Harris wins state after tough final match

Whitefish's Matt Harris ended his prep tennis career in style at the Class A state tennis championship held at Flathead Valley Community College on May 21-22. The boys team placed third, after Billings Central and Havre.

Harris, unbeaten in Class A play this spring, won his third state singles title with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Ben Nearpass, of Billings Central. Harris won a state title last year in doubles play.

"It's been an amazing four years," he said. "I can't ask for anything more."

Harris advanced with ease on the first day of the championship meet.

"It started out as a pretty easy day," Harris said. "But give that kid (Ethan Selig, of Hamilton) credit. He's only been playing tennis for one year and he made it to state, which is amazing."

Harris said he was more than satisfied with the way his first day went.

"It's nice to have two very relaxing matches, not full of stress," he said. "Tomorrow is when the intense competition starts. It's time to buckle down."

Whitefish, the defending boys state champs, lost their doubles team, Matt Whitehead and Zachariah Deister, on the first day, but still had Tanner Hosek in action in the consolation quarterfinals.

"It was a successful day," Whitefish coach Kathy Cummings said. "We would have liked to have hung on to the doubles team. But it was a great day, the kids played well."

Nearpass, who defeated Hosek, 6-4, 0-6, won the first game in the first set of the championship match with Harris. Harris, however, used finesse and power to dash any hope Nearpass had of pulling off an upset.

"He came out swinging. I got caught off-guard," Harris said. "With someone that athletic, you need to move him to the outside of the court."

Harris delighted watchers, and even Nearpass, with a successful between the legs return late in the second set. Nearpass, however, won that volley.

"By far, by far, the best I've played all year," Harris said. "The best match I've played in a long time."

For the girls, Kate Klundt won her first match, defeating Abby Knab, of Fergus, 6-3, 6-4. She lost in the second round match and the consolation match.

The girls doubles team, Anne Miller and McCara Cullen, lost to Jessica Robinson and Lindsay Sebastian, of Billings Central, in the first round and lost in the consolation round.

Boys

Team Totals — Billings Central 31, Havre 26, Whitefish 21, Fergus 15, Columbia Falls 13, Corvallis 13, Bigfork 9, Park 4, Dawson 3, Hamilton 3, Stevensville 1, Libby 0

Singles — First Round, Tanner Hosek, Whitefish, def. Spencer Fehr, Corvallis, 6–4, 6–7, 6–3; Matt Harris, Whitefish, def. Ethan Selig, Hamilton, 6–0, 6–1; Second Round, Nearpass def. Hosek, 6-4, 0-6, 6-3; Harris def. Geering, 6–2, 6–1; Consolation, Hosek def. Selig, 6-2, 6-0; Semifinals, Harris, def. Shane Parker, Fergus, 6–1, 6–0; Championship, Harris def. Nearpass, 6-3, 6-1; Consolation Quarterfinals, Shane Kemmer, Havre, def. Hosek, 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles — First Round, Matt Whitehead/Zachariah Deister, Whitefish, def. Deric Holden/Scott Athas, Dawson County, 6-0,6-4; Second Round, Miller/Sheppard def. Whitehead/Deister, 6–4, 6–2; Consolation, Massick/Burke def. Whitehead/Deister 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Girls

Team Totals

Havre 29, Billings Central 27, Libby 19, Dillon 15, Corvallis 10, Hamilton 9, Polson 7, Fergus 7, Park 5, Custer 5, Dawson 3, Whitefish 2, Stevensville 1, Anaconda 0, Bigfork 0

Singles — Kate Klundt, Whitefish, def. Abby Knab, Fergus, 6-3, 6-4; Second Round, Conwell def. Klundt, 3–6, 7–5, 6–1; Consolation, Pffhausen def. Klundt, 6-1, 6-4.

Doubles — First Round, Jessica Robinson/Lindsay Sebastian, Billings Central, def. Anne Miller/McCara Cullen, Whitefish, 6-2, 6-1; Consolation, Monger/Kindred def. Miller/Cullen, 6-0, 6-4.