Glacier netters in the hunt
By EVAN MCCULLERS
The Daily Inter Lake
High school tennis has been everything Maria Frampton expected — and then some.
A tennis player since age 8, Frampton began splitting classes between Whitefish Christian Academy and Glacier this year to give herself the opportunity to join the Wolfpack’s tennis team, which she’s practiced with the past two years.
The experience has already been well worth the effort, she says, and it’s not over yet.
After cruising through her first two matchups at Class AA state tournament on Thursday at The Summit, Frampton enters today’s play two wins away from a state championship in girls singles.
“I’ve had to take on extra classes and do a little bit harder work, but I don’t regret it one bit,” Frampton said. “Being a potential state champion is just kind of icing on the cake of an already great experience.”
To accomplish that feat, though, Frampton must clear a pair of notable hurdles.
Up first — Bozeman’s Heather Sikoski, Frampton’s longtime friend off the court and foe on it.
The two have gone back and forth with each other since they began matching up nearly five years ago, and they met in a singles match earlier this year in Helena. Sikoski, the defending Class AA singles champion, won 7-5, 7-5.
“If you want the championship, you’ve got to go take it from her,” Glacier head coach Josh Munro said. “With a cleaner match, I think (Frampton) can really hang.”
Frampton said she struggled with nerves early in her first state action, but it hardly showed as she breezed to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Bozeman’s Violet Newhouse before dispensing of Billings Senior’s Kristen Kraske 6-1, 6-1.
She accounted for four of Glacier’s seven team points, which is good for fifth place after Day 1. Billings Senior leads with 13 points, and Bozeman and Great Falls CMR are close behind with 11 apiece.
The Glacier boys, buoyed by strong performances by Rory Smith in singles and Tyler Keller and Kyle Buckingham in doubles, are fourth with eight points, just two off the pace set by Billings Senior.
“We handled ourselves well,” Munro said. “We won some tough points and some tough matches.
“We put ourselves in position to give ourselves a chance to get a trophy.”
Smith eased to a 6-3, 6-2 victory in his first-round match before losing in the quarterfinals to Missoula Big Sky’s Liam Johnson. He rebounded, however, to dominate a consolation match 6-0, 6-0.
Keller and Buckingham needed a third-set tiebreaker to escape Bozeman’s Johnny Kamp and Hudson Hart, but the Glacier duo faced little resistance in the quarterfinals, moving on with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Missoula Hellgate’s Henry Stahl and Wyatt Brown.
Keller and Buckingham will face another Bozeman team — Jackson Pedersen and Andrija Martinovic, who are among the favorites to win the state doubles title — in today’s semifinals.
“It’s going to be a battle,” Munro said. “That’s a very good team.”
Morning play on Thursday was on the indoor courts at The Summit due to inclement weather, but workers were able to dry the outdoor courts at Flathead Valley Community College — the originally scheduled site of the tournament — in time for the afternoon matches. Despite rain in the early-morning forecast today, play is expected to begin outdoors at 8 a.m. at FVCC.
“We need a few things to fall our way, but there’s a lot of wild cards in play,” Munro said of his teams’ chances of capturing a team trophy. “Those medal rounds are worth so many points that somebody can sneak up.”
Class AA State Tennis
Flathead Valley Community College and
The Summit
Thursday
Girls
Team scores — Billings Senior 10, Missoula Hellgate 9, Bozeman 9, Glacier 8, Helena 8, Missoula Sentinel 8, Billings Skyview 6, Missoula Big Sky 4, Helena Capital 2.
Singles
Round 1 — Gigi Montague, BSR, def. Lily Wright, HELG, 6-2, 6-3; Mackenzie George, CMR, def. Emma Hasquet, HEL, 6-4, 6-3; Gail Parambi, CMR, def. Elle Zilis, BOZ, 6-4, 6-3; Meredith Murdock, SENT, def. Catherine Follette, BWES, default; Maria Frampton, GLAC, def. Violet Newhouse, BOZ, 6-3, 6-2; Kristen Kraske, BSR, def. Jade Sautter, MBSK, 7-5, 6-2; Stevi Parker, BWES, def. Maya Nguyen-Haberneski, HELG, 6-3, 7-5; Heather Sikoski, BOZ, def. Anna Johnson, GFA, 6-2, 6-2.
