The Bitterroot Invitational was held over the weekend with teams from Butte Central, Darby, Dillon, Hamilton, Loyola, Corvallis, Stevensville and Whitefish competing. The event is held on the courts at Stevensville, Corvallis and Hamilton and divided up by ability. The top players play each other while the ‘threes and fours’ play each other. These are the players with not as much experience.
Corvallis players won the boys and girls singles as well as the boys doubles. DJ Pekoc, last year’s runner up at state, defeated Kalen Christiaens of Loyola for the championship. In the girls’, Laramie McHugh of Corvallis, last year’s state champion, defeated teammate Emma Decker for the Bitterroot championship. The doubles team of Caleb Powell and Riley Jessop defeated Loyola’s team of Stephen Sellman and Matt Roberts for the championship. Heather Luedke and Hannah Madsen of Whitefish won the girls’ doubles.
Corvallis is playing very well right now and neither the boys’ nor the girls have lost a match this season. With McHugh and Pekoc as the anchors on the girls’ and boys’ teams, the competition at practices is tough, making all of the players better. This is the first year in many that the divisional tournament will not be held in the Bitterroot. Instead it will be in Butte. However, the state tournament will be in Missoula this year on May 21 and 22nd.
Bitterroot Invitational
Teams competing: Butte Central, Corvallis, Darby, Dillon, Hamilton, Loyola Sacred Heart, Stevensville, Whitefish,
Boys
Singles 1-2
Semifinals: Kalen Christiaens, LSH, def. Nathan Fauth, W, 6-1, 6-0; DJ Pekoc, C, def. Max Smyley, W, 6-4, 6-0.
Final: Pekoc, C, def. Christiaens, LSH, 6-3, 6-1.
Third place: Jonathan Leonardson, Dil, def. Sam Sterns, BC, 6-3, 6-3.
Doubles 1-2
Semifinals: Stephen Sellman/Matt Roberts, LSH, def. Curstin Liston/Colton Belcourt, S, 7-5, 6-4; Caleb Powell/Riley Jessop, C, Josh Heath/Bridger Palin, H, 6-0, 6-4.
Final: Powell/Jessop, C, def. Sellman/Roberts, LSH, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Third place: Logan Hall/Kyson Wilson, Dil, def. Jack Brandt/Austin Reese, W, 6-3, 6-3.
Girls
Singles 1-2
Semifinals: Laramie McHugh, C, def. Tessa Sawyer, Dil, 6-0, 6-0; Emma Decker, C, def. Adrianne Southam, 6-2, 6-2.
Final: McHugh, C, def. Decker, C, 6-1, 6-0.
Third place: Allison Enzler, S, def. Keara Delaney, W, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
Doubles 1-2
Semifinals: Anna Peterson/Katie Fyall, W, def. Dakota Vacarro/Miriam Montgomery, C, 6-3, 6-3; Heather Luedke/Hannah Madsen, W, def. Nicole Thompson/Jen Womack, D, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1.
Final: Luedke/Madsen, W, def. Peterson/Fyall, W, 6-3, 6-3.
Third place: Kody Ferris/Rachael Nye, D, def. Daniell Haacke/Saya Shimazaki, S, 6-3, 6-4.
Whitefish 4, Hamilton 1
Singles: Hannah Madsen, W, def. Rachel Grimes 6-0, 6-0; Katie Fyall, W, def. Autumn Rose 6-3, 6-1; Sarah Trihn, H, def. Makenna Benorook, 6-2, 6-3; Keara Delaney, W, def. Colleen May 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Doubles: Anna Peterson/Heather Luedke, W, def. Emily Mossbrocker/Ellen Myre 6-0, 6-0.
Polson 5, Hamilton 0
Singles: Mollie Lemm, P, def. Rachel Grimes 6-0, 6-3; Marlee Congdon, P, def. Autumn Rose 6-2, 6-0; Tessa Nunlist, P, def. Sarah Trihn 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Natalee Wheeler, P, def. Colleen May 6-1, 6-4.
Doubles: Taylor Rost/Shawna Lenz, P, def. Ellen Myre/Emily Mossbrucker, 6-1, 6-0.
Corvallis 5, Polson 2
Singles: Laramie McHugh, C, def. Marlee Congdon, 6-2, 6-4; Emma Decker, C, def. Mollie Lemm, 6-1, 6-3; Amber Wissenbach, C, def. Tessa Nunlist, 6-1, 6-2; Shelby Jessop, C, def. Hunter Tamcke, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 10-5.
