Boys tennis second in Northwest A

Every serve mattered. Every volley counted.

Just three points separated the top three teams at the boys Northwest A divisional tennis tournament last weekend in Libby. Whitefish did just enough to take second with 39 points. Libby won the conference crown with 140 points and Polson took third with 138.

Whitefish coach Chris Schwaderer knew only one point separated the Dogs and Loggers as the final match of the tournament played out.

“It was really exciting to watch,” he said. “We could have easily been in third or first place.”

The Dogs will send two singles players and a doubles team to the State A tournament this weekend in Missoula.

Freshman Max Smyley made it to the divisional championship match with a strong run through the bracket. He finally fell to Libby’s No. 1 Walter Briones 6-2, 6-1 to place second.

“The score doesn’t indicate it, but Max played an amazing match,” Schwaderer said. “It was a real slugfest. It was beautiful to watch.”

Whitefish’s No. 3 Eric Holdhusen made a surprise surge to place fourth at the tourney. He defeated Polson’s No. 1 seed in the consolation semifinals to punch his ticket to state.

“He stepped up and played well above his seed,” Schwaderer said. “He drops the first set, then comes back to win in last two. It’s impressive to see this freshman with such composure.”

On the doubles side, Chaffin Ross and Ryan Brown advanced to state with a fourth place finish.

Brown played with an injured shoulder and served underhand throughout the tourney, but the team found a way to win.

“They really wanted it and adopted a great game plan,” Schwaderer said. “They were super aggressive and had great communication.”

The duo defeated teammates Ethan Potthoff and Thomas Carloss to reach the third place match.

“Here are the two teams that battle at practice all the time playing to go to state,” Schwaderer said. “They stepped it up and were able to win.”

Schwaderer says the goal at state is to play smart and continue to evolve on the court.

“We have to continue to play cognitive tennis,” he said.

Smyley enters the tourney as a No. 2 seed. Holdhusen is a No. 4, along with Ross and Brown.

Northwestern A Divisional

Thursday/Friday at Libby

Final team totals - Libby 40, Whitefish 39, Polson 38, Columbia Falls 6.

Singles

First round - Walter Briones, L, def. Cole Turgeon, W, 6-1, 6-0; Cooper Wendt, CF, def. Josh Kinzle, P, 6-7, 6-4, 6-1; Tim Russell, P, def. Jhamaal Sykes, L, 6-4, 6-0; Nathan Fauth, W, def. Patrick Tillman, CF, 6-1, 6-2; Cody Wood, L, def. Scott Sicz, P, 6-1, 6-0; Eric Holdhusen, W, def. Gabby Delorme, CF, 6-2, 6-3; Matt Sitter, P, def. Kody Bailey, L, 6-3, 7-5; Max Smyley, W, def. Julian Street, CF, 6-0, 6-0.

Quarterfinals - Briones def. Wendt, 6-0, 6-0; Russell def. Fauth, 6-4, 6-2; Wood def. Holdhusen, 6-1, 6-1; Smyley def. Sitter, 6-4, 6-1.

Semifinals - Briones def. Russell, 6-0, 6-1; Smyley def. Wood, 6-3, 6-3.

Championship - Briones def. Smyley, 6-2, 6-1.

Third/fourth - Wood def. Holdhusen, 6-1, 6-2.

Doubles

First round - Kenney/Harlan, P, bye; Brandt/Reese, W, def. Nagle/Peck, L, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3; Webster/Morgan, P, def. Morgan/Caffery, CF, 6-1, 6-0; Potthoff/Carloss, W, bye; Chowning/Mercer, P, bye; Denny/Wick, CF, def. Lauer/Thom, L, 6-4, 7-5; Brown/Ross, W, def. Ingraham/Fleury, CF, scores na; Brant/Maloney, L, bye.

Quarterfinals - Kenney/Harlan def. Brandt/Reese, 6-4, 6-2; Potthoff/Carloss def. Webster/Morgan, 6-0, 6-2; Chowning/Mercer def. Denny/Wick, 6-3, 7-5; Brant/Maloney def. Brown/Ross, scores na.

Semifinals - Kenney/Harlan def. Potthoff/Carloss, 6-2, 7-6 (3); Chowning/Mercer def. Brant/Maloney, 1-6, 6-0, 6-0.

Championship - Kenney/Harlan def. Chowning/Mercer, 7-5, 7-6 (10).

Third/fourth - Brant/Maloney def. Brown/Ross, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.