Quarterfinals — Mackenzie George, CMR, def. Gigi Montague, BSR, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3; Gail Parambi, CMR, def. Meredith Murdock, SENT, 6-0, 6-2; Maria Frampton, GLAC, def. Kristen Kraske, BSR, 6-1, 6-1; Heather Sikoski, BOZ, def. Stevi Parker, BWES, 6-0, 6-1.
Consolation Round 1 — Emma Hasquet, HEL, def. Lily Wright, HELG, 6-2, 6-1; Elle Zilis, BOZ, def. default; Violet Newhouse, BOZ, def. Jade Sautter, MBSK, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Anna Johnson, GFA, def. Maya Nguyen-Haberneski, HELG, 7-5, 6-3.
Consolation Round 2 — Meredith Murdock, SENT, def. Emma Hasquet, HEL, 7-6(8), 6-3; Gigi Montague, BSR, def. Elle Zilis, BOZ, 7-5, 6-1; Stevi Parker, BWES, def. Violet Newhouse, BOZ, 6-0, 6-2; Kristen Kraske, BSR, def. Anna Johnson, GFA, 6-2, 6-2.
Doubles
Round 1 — Makenzy Gilsdorf/Annie Woods, BSR, def. Hailey Little/Meredith Shockley, GFA, 6-2, 6-3; Kate Koenig/Maya Heffernan, HELG, def. Destiny Soennichsen/Keeley Pochervina, BU, 6-4, 6-4; Bridget Powers/Fiona Powers, CAP, def. Emma Webster/Emma Peasley, HELG, 6-3, 6-2; Ally Dube/Lauren Rich, CMR, def. Maddie Bach/Madi Peete, BSR, 6-2, 6-3; Olivia Panarella/Hannah Worden, HELG, def. Bree Luther/Rosie Mokwa, BOZ, 6-2, 6-2; Ashley Bough/Leslie Pazmino, BSR, def. Madlynn Dickoff/Sydney Meier, CMR, 6-2, 6-2; McKenna Johnson/Maggie Rudbach, GLAC, def. Hailey Carlson/Jenny Guzman, BSKV, 7-6, 6-3; Annika Linkenbach/Laurel Ward, BOZ, def. Cassie Farago/Brookie Gee, MBSK, 6-2, 6-2.
Quarterfinals — Makenzy Gilsdorf/Annie Woods, BSR, def. Kate Koenig/Maya Heffernan, HELG, 6-0, 6-1; Bridget Powers/Fiona Powers, CAP, def. Ally Dube/Lauren Rich, CMR, 7-5, 7-6(3); Olivia Panarella/Hannah Worden, HELG, def. Ashley Bough/Leslie Pazmino, BSR, 6-1, 6-1; Annika Linkenbach/Laurel Ward, BOZ, def. McKenna Johnson/Maggie Rudbach, GLAC, 6-1, 6-0.
Consolation Round 1 — Destiny Soennichsen/Keeley Pochervina, BU, def. Hailey Little/Meredith Shockley, GFA, 6-2, 6-4; Emma Webster/Emma Peasley, HELG, def. Maddie Bach/Madi Peete, BSR, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5; Bree Luther/Rosie Mokwa, BOZ, def. Madlynn Dickoff/Sydney Meier, CMR, 6-0, 6-0; Hailey Carlson/Jenny Guzman, BSKV, def. Cassie Farago/Brookie Gee, MBSK, 7-5, 6-4.
Consolation Round 2 — Ally Dube/Lauren Rich, CMR, def. Destiny Soennichsen/Keeley Pochervina, BU, 6-1, 6-4; Kate Koenig/Maya Heffernan, HELG, def. Emma Webster/Emma Peasley, HELG, 6-1, 7-5; McKenna Johnson/Maggie Rudbach, GLAC, def. Bree Luther/Rosie Mokwa, BOZ, 6-2, 6-2; Ashley Bough/Leslie Pazmino, BSR, def. Hailey Carlson/Jenny Guzman, BSKV, 6-4, 6-7(6-8), 7-6(7-4).
Boys
Team scores — Billings Senior 13, Great Falls CMR 11, Bozeman 11, Missoula Hellgate 8, Glacier 7, Helena Capital 4, Billings West 3, Missoula Sentinel 3, Butte 1, Great Falls 1, Helena 1, Billings Skyview 1.