Doubles: Olivia Hewston/Cassie Carlyle, P, def. Dakota Vacarro/Miriam Montgomery, 7-5, 6-0; Taylor Rost/Shawna Lenz, P, def. Emilie Thomas/Olivia Fehr, 6-2, 6-2; Rebecca Weidkamp/Emma Pickett, C, def. Kyler Lundeen/Natalee Wheeler, 4-6, 6-4, 10-5.
Whitefish 4, Corvallis 3
Singles: Laramie McHugh, C, def. MaKenna Benbrock, 6-0, 6-0; Emma Decker, C, def. Keera Delaney, 6-3, 6-2; Amber Wissenback, C, def. Annika Gordon, 6-0, 6-0; Cassidy Grady, W, def. Emilie Thomas,3-6, 6-4, 10-8.
Doubles: Heather Luedke/Hannah Madsen, W, def. Dakota Vacarro/Miriam Montgomery, 6-1, 6-3; Anna Peterson/Katie Fyall, W, def. Rebecca Weidkamp/Emma Pickett, 6-0, 6-3; Amara McDaniel/Cailyn Rose, W, def. Taylor Saturday/Hailey Vietz, 6-1, 6-3.
Boys
Whitefish 5, Hamilton 2
Singles: Alex Raymond, H, def. Max Smyley 6-3, 6-4; Nathan Fauth, W, def. Jeremy Hankel 6-0, 5-7; Eric Holdhusen, W, def. Spencer Tredik 6-1, 6-0; Arsnje Gaurie, W, def. Trever Richards 6-3, 6-2.
Doubles: Ethan Potthoff/Thomas Carloss, W, def. Mason Tredik/Alton Macclean 3-6, 6-1, 6-6 (10-6); Jack Brendt/Austin Reese, W, def. Josh Heath/Bridger Palin, 6-1, 0-6, 6-2; Cole Turgeon/Jack Kahle, W, def. Andrew Merkel/Charlie Melinark, 6-0, 6-3.
Polson 4, Hamilton 3
Singles: Alex Raymond, H, def. Colin Kenney 6-2, 6-1; Quaid Harlan, P, def. Jeremy Hankel 6-1, 6-1; Spencer Tredik, H, def. Jaron Morgan, 6-1, 6-1; Trever Richards, H, def. Kabe Forman-Webster 6-2, 6-3.
Doubles: Carlos Chowning/Tommy Merler, P, def. Mason Tredik/Alton MacClean, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1; Matt Sitter/Tim Russell, P, def. Josh Heath/Bridger Palin, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5; Kaiden Furman-Webster/Carson McDaniel, P, def. Andrew Merkel/Charlie Melnarik 7-5, 7-6 (7-3).
Corvallis 5, Polson 2
Singles: D.J. Pekoc, C, def. Tim Russell, 6-0, 6-0; Colin Kenney, P, def. Jesse Knapp, 6-4, 6-2; Gabe DeLeo, C, def. Jaron Morgan, 6-4, 6-3; Carson McDaniel, P, def. Alex Healy, 3-6, 6-3, 10-7.
Doubles: Riley Jessop/Caleb Powell, C, def. Tommy Mercer/Cadis Chowning, 7-5, 6-2; Josh Smith/Brock Fehr, C, def. Quade Harlan/Matt Sitter, 6-2, 6-1; Easton Powell/Baylee Burt, C, def. Kade Forman-Webster/Sam Schultz, 6-1, 7-5.
Corvallis 6, Whitefish 1
Singles: D.J. Pekoc, C, def. Max Smyley, 6-0, 6-1; Jesse Knapp, C, def. Nathan Faugh, 6-3, 6-2; Gabe DeLeo, C, def. Eric Holdhusen, 6-4, 6-2; Arsenija Gavric, W, def. Alex Healy, 6-4, 7-5.
Doubles: Riley Jessop/Caleb Powell, C, def. Ethan Potthoff/Thomas Curloff, 6-3, 6-3; Josh Smith/Brock Fehr, C, def. Austin Reese/Jack Brandt, 6-1, 6-3; Easton Powell/Baylee Burt, C, def. Jack Kahle/Cole Turgeon, 6-3,2-6, 10-7.