Vikings sweep Wildcats

By FAITH MOLDAN

Bigfork Eagle

Sweep. That’s starting to be a common occurrence for the Bigfork High School boys’ tennis team.

The Vikings swept the Columbia Falls Wildcats Saturday, May 5 in Bigfork. Bigfork lost the one junior varsity match played.

The Wildcats had to forefeit the No. 2 and 3 singles matches because those players were out of town. With a 2-0 advantage, the Vikes jumped on the Cats in the remaining two singles matches.

Sean Barrett won at No. 1 singles. He topped Billy Garcia in two sets 6-4, 6-1. David Meyers also won his match. He beat Matt Busick in the No. 4 singles match 6-1, 6-1.

“Everybody played real well,” Bigfork coach Matt Porrovecchio said.

The doubles teams kept things interesting and close against Columbia Falls.

No. 1 doubles team Kainoa Lake and Owen Roberts won in two close sets 6-4, 6-3. They beat Grant Getts and Cody Maynard.

Travis Boughton and Scott Taylor needed a tie-breaker in their match against Wesley Jackson and Jake Ronish. They topped the Cats 6-1 in the first set and edged them out 7-6 with an 8-6 tie-breaker in the second set.

Bigfork’s No. 3 doubles team Jordan Sabo and Bridger Mahlum won as well. Sabo and Mahlum beat Ian Gordon and Eric Schaefer 6-1, 6-0.

Dylan Richmond and Tyler Butts, who won their singles matches by forfeit, teamed up for the junior varsity doubles match.

“It was a pickup-game more than anything,” Porrovecchio said. “They hadn’t played together before.”

Richmond and Butts fell 10-4 in a 10-game pro-set against Grant Getts and Cody Maynard.

The Vikings were originally scheduled to play in Columbia Falls, but the meet was moved to Bigfork to allow for more court space.

“We appreciate Columbia Falls coming down and playing on our courts. It went smooth,” Porrovecchio said. “Their kids were real polite and all were playing real hard.”

The Vikes wrap up their regular-season schedule May 12 agaisnt Polson and Whitefish. Tennis action starts in Bigfork at 10 a.m. with the Polson Pirates and continues at 1 p.m. with the Whitefish Bulldogs.

Boys

Bigfork 7, Columbia Falls 0

Singles — Sean Barrett, B, def. Billy Garcia, 6-4, 6-1; Dylan Richmond, B, won by default; Tyler Butts, B, won by default; David Myers, B, def. Matt Busick, 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles — Kainoa Lake/Owen Roberts, B, def. Grant Getts/Cody Maynard, 6-4, 6-3; Travis Boughton/Scott Taylor, B, def. Wesley Jackson/Jake Ronish, 6-1, 7-6 (8-6); Jordan Sabo/Bridger Mahlum, B, def. Ian Gordon/Eric Schaefer, 6-1, 6-0.