Doubles teams dominate on home courts

The major stresses are finally over for Havre tennis coach Sam Dierman after Saturday's Havre Invitational Tennis Tournament.

"I can relax now," he said Sunday. "I have no more tournaments to plan. I can actually start watching the kids more. I can focus on things."

But perhaps the one thing this coach would have liked to change about Saturday was the strong winds.

"Everybody had to play in it. We have to learn how to play whether it's windy or wet," he said. "We have to be able to play under any conditions."

As the day moved on, the winds grew increasingly stronger. Still, Dierman said, he didn't consider canceling the tournament.

"We're willing to play in about anything as long as it isn't dangerous to our kids," he said.

Though the teams were actually able to be outside for practice and for the tournament this weekend, Dierman said he still does not have a clear idea about where his team stands.

"It would be nice to see how our kids could do in good weather," he said.

While team scores were not kept for the tournament, the Havre boys had a very successful weekend. Freshman Kyle Baltrusch placed third in the boys No. 1 and No. 2 singles bracket, with teammates Tyler Vincent and Andrew McLain placing first and second, respectively, in the No. 3 and No. 4 singles bracket.

"The boys singles was tough," Dierman said, noting Baltrusch was in the same bracket as the defending state champion singles player and the defending state champion doubles player.

The Havre boys doubles teams took the top three places, with Mike Frey and Daine Solomon edging out teammates Jeremy Heninger and Seth Marsituen for first. Freshman duo Marc Mariani and Gary Wagner finished in third.

"I am real happy with all three boys doubles teams," Dierman said. "That's what I'm hoping for this year."

Conrad dominated the girls tournament, earning the top two places in No. 1 singles, taking third place in No. 2 singles, and finishing first and second in No. 3 singles. Conrad added a fourth-place finish in No. 1 doubles and a second-place finish in No. 2 doubles.

Chinook's Kelsie Whitney placed third in No. 1 singles, with Havre's Laura Hedstrom defeating Chester's Tess Ritter for first in No. 2 singles.

Also for the Ponies, Brittne Zimmer placed third in No. 3 singles, defeating Chester's Renata Munfrada. For the Sugarbeeters, Lacey Tollefson defeated Chester's Amanda Hofer for first in No. 4 singles. Havre's Justine Erhard placed third in the same bracket.

In the doubles competition, Havre's Jennifer Gorder and Ryan Hamilton teamed up to beat Big Sandy's Amanda Pokorny and Darice Grass for first in No. 1 doubles. Chester duo Matkin and Tempel placed third.

"I thought we had a really good weekend considering the weather," Hamilton said. "We played two pretty good teams. (The competition) was good for us. We knew (Pokorny/Grass) would be really tough. We just played really good."

In No. 2 doubles, the Chinook duo of Lacey Sargent and Melanie Overcast defeated Chester's Megann Shepherd and Kacey Diemert for third place.

"Right now, the doubles teams are playing a lot better than the singles players," Dierman said. "The singles players are having real difficulties keeping their composure and focus during a match. All the singles kids must get much more consistent to be competitive at divisionals and state. There are a lot of good singles players back (from last year's state tournament)."

Already in mid-season, the Ponies have just 20 practices left before the divisional tournaments begin.

"We just have a lot of work to do to get to the level we want to be at," Dierman said. "We have a lot of work to do."

The Havre tennis teams will be in Helena Thursday and Friday and in Great Falls on Saturday.

The following are the results from Havre's Invitational Tennis Tournament:

Girls singles #1 bracket:

Final placers

Carolyn Wettendorf, Conrad

Vanessa Lindberg, Conrad

Kelsie Whitney, Chinook

Krista Brand, Lewistown.

Results:

Amy McLain, Havre, def. Casey Squires, Big Sandy, 8-6

Carolyn Wettendorf, Conrad, def. Emily Tranberg, Chester, 8-5

Krista Brand, Lewistown, def. Taylor Donaldson, Havre, 8-5

Vanessa Lindberg, Conrad, def. Kelsie Whitney, Chinook, 8-1

Wettendorf, Conrad, def. McLain, Havre, 8-2 (semifinals)

Lindberg, Conrad, def. Brand, Lewistown, 8-7 (7-0) (semifinals)

Tranberg, Chester, def. Squires, Big Sandy, 6-2

Whitney, Chinook, def. Donaldson, Havre, 6-3

Brand, Lewistown, def. Tranberg, Chester, 6-4

Whitney, Chinook, def. McLain, Havre, 6-1

Whitney, Chinook, def. Brand, Lewistown, 8-7 (7-1) (3rd and 4th)

Wettendorf, Conrad, def. Lindberg, Conrad, 8-1 (1st and 2nd)

Girls singles #2 bracket:

Final placers

Laura Hedstrom, Havre

Tess Ritter, Chester

Kelli Bergstrom, Conrad

Shaylynn Conroy, Lewistown.