Singles
Round 1 — Jay Montague, BSR, def. Ethan Hawkins, FLAT, 6-2, 6-2; Connor D’Angelo, SENT, def. Clayton Ryerson, HEL, 7-5, 6-2; Liam Johnson, MBSK, def. Alex Hanson, CAP, 6-4, 6-3; Rory Smith, GLAC, def. Andy Bough, BSR, 6-3, 6-2; Jake Treece, SENT, def. Andrew Meyer, BOZ, 6-4, 6-3; Jesse Dimich-Louvet, BSR, def. Dustin Hassell, CMR, 6-3, 6-2; Aiden Binau, BSKC, def. Andrew Davidson, GFA, 6-2, 6-2; Cory Bowlby, HEL, def. Austin Moseley, HELG, 7-5, 6-4.
Quarterfinals — Jay Montague, BSR, def. Connor D’Angelo, SENT, 6-2, 6-4; Liam Johnson, MBSK, def. Rory Smith, GLAC, 7-5, 6-4; Jesse Dimich-Louvet, BSR, def. Jake Treece, SENT, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2; Cory Bowlby, HEL, def. Aiden Binau, BSKV, 6-2, 6-0.
Consolation Round 1 — Clayton Ryerson, HEL, def. Ethan Hawkins, FLAT, 6-1, 6-4; Alex Hanson, CAP, def. Andy Bough, BSR, 6-0, 6-0; Andrew Meyer, BOZ, def. Dustin Hassell, CMR, 6-2, 6-0; Austin Moseley, HELG, def. Andrew Davidson, GFA, 6-2, 6-4.
Consolation Round 2 — Rory Smith, GLAC, def. Clayton Ryerson, HEL, 6-0, 6-0; Alex Hanson, CAP, def. Connor D’Angelo, SENT, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Aiden Binau, BSKV, def. Andrew Meyer, BOZ, 7-6(5), 6-0; Austin Moseley, HELG, def. Jake Treece, SENT, 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles
Round 1 — Ben Ebel/Trevor Dillon, BSKV, def. Henry Ledyard/River Duce, HELG, 7-6, 6-2; Tal Rogers/Levi Collins, BOZ, def. Logan Hill/Drew Engellant, GLAC, 6-4, 6-3; Alex Seburn/Evan Martin, HEL, def. Morgan Cordell/Hunter Watterud, GLAC, 6-4, 6-4; Ethan Violette/Cody Curtis, SENT, def. Cody Brunner/Caden Senitte, BSKV, 6-2, 6-4; Tyler Keller/Kyle Buckingham, GLAC, def. Johnny Kamp/Hudson Hart, BOZ, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5); Henry Stahl/Wyatt Brown, HELG, def. Bo Henderson/Connor Eaton, BSR, 6-2, 6-7(1), 6-3; Jesse Howard/Cole Tolleson-Knee, HELG, def. Marko Foster/Cash Taylor, BSR, 6-2, 6-2; Jackson Pedersen/Andrija Martinovic, BOZ, def. Luke Wyman/Logan Reiman, GFA, 6-4, 6-2.
Quarterfinals — Tal Rogers/Levi Collins, BOZ, def. Ben Ebel/Trevor Dillon, BSKV, 7-5, 6-4; Ethan Violette/Cody Curtis, SENT, def. Alex Seburn/Evan Martin, HEL, 6-2, 6-0; Tyler Keller/Kyle Buckingham, GLAC, def. Henry Stahl/Wyatt Brown, HELG, 6-4, 6-2; Jackson Pedersen/Andrija Martinovic, BOZ, def. Jesse Howard/Cole Tolleson-Knee, HELG, 6-2, 6-3.
Consolation Round 1 — Henry Ledyard/River Duce, HELG, def. Logan Hill/Drew Engellant, GLAC, 7-5, 6-2; Morgan Cordell/Hunter Watterud, GLAC, def. Cody Brunner/Caden Senitte, BSKV, 6-4, 7-6(3); Bo Henderson/Connor Eaton, BSR, def. Johnny Kamp/Hudson Hart, BOZ, 6-1, 6-4; Marko Foster/Cash Taylor, BSR, def. Luke Wyman/Logan Reiman, GFA, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Consolation Round 2 — Alex Seburn/Evan Martin, HEL, def. Henry Ledyard/River Duce, HELG, 7-5, 6-3; Ben Ebel/Trevor Dillon, BSKV, def. Morgan Cordell/Hunter Watterud, GLAC, 6-4, 7-6(7-0); Jesse Howard/Cole Tolleson-Knee, HELG, def. Bo Henderson/Connor Eaton, BSR, 6-4, 6-2; Henry Stahl/Wyatt Brown, HELG, def. Marko Foster/Cash Taylor, BSR, 6-3, 6-1.