Getts, Ronish runners-up at state tennis tournament

The script for the boys doubles division of the Class A State Tennis Tournament could not have been written any better. Yes, Columbia Falls seniors Grant Getts and Jake Ronish finished second rather than first, but it was getting to the championship match that meant the most.

Getts and Ronish defeated Kyle Massick and Ryan Burke of Billings Central 6-0, 6-3 in the first round. In the quarterfinals Getts and Ronish again won in straight sets, topping Josh Chavez and John Sweeney of Park County, 6-2, 6-4.

Competition got tougher for C-Falls' dynamic duo in the semifinals, but Getts and Ronish advanced to the finals with a 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4 victory over DJ Kamp and Derek Bartel of Fergus High School. It was their first three-set match of the season.

"It was a really good match-up," Wildcat coach Gary Yee said. "Toward the end there was quite a bit of pressure." And Getts and Ronish handled the pressure well.

Kyle Miller and Mason Sheppard of Havre took the first set in the title match, 6-4, but Getts and Ronish forced a third set with a 6-3 win. The deciding set went down to the wire, with Miller and Sheppard squeaking out a 7-6 win, taking seven of the 11 games in the tie-breaker.

"It was truly deserving of a championship match, clearly the best two teams on the court," Yee said.

"We definitely felt we deserved to be there," Getts said of playing for the state title. "We lost in a third-set tie-breaker and it doesn't get any better than that. Both teams were on fire. Lots of people were cheering for both sides and the atmosphere was really fun."

"We had a good draw in the first round and that helped," Ronish said. "We got a feel for it. We settled in and played our game."

Ronish agreed that the most pressure was in the semifinals.

"After we won that match the pressure was off. There was nothing to lose," he said.

It was Getts' third time in the state tournament, and Ronish was making his debut.

"We had a great run. We kept getting better and better every week and played our best match in the championship," Getts said.