Ronan and Eureka also fall to Whitefish teams on Saturday

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

It was a beautiful sunny day in Whitefish on Friday as the Bulldog High School tennis teams took on their cross-valley rivals, Columbia Falls.

The Lady Bulldogs dispatched the Lady Wildkats 7-0, while the Whitefish boys earned a 6-1 win.

Whitefish's Brielle Menegazzi battled Sarah Marcille for 2 hours and 15 minutes.

"It was a marathon match," head coach Kathy Cummings said. "There were several long rallies. It was backboard play — they were just returning everything. Sarah Marcille is a very strong player, and when you play someone like that, you just have to be patient."

Menegazzi prevailed in the struggle, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.

"That's why we condition," Cummings said of the battle.

Cummings said she's pleased with the progress her squad is making every week.

"So far, we're playing quite well. We just have to keep working," she said.

On Saturday, the Whitefish boys earned a 6-1 victory over Ronan, and the girls won 5-2. The ladies also escaped with a 4-3 win over the Eureka Lady Lions later on Saturday afternoon.

Cummings said she saw some heart from some younger girls who hadn't played before.

"Bailey Chauner and Chloe Malmquist played very solid. It was their first time out, and I was very pleased," she said.

Chauner and Malmquist earned a 6-2, 6-2 doubles victor over Brittaney Drake and Haley Wolston.

The Whitefish tennis teams take on Bigfork at home Thursday, April 17 (today), at 4 p.m.

Girls

Whitefish 7, Columbia Falls 0

Singles: Brielle Menegazzi (W) def. Sarah Marcille 4-6, 6-2, 6-4; Kate Klundt (W) def. Laura Burgi 6-0, 6-0; McCara Cullen (W) def. Lydia Freeman 6-0, 6-0, Courtney Wilder (W) def. Lexie Butkowski 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles: Steffi Osfand/Becca Rozar (W) def. Shelby Hobbs/Stephanie Raymond 6-4, 6-1; Chelsi Bergensmith/Ellie Opal (W) def. Frankie Anderson/Shiloh Knudsen 6-2, 6-3; Hannah Weaver/Almira Sekerci (W) def. Cassandra Sago/Pepper Borland 6-0, 6-0.

Boys

Whitefish 6, Columbia Falls 1

Singles: Matt Harra (W) def. Scott Hopkins 6-0, 6-0; Renzo Caimi (W) def. Billy Garcia 6-0 6-0, Tanner Hasek (W) Mark Johnson 6-0 6-0, Tim Spencer (CF) def. Ian Cantrell 6-1 6-2.

Doubles: Ian Hosek/Ryan Rottenbiller (W) def. Jake Roush/Grant Gett 6-1 6-4, Kyle Jacobson/Trey Lagrandere (W) def. Cody Maynard/George Kimmerly 7-5 6-2; Matt Whitehead/Zachariah Deister (W) def. Jon Riffer/Joel Ballard 6-2, 6-0.