me to play tennis, and every time I play, it makes me feel closer to my dad,” she said. “Every time I slam a ball, I feel closer to my dad. It’s like a little memorial thing for me. I play because my dad wanted me to.”

In a big week for St. Ignatius tennis, the girl’s team rolled over Eureka and Troy by scores of 4-2, tied Bigfork with a score of 3-3 and lost to Ronan 3-2. 

“The girls made a huge improvement against Loyola,” Ison said. “The week before, all but one of them lost pretty badly to Loyola. This week, we got two wins and the other two losses from the singles were very close.”

Ison also praised Ahlborn and Dougherty for their wins in close matches against Troy opponents. 

The boy’s side suffered hard-fought losses to Ronan, Troy, and Loyola before roundly beating Bigfork. Ashley seemed determined with the divisional and state tournaments coming up. 

“The boys team is lead by junior Karl Daniels who has nine wins and two losses on the season,” Ashley said. “Karl is playing well and is looking forward to the Loyola tournament that will feature many other state level players this weekend.”

Ashley said the Loyola tournament will be a good barometer for what the team needs to focus on during the weeks before the state tournament. 

 

Girls 

 

vs Loyola 

Singles - #1 Jocelyn Caldwell (L) def Briar Ahlborn (SI) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2

#2 Casey Cummins (L) def Kayla Billette (SI) 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-0)

#3 Cierra Dougherty (SI) def Kalley Hocker (L) 6-1, 6-2

#4 Daisie VandenBos (SI) def Megan McCue (L) 6-3, 6-0

Doubles - Shannon Eppard/Olivia Round (L) def Haleigh Bontrager/Robyn Mitchell (SI) 6-0, 6-4

 

vs. Ronan

Singles - #1 Sarah Anderson (R) def Kayla Billette (SI) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5

#2 Cierra Dougherty (SI) def Hannah Bird Ratter (R) 6-0, 6-4

#3 Daisie VandenBos (SI) def Samantha Ashley (R) 6-0, 6-4

#4 Shannon Saint (R) def Haleigh Bontrager (SI) 6-1, 6-2

#2 Amber Quequesah/Hannah Kiehn (R) won by default

 

vs. Troy 

Singles - #1 Briar Ahlborn (SI) def Holli Higgins (T) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2

#2 Cierra Dougherty (SI) def Jordan Williams (T) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5

#3 Kayla Billette (SI) def Alissa Pepiot (T) 6-2, 6-2

#4 Daisie VandenBos (SI) def Azure Steven (T) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles - #1 Katie Lundin/Kellie Lundin (T) won by default

#2 Kasey Faur/Natesha O’Neil (T) won by default

 

vs Eureka

Singles - #1 Kathryn Stein (E) def Briar Ahlborn (SI) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1

#2 Cierra Dougherty (SI) def Bethany Bahlman (E) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2

#3 Kayla Billette (SI) won by default

#4 Daisie VandenBos (SI) def Shae’den Stette (E) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles - #1 Megan Duram/Courtney Harmon (E) won by default

#2 Haleigh Bontrager/Pia Zitzlaff (SI) def Claudia Naumer/Chrissy Nimnicht (E) 6-4, 6-2

 

vs. Bigfork

Singles

#1 Briar Ahlborn (SI) def Shelby Scoggins (B) 7-5, 5-7, 6-3

#2 Alanis Stalknecht (B) def Cierra Dougherty (SI) 6-1, 6-0

#3 Kayla Billette (SI) def Lana Berg (B) 4-6, 6-1 forfeit due to injury

#4 Daisie VandenBos (SI) def Alex Hider (B) 6-1, 6-4

Doubles

#1 Madison Fraley/Brooke Bonner (B) won by default

#2 Alauna Weilacher/Kayla Casalegno (B) def Haleigh Bontrager/Pia Zitzlaff (SI) 6-2, 6-1

 

Boys 

Ronan 4, St. Ignatius 2

Singles - Karl Daniels, S, Def. Ronny Cullis 6-0, 6-1; Fisher Shima, R, def. Chris Camel, 6-0, 6-1; Logan Soukala, R, def. Robbie Erickson, 6-1,6-3; Joey Dresen, R, def. Wyatt Decker, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles - Daniel Aylesworth/Tyler Anderson, R, def. Jamie Mullins/Nate Doll, 6-4, 6-2; Andrew Esslinger/Steven Bravo, S, def. Ethan Blevins/Colton Roullier, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2

 

Troy 5, St. Ignatius 1

Singles - Karl Daniels, S, def. Bruce Metz, 6-1, 6-4; Andrew Haggerty, T, def. Katz Yelsa, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5); Michael Goe, T, def. Troy Bontrager, 7-5, 6-1; Dominic Chiaverini, T, def. Andrew Esslinger, 6-2, 6-2

Doubles - Gunner Jordan/Austin Duve, T, def. Nate Doll/Jamie Mullins, 6-2,6-2; Jeremy Hemlick/Spencer Swimley, T, def. Steven Bravo/Nick Johnson, 6-4, 6-2

 

St. Ignatius 5, Bigfork 1 

Singles - Karl Daniels, S, def. Guvandre Agugamayeve, 7-5, 6-3; Logan Lamm, B, def. Robb Erickson, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2; Troy Bontrager, S, def. Gunnar Bose, 7-5, 6-4; Steven Oliver, S, def. Gunnar Bose, 6-4, 6-1

Doubles - Katz Yelsa/Andrew Esslinger, S, won by forfeit; Jamie Mullins/Nate Doll, s, won by forfeit. 

 

Loyola Sacred Heart 5, St. Ignatius 1

 

Singles - Kalen Christiaens, L, def. Karl Daniels, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4; Matt Roberts, L,

def. Robbie Erickson, 6-0, 6-0; Eric Williams, L, def. Troy Bontrager, 6-3, 6-3;

Andrew Esslinger, S, def. Conner Camp, 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles - Zach Burke/Teddy Muth, L, def. Chris Camel/Katz Yelsa, 6-1, 6-3; Turner

Hruby/Alex Menendez, L, def. Jamie Mullins/Nate Doll, 6-1, 6-3.

 

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