Bulldog boys tennis off to winning start

Over the past week the Whitefish tennis teams endured some chilly matches to start out the season 3-0.

Over the weekend the boys team played in Polson during a bout of wintery weather. The team played through the conditions and came away with a 5-2 win over the Polson Pirates and a 4-3 win over Dillon.

In Polson, at No. 1 doubles the Whitefish team of Aaron Dicks and Highland Lee French led the way with a 6-0, 6-4 win over the Dillon team. But the pair lost to Polson’s Trent Wilson and Owen McElwee, 6-3, 6-1.

Doubles team Austin Gunset and Fin Stagg played out a long three-set match against Polson’s Colter Wilson and Brock Henricksen, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. And at No. 3 doubles Dane Hunt and Luke Roberts also topped Polson, 7-5, 6-0.

At No. 1 singles, Joe Brandt had a tough weekend facing Polson’s top player Torrin Ellis. Brandt barely let that one slip away 6-7, 6-4, 7-8. Against Dillon, Brandt was defeated by Marcus Sandall, 6-0, 6-2. At No. 2, Bulldog Mason Kelch topped both Polson and Dillon in two sets each. Johnny Nix also stayed undefeated over the weekend and Neil Bernat split matches, winning against Polson while dropping one to Dillon.

Earlier in the week, Whitefish kicked the season off against Columbia Falls at Riverside Courts in Whitefish. Brandt at No. 1 singles soundly defeated Dale Blickhan, 6-1, 6-1. Also at singles, Nix and Jesse Burrough picked up wins over CFalls as well. Bernat lost to Orion Barta in a long-winded match 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7).

On the doubles side against the Wildcats, the team of Dicks and Lee-French defeated Cade Morgan and Cody Schweikert in three after losing the first set. Kelch played with Gunset at No. 2 and picked up a win, while Buren brust and Roberts played together for another win over CFalls.

Whitefish defeated its rival 6-1.

The team was scheduled to play in Libby after press time on Tuesday. Then the boys will travel to Ronan for matches on Thursday.

Whitefish 4, Dillon 3

Singles

Marcus Sandall, D, def. Joe Brandt, 6-0, 6-2; Mason Kelch, W, def. Kyle Hawley, 6-3, 6-0; Josiah Jones, D, def. Neil Bernat, 6-2, 6-1; Johnny Nix, W, def. Milo Glossa, 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles

Aaron Dicks/Highland Lee-French, W, def. John Bramlet/Daniel Martin, 6-0, 6-4; Daniel Leonardson/Isaac Sandall, D, def. Austin Gunset/Fin Stagg 0-6, 7-6 (7-3) 6-3; Dane Hunt/Luke Roberts, W, def. Milo Glossa/Johnathan Hernandez-Puga 6-0 6-1.

Whitefish 5, Polson 2

Singles

Torrin Ellis, P, def. Joe Brandt, 6-7, 6-4, 7-8; Mason Kelch, W, def. Tate Barentson, 6-1, 6-1; Johnny Nix, W, def. Casey Trosper, 6-1, 6-0; Neil Bernat, W, def. Taegen Gage, 6-2, 6-0.

Doubles

Trent Wilson/Owen McElwee, P, def. Aaron Dicks/Highland Lee-French, 6-3, 6-1; Austin Gunset/Fin Stagg, W, def. Coltor Wilson/Brock Henriksen 4-6, 6-4, 6-2; Dane Hunt/Luke Roberts, W, def. Otto Lund/Chris Lake, 7-5, 6-0.

Whitefish 6, Columbia Falls 1

Singles

Joe Brandt, W, def. Dale Blickhan, 6-1, 6-1; Orion Barta, CF, def. Neil Bernat 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7); Johnny Nix, W, def. Caleb Donsbach 7-6 (10), 6-4; Jesse Burrough, W, def. Logan Heupel 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles

Aaron Dicks/Highland Lee-French, W, def. Cade Morgan/Cody Schweikert 4-6, 6-1, 6-1; Mason Kelch/Austin Gunset, W, def. Jax Ramage/Will Pickard 6-0, 6-0; Buren Brust/Luke Roberts, W, def. Ben Khodyrev/Karson Warren 6-4, 6-1.