Lady Dogs look to finish strong

The Whitefish girls tennis team is in good shape as the regular season wraps up.

Last week the team went 2-2, winning against Columbia Falls and Ronan but falling to Libby and Polson.

The losses were tough, head coach Patrick Dryden said, but in the case of Libby, the team won where it counts.

“The Libby match was extremely close, we won the matches that matter, quite frankly — they determine seeding,” Dryden said. “Last time we played Libby we beat them 4-3 in a real squeaker, this time we lost 4-3 in a real squeaker.”

Aubrey Hanks and Olivia Potthoff picked up the lone win against Polson and added a win alongside Gracie Young and Claire Carloss against Polson.

Dryden said Carloss and Hanks and Potthoff had a good week that should bode well for the divisional tournament, which starts May 17 in Polson and Ronan.

“They positioned themselves to probably get the two seed as well. That doesn’t guarantee anything, but it’s nice to be rewarded for your hard work,” he said.

Dryden also pointed to the play of senior Gracie Young, who’s in her first year on the tennis team.

“She’s developing a new aggressive strategy,” he said. “She’s a really quick learner.”

This week Whitefish will host Polson on Thursday before getting a rematch with the Bitterroot Schools, Hamilton and Corvallis, on Saturday.

While it’s all about tuning up ahead of the postseason, Dryden said his week will be all about academics as he embarks on a Whitefish Middle School history field trip around Western Montana.

However, the team is in good hands, he said.

“It’s kind of difficult for the tennis team, but I’ve got some good assistants that will run the show,” he said, noting the strong work Jay Stagg and Dr. Randy Beach have done as assistants for his team.

Polson 5, Whitefish 1

Singles — Shea McGuinness, P, def. Claire Carloss, 6-0, 6-1; Josie Peterson, P, def. Bella Wilson, 6-1, 6-0; Sharmaine Zempel, P, def. Jesse Grawunder, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Sarah Kinzie, P, vs. Gracie Young, 6-2, 4-4 (match unfinished due to weather).

Doubles — Kyler Lundeen/Berkely Ellis, P, def. Kit Anderson/Autumn Roalson, 6-0, 6-2; Aubrey Hanks/Olivia Potthoff, W, def. Qia Harlan/Megan Rost, 6-3, 6-2; Elizabeth Violett/Ara Mercer, P, def. Payton Kastella/Abigail Shaffer, 6-1, 6-3.

Whitefish 7, Columbia Falls 0

Singles — Claire Carloss, W, def. Hannah Schweikert, 6-1, 6-3; Bella Wilson, W, def. Katy Garate, 6-3, 6-1; Gracie Young, W, def. Cassidy Norick, 6-2, 6-2; Jade Greenberg, W, def. Noah Kilman, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles — Olivia Potthoff/Aubrey Hanks, W, def. Taylor Jarrett/Kelsey Wright, 6-0, 6-0; Autumn Roalson/Kit Anderson, W, def. Gwen Frost/Kylee Dougherty, 6-2, 6-1; Jesse Grawunder/Payton Kastella, W, def. Shaylee Bonny/Martina Heupal, 6-0, 6-0.

Whitefish 6, Ronan 1

Singles — Jesse Grawunder, W, def. Morgan Brooks, 6-4, 6-2; Maddy Seiver, R, def. Jade Greenberg, 6-4, 6-4; Mackenzie Vick, W, def. Skyler Shima, 6-3, 6-1; Hunter Grimes, W, won by forfeit.

Doubles — Kit Anderson/Autumn Roalson, W, won by forfeit; Audrey Hyatt/Abigail Shaffer, W, won by forfeit; Payton Kastella/Gracie Young, W, won by forfeit.

Libby 4, Whitefish 3

Singles — Claire Carloss, W, def. Isabella Martineau, 6-1, 6-3; Mehki Sykes, L, def. Bella Wilson, 6-2, 6-3; Abigail Creighton, L, def. Grawunder, 6-0, 6-1; Young, W, def. Elise Erickson, 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles — Aubrey Hanks/Olivia Potthoff, W, def. Marissa Wood/Jessica Jones, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5; Laurynn Lauer/Morgan Snider, L, def. Anderson//Roalson, 6-1, 6-4; Madison Snider /Cierra Lucas, L, def. Kastella/Shaffer, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (9).