Pirate tennis takes five each

CUT BANK - Dominant performances from both the boys' and girls' teams led the Polson tennis team to five big wins each in three days of tennis this past weekend.

Elevated play from everyone who participated played a roll in the boys' 6-1 wins over Columbia Falls, Fergus, Hardin and Cut Bank, topped off with a 5-2 victory over Havre. The Pirates lost only two of 15 doubles matches from the whole weekend.

"Amazing weekend of tennis in really nice weather," head coach Bill Hislop said. "It is a great opportunity to see teams from all over the state."

Polson started its three-day stretch last Thursday when facing Columbia Falls. Senior Matt Roberts pulled out a tough three set win in the No. 1 singles spot, taking down his opponent 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, while all three doubles pairs won their matches in straight sets.

"With five matches in the days we had 10 kids who had perfect 5-0 records," Hislop said. "Young kids are starting to round into form and the older kids are playing real well for the most part."

After the Columbia Falls match, the Pirates headed to Cut Bank for the Cut Bank Invitational last Friday and Saturday. All matches were played with pro sets, meaning the player to first win eight games, rather than the usual best of three sets, won the match.

Against Fergus, two of the six wins in its 6-1 win came from sophomore Ian Laimbeer, who held on for an 8-7 (7-3) win in a tiebreak, and junior Andrew Storro, who blanked his Fergus opponent 8-0.

Hardin offered little opposition to Polson as the team rolled again 6-1. Senior Shad Giles and Roberts played strong singles matches, winning 8-2 each, while the doubles duo of freshman Hayden Congdon and senior Jacob Browne won 8-2 as well.

A forfeit at No. 2 singles wasn't enough to slow the Polson as it beat Havre 5-2. Doubles pairs won all of their three matches again. A rare loss by Roberts at No. 1 singles was the only loss not by forfeit for the team against Havre.

Cut Bank couldn't stop the hot Pirates as they trounced the tournament hosts 6-1. Giles blanked his opponent 8-0 from the No. 2 singles spot while Browne posted an 8-3 win at the No. 4 spot. Sophomore Max McLean and Storro won a commanding doubles match 8-1 to cap off the weekend for the impressive boys team.

"Andrew Storro, Max McLean, and Jacob Browne for the boys, and [sophomore] Josie Benedetti, [freshman] Whitney Zimmerman and [senior] Erika Nunlist, for the girls, had especially good weekends," Hislop said.

The girls' were equally impressive as they went undefeated as well, taking care of Columbia Falls 6-1 before joining the boys at the Cut Bank Invitational.

Senior Jane Probst won her match easily, beating her Columbia Falls opponent 6-0, 6-1, while sophomore Karmen Borchers had similar success, winning in straight sets 6-0, 6-3.

Fergus couldn't register a single match win as the Lady Pirates won 7-0. Sophomore Jordan Quinn won 8-0 from the No. 3 singles spot while Zimmerman and Borchers romped to an 8-0 win as a doubles pair.

Polson swept Hardin as well, earning three forfeits en route to a 7-0 win. The two doubles matches played were both won 8-0 by the Polson pairs.

Havre proved the toughest opposition of the weekend for Polson as the Lady Pirates eked by with a 4-3 victory. Probst rolled 8-1 from the No. 1 singles spot, but Polson dropped two of three doubles matches against the tough competition.

"[Senior] Kayla and [junior] Kendyall Rochin played real well in a doubles match with last year's state champions from Havre and ended up losing 8-4," Hislop said. "They actually had a break point at 4-3 up and lost the game and the match."

The girls wrapped up their long weekend by taking on Cut Bank and rolling to a 5-2 victory over the tournament hosts. The two losses, one from a singles spot and one a doubles match, both went to a tiebreak. Borchers fell 7-8 (2-7) while sophomore MacKenzie Clay and sophomore Audra Engebretson dropped a tough 7-8 (5-7) decision.

Next up for Polson is a home meet against Ronan on Thursday afternoon.