Results:

Hedstrom, Havre, def. Brooke Lillis, Conrad, 8-1

Susan Thackeray, Chinook, def. Savanah Fisher, Chester, 8-6

Bergstrom, Conrad, def. Bridget Field, Big Sandy, 8-1

Ritter, Chester, def. Conroy, Lewistown, 8-3

Hedstrom, Havre, def. Thackeray, Chinook, 8-1 (semifinals)

Ritter, Chester, def. Bergstrom, Conrad, 8-6 (semifinals)

Fisher, Chester, def. Lillis, Conrad, 6-3

Conroy, Lewistown, def. Field, Big Sandy, 6-2

Bergstrom, Conrad, def. Fisher, Chester, 6-2

Conroy, Lewistown, def. Thackeray, Chinook, 6-2

Bergstrom, Conrad, def. Conroy, Lewistown, 8-3 (3rd and 4th)

Hedstrom, Havre, def. Ritter, Chester, 8-5 (1st and 2nd)

Girls singles #3 bracket:

Final placers

Kristi Ries, Conrad

Stephanie Howard, Conrad

Brittne Zimmer, Havre

Renata Munfrada, Chester.

Results:

Howard, Conrad, def. Munfrada, Chester, 6-4

Henderson, Choteau, def. Kristin Evanson, Havre, 6-0

Olson, Lewistown, def. Zimmer, Havre, 6-5 (7-4)

Ries, Conrad, def. Schellin, Chinook, 6-1

Howard, Conrad, def. Henderson, Choteau, 6-3 (semifinals)

Ries, Conrad, def. Olson, Lewistown, 6-0 (semifinals)

Munfrada, Chester, def. Evanson, Havre, 6-1

Zimmer, Havre, def. Schellin, Chinook, 6-1

Munfrada, Chester, def. Olson, Lewistown, 6-2

Zimmer, Havre, def. Henderson, Choteau (default)

Zimmer, Havre, def. Munfrada, Chester, 6-5 (8-6) (3rd and 4th place)

Ries, Conrad, def. Howard, Conrad, 6-1 (1st and 2nd place)

Girls singles #4 bracket:

Final placers

Lacey Tollefson, Chinook

Amanda Hofer, Chester

Justine Erhard, Havre

Christina Lensing, Choteau.

Results:

Lensing, Choteau, def. Thackeray, Chinook, 6-1

Hofer, Chester, def. Erhard, Havre, 6-3

Tollefson, Chinook, def. Joanna Ulgenes, Havre, 6-2

Nelson, Lewistown, def. Whitney Barnekoff, Havre, 6-1

Hofer, Chester, def. Lensing, Choteau, 6-1

Tollefson, Chinook, def. Nelson, Lewistown, 6-2

Erhard, Havre, def. Thackeray, Chinook, 6-1

Barnekoff, Havre, def. Ulgenes, Havre, 6-1

Erhard, Havre, def. Nelson, Lewistown, 6-3

Lensing, Choteau, def. Barnekoff, Havre, 6-1

Erhard, Havre, def. Lensing, Choteau, (default) (3rd and 4th place)

Tollefson, Chinook, def. Hofer, Chester, 6-0 (1st and 2nd place)

Girls doubles #1 bracket:

Final placers

Jennifer Gorder/Ryan Hamilton, Havre

Pokorny/Darice Grass, Big Sandy

Matkin/Tempel, Chester

Hewitt/Lillis, Moss, Conrad.

Results:

Gorder/Hamilton, Havre, def. Baker/Hellman, Chinook 8-0

Matkin/Tempel, Chester, def. Brown/Brown, Conrad, 8-1

Pokorny/Grass, Big Sandy, def. Mallory Cresswell/Sara Suek, Havre, 8-2

Hewitt/Moss def. Erika Johnson/Casey Peterson, Havre, 8-6

Gorder/Hamilton, Havre, def. Matkin/Tempel, Chester 8-6 (semifinals)

Pokorny/Grass, Big Sandy, def. Hewitt/Moss, Conrad, 8-2 (semifinals)

Brown/Brown, Conrad, def. Baker/Hellman, Chinook (default)

Johnson/Peterson, Havre, def. Cresswell/Suek, Havre, 6-3

Hewitt/Lillis, Conrad, def. Brown/Brown, Conrad, 6-3

Matkin/Tempel, Chester, def. Johnson/Peterson, Havre, 6-2

Matkin/Tempel, Chester, def. Hewitt/Lillis, Conrad, 8-7 (9-7) (3rd and 4th place)

Gorder/Hamilton, Havre, def. Pokorny/Grass, Big Sandy, 8-3 (1st and 2nd)

Girls doubles #2 bracket:

Final placers

Adams/Sessions, Choteau

Bruce/Rauscher, Conrad

Overcast/Sargent, Chinook

Shepherd/Diemert, Chester.

