Bowers, Hiatt team up to take bronze at divisionals
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BIGFORK — The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs ended the regular season on opposite notes.
While the Lady Bulldogs were scuffling at the Western B-C Divisional in Bigfork with only their number one doubles earning a spot at the state tournament this weekend, the Bulldogs were running away with Best of the West title and will enter the state tournament with a head full of steam.
Sarah Bowers and Becky Hiatt finished third at the two-day tournament in Bigfork, defeating Bigfork’s Wicklund and Stalknecht 6-4, 6-2 in the consolation match. It was the second time that Bowers and Hiatt beat the Bigfork duo. They opened the tournament with a convincing straight-set victory over the two Vals, which set them against Troy’s Jackie Pepiot and Taea Duzan in the second round.
Bowers and Hiatt came back from a 4-1 deficit to win the first set 6-4 and were only one game away from playing in the championship, but let the two Lady Trojans off the hook in the second set. Leading 5-1, Bowers and Hiatt couldn’t put Pepiot and Duzan away and watched them win six straight games and then win the final set 7-5.
Mission coach Kimimi Ashley said just that moment of mental lapse of not closing out the set was the difference in the match.
Jane Makepeace, Mission’s number one singles player, was the only other Lady Bulldog to pick up a win at the divisional tournament. Makepeace beat Eureka’s Veda Henion 6-4, 6-2 in the opening round, but was eliminated with a 7-5, 6-2 loss to Bigfork’s Carolina Tietzel.
The Bulldogs hosted Bigfork, Troy and Valley Christian in the Best of the West Tournament Saturday and came away with three first-place finishes in the singles and one first-place finish in the doubles to claim the championship.
Spencer Ahlborn went 3-0 at the tournament, losing only one set in the process to win the number one singles bracket. Mission’s number two singles player Wesley Knowlan also went 3-0 to claim his division. Knowlan needed a third-set tiebreaker to win his first two matches, he defeated Valley Christian’s Josiah Petersen 10-8 and Bigfork’s Colter Mahlum 10-3.
Mission also won the number three singles division, Bass Labaisa-Ard also used a third-set tiebreaker to win his first two matches. Xavier Streets recovered from a three-set loss to John Lyon, by winning his next two matches in straight sets to finish in second in the number four singles division.
Trail Bundy and Paden Alexander went 3-0 to win the number two doubles division.
Ashley said that with the Bulldogs performance at the tournament she is excited to see how they will do at the state tournament.
“We have said all year that the team championship won’t be handed to anyone this year and there are a lot of teams that could be on for that moment,” Ashley said, adding that the Bulldogs have been putting in the extra effort at practice and are working as a team to become state champions.
“One boy can’t do it, the boys will need to go in as one unit all working towards the same goal and who knows?” Ashley said.
Summary
Girls
Western B Divisional Tournament
Bigfork, MT. May 14-15, 2010
Singles:First round - Karina Hofstee, E, def. Jennifer Dillard, M, 6-3, 6-2; Angela Bailey, E, def. Rachel Jensen, M, 6-2, 6-1; Jane Makepeace, M, def. Veda Henion, E, 6-4, 6-2; Casey Armstrong, E, def. Morgan Andres, M, 6-1, 6-0.
Second round - Tietzel def. Makepeace 7-5, 6-2;
Doubles:
First round - Stein/Taurman, E, def. Guinnee/Hvorest, M, 6-2, 6-1; Bowers/Hiatt, M, def. Wicklund/Stallknecht, BF, 6-2, 6-1
Second round - Pepiot/Duzan, T, def. Bowers/Hiatt, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.
Third Place: Bowers/Hiatt (M) def. Wicklund/Stallknecht, BF, 6-4, 6-2
Boys
Best of the West Tournament
St. Ignatius, MT. May 15, 2010
# 1 Singles - Spencer Ahlborn, M, def. Shane Kauffman, VC, 6-2, 6-2; Ahlborn, M, def. Bridger Mahlum, BF, 3-6, 7-5, 10-6; Ahlborn, M, def. Jake Higgins, T, 6-2, 6-3; Kauffman, VC, def. Higgins, T, 6-7, 7-6, 10-6; Mahlum, BF, def. Kauffman, VC, 6-2, 6-2; Mahlum, BF, def. Higgins, T, 6-3, 6-4.
#2 Singles - Wesley K Knowlan, M, def. Josiah Petersen, VC, 6-3, 3-6, 10-8; Knowlan, M, def. Colter Mahlum, BF, 6-3, 5-7, 10-3; Knowlan, M, def. Pat Hickman, T, 6-3, 6-4; Petersen, VC, def. Mahlum, BF, 5-7, 6-4, 10-5; Petersen, VC, def. Hickman, T, 7-5, 6-4; Mahlum, BF, def. Hickman, T, 6-3, 6-3
#3 Singles - Bass Labaisa-ard, M, def. Chris Manuel, VC, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; Bass Labaisa-Ard, M, def. Dillon Richenbach, BF, 4-6, 7-6(7-5), 10-7; Labaisa-Ard, M, def. Jeffrey Rebo, T, 6-4, 6-2; Chris Manuel, VC, def. Rebo, T, 6-4, 6-4; Dillon Richenbach, BF, Manuel, VC, 6-2, 6-2
Richenbach, BF, def. Rebo, T, 6-3, 6-3
#4 Singles - John Lyon, BF, def. Xavier Streets, M, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-4; Lyon, BF, def. Lincoln Palmer, VC, 7-5, 6-4; Lyon, BF, def. Paden Alexander, T, 6-4, 6-2; Streets, M, def. Palmer, VC, 6-2, 6-4; Streets, M, def. Alexander, T, 6-3, 6-4; Alexander, T, def. Lincoln Palmer, VC, 4-6, 6-2, 10-7.
#1 Doubles: Gamballa/Jordt, BF, def. Potter/Bohlken, VC, 6-3, 6-2; Gamballa/Jordt, BF, def. Hoffman/Hoffman, T, 4-6, 6-3, 10-4; Potter/Bohlken, VC, def. Schock/Schock, M, 6-4, 6-3; Potter/Bohlken, VC, def. Hoffman/Hoffman, T, 6-4, 6-2; Schock/Schock, M, def. Gemballa/Jordt, BF, 6-4, 2-6, 10-7; Hoffman/Hoffman, T, def. Schock/Schock, M, 5-7, 6-4, 10-6.
#2 Doubles - Bundy/Alexander, M, def. Kauffman/Norberg, VC, 7-6(9-7), 7-6(12-10); Bundy Alexander, M, def. Roberson/Roessman (BG) 6-4, 6-3; Bundy/Alexander, M, def. Winslow/Orr, T, 6-4, 4-6, 10-7; Kauffman/Norberg, C, def. Roberson/Roessman, BF, 4-6, 6-4, 10-7;Kauffman/Norberg, VC, def. Winslow/Orr, T, 6-2, 4-6, 10-5
Winslow/Orr,T,def. Roberson/Roessman.