Results:

Vise/Bush, Lewistown, def. Moes/Sheehy, Big Sandy, 6-5 (7-5)

Bruce/Rauscher, Conrad, def. Bostrom/Majerus, Lewistown, 6-0

Shepherd/Diemert, Chester, def. McKenna/Robertson, Lewistown, 6-0

Adams/Sessions, Choteau, def. Overcast/Sargent, Chinook, 6-2

Bruce/Rauscher, Conrad, def. Vise/Bush, Lewistown, 6-3 (semifinals)

Adams/Sessions, Choteau, def. Shepherd/Diemert, Chester, 6-2 (semifinals)

Moes/Sheehy, Big Sandy, def. Bostrom/Majerus, Lewistown, 6-0

Overcast/Sargent, Chinook, def. McKenna/Robertson, Lewistown, 6-1

Shepherd/Diemert, Chester, def. Moes/Sheehy, Big Sandy, 6-3

Overcast/Sargent, Chinook, def. Vise/Bush, Lewistown, (no score available)

Overcast/Sargent, Chinook, def. Shepherd/Diemert, Chester, 6-4 (3rd and 4th place)

Adams/Sessions, Choteau, def. Bruce/Rauscher, Conrad, 6-0 (1st and 2nd place)

Boys #1 and #2 singles bracket:

Final placers

Jeff Ernst, Lewistown

Keithan Gregg, Cut Bank

Kyle Baltrusch, Havre

Nick Hofstad, Conrad.

Results:

Gregg, Cut Bank, def. Brady Ernst, Lewistown, 8-1

Baltrusch, Havre, def. Hofstad, Conrad, 8-6

J. Ernst, Lewistown, def. Eric Cline, Cut Bank, 8-3

Cody McLain, Havre, def. Landon Snyder, Conrad, 8-1

Gregg, Cut Bank, def. Baltrusch, Havre, 8-2 (semifinals)

J. Ernst, Lewistown, def. C. McLain, Havre, 8-3 (semifinals)

Hofstad, Conrad, def. B. Ernst, Lewistown, 6-1

Cline, Cut Bank, def. Snyder, Conrad, 6-0

Hofstad, Conrad, def. C. McLain, Havre, 6-1

Baltrusch, Havre, def. Cline, Cut Bank, 6-3

Baltrusch, Havre, def. Hofstad, Conrad, 8-7 (14-12) (3rd and 4th place)

J. Ernst, Lewistown, def. Lewis, Cut Bank, 8-2 (1st and 2nd place)

Boys #3 and #4 singles:

Final placers

Tyler Vincent, Havre

Andrew McLain

Jake Flentie, Lewistown

Adam Brown, Cut Bank.

Results:

A. McLain, Havre, def. Scott Youngbauer, Lewistown, 6-0

Jacob Overcast, Cut Bank, def. Jason Fetters, Conrad, 6-4

Vincent, Havre, def. Jacob Pearson, Conrad, 6-1

Brown, Cut Bank, def. Flentie, Lewistown, 6-1

A. McLain, Havre, def. Overcast, Cut Bank, 6-4 (semifinals)

Vincent, Havre, def. Brown, Cut Bank, 6-0 (semifinals)

Fetters, Conrad, def. Youngbauer, Lewistown, 6-5 (7-1)

Flentie, Lewistown, def. Pearson, Conrad, 6-0

Brown, Cut Bank, def. Fetters, Conrad, 6-1

Flentie, Lewistown, def. Overcast, Cut Bank, 6-3

Flentie, Lewistown, def. Brown, Cut Bank, (3rd and 4th place)

Vincent, Havre, def. A. McLain, Havre, 6-5 (7-5) (1st and 2nd place)

Boys doubles:

Final placers

Mike Frey/Daine Solomon, Havre

Jeremy Heninger/Seth Maristuen, Havre

Marc Mariani/Gary Wagner, Havre

Rudolph/Onstot, Conrad.

Results:

Mariani/Wagner, Havre, def. Donath/Hanley, Conrad 8-3

Lucas Hamilton/Ian Spencer, Havre, def. Holst/Boettger, Lewistown, 8-3

Mariani/Wagner, Havre, def. Goroski/Richter, Lewistown, 8-3

Frey/Solomon, Havre, def. Kavanagh/Lewis, Cut Bank, 8-4

Rudolph/Onstot, Conrad, def. Hamilton/Spencer, Havre, 8-3

Heninger/Maristuen, Havre, def. Lewis/McDivitt, Cut Bank, 8-3

Frey/Solomon, Havre, def. Mariani/Wagner, Havre, 8-1 (semifinals)

Heninger/Maristuen, Havre, def. Rudolph/Onstot, Conrad, 8-3 (semifinals)

Meznarich/Roncco, Cut Bank, def. Donath/Hanley, Conrad, 6-3

Lewis/McDivitt, Cut Bank, def. Holst/Boettger, Lewistown, 6-2

Meznarich/Roncco, Cut Bank, def. Goroski/Richter, Lewistown, 6-0

Lewis/McDivitt, Cut Bank, def. Hamilton/Spencer, Havre, 6-1

Mariani/Wagner, Havre, def. Lewis/McDivitt, Cut Bank, 6-3

Mariani/Wagner, Havre, def. Rudolph/Onstott, Conrad, 8-2 (3rd and 4th place)

Frey/Solomon, Havre, def. Heninger/Maristuen, Havre, 8-7 (7-2) (1st and 2nd place)