Ahlborn is state champ

MISSOULA - As dreary weather and so-so play began the tennis season, Mission junior Spencer Ahlborn wasn't sure how it would all turn out.

After all, he was one of only three players returning from last year's team, a veteran as only a junior. He'd never placed at state, but felt he had the skills to become a state-level player.

"At the beginning, I thought I'd just get as far as I can," he said. "I gained confidence over the season as I played players as the No. 1 seed."

That confidence translated into wins, and on Saturday, a Class B/C singles state title for Ahlborn. He's only the second player in school history to win a singles title, and the first in three years. As a junior, he'll have the opportunity to repeat as state champion next season, something no Mission player has ever accomplished, according to head coach Kimimi Ashley.

"Spencer had a great weekend of tennis," she said. "He didn't have an easy path in his last couple of matches and worked hard to win them."

Ahlborn made quick work of his first two opponents, winning those matches in straight sets. Against opponents he's faced before, Ahlborn rolled to a 6-1, 6-3 win in his first match against Valley Christian's Geoffrey Glidewell before downing Bigfork's Colter Mahlum 7-6, 6-0 in the next round. Once he hit the semifinal round, the competition became more intense.

"Spencer is one of those special players in that you know even if he loses a first set, he was just using that set to figure out his opponent," Ashley said. "His advantage this week in taking out his final two opponents is that he was willing to take some chances and believed in himself that it would work."

Ahlborn dropped his first set against Valley Christian's Josiah Peterson 4-6 before he rallied to win the next two in dramatic fashion, finishing with set wins of 7-5, 6-4.

"You could literally feel the momentum change at the point that Spencer got it to 5-5 in the second," Ashley said.

In the finals, Ahlborn faced off against Bigfork's Bridger Mahlum. The two had faced each other three times during the regular season, with Ahlborn taking two of the match ups. Ahlborn would also claim the one that mattered, with a state title on the line, winning an exciting 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 three-setter.

Despite losing the first set, Ashley said her junior "once again showed that he was just using that set to figure out his opponent." Ahlborn jumped to a 4-0 set lead in the second before winning it 6-3.

"At one point after he retrieved a great shot from Bridger and won it, Bridger shouted out ‘how did he get that - there is no way'," Ashley said. "Spencer took a different approach than in the previous two meetings in that he charged the net on every chance he had. "

For Ashley, there is no greater joy than seeing her players accomplish such an amazing feat.

"Spencer's match ended appropriately with Spencer smashing a overhead and throwing his hands in the air," she said. "Spencer is generally a very reserved player in his emotions, but he wanted to win state so bad this year and his reaction to the last point showed that."

The boys as a team had a great tournament as well, finishing third overall for the second year in a row and only two points shy of second place. With only one senior, Ashley is excited for the future, as well as for what the team accomplished this year.

The doubles duo of junior Trail Bundy and freshman Nikko Alexander finished sixth at the tournament by going 3-3 on the weekend.

"Trail and Nikko finished their last couple of weeks of playing in great fashion," Ashley said. "They took first place at the previous weekend's Best of the West with three winning matches and no losses. Both will be back for next year's tennis season and walked away proud of how they had played at the tournament."

Brothers Brian, a junior, and freshman Kyle Shock appeared at state for the first time as a doubles team and finished 1-2 during the tournament.

"It is exciting to know that Brian has another year to play and Kyle is just new to the team," Ashley said. "Looking forward to working with them next year and hitting over the summer."

Juniors Wes Nowlan and Xavier Streets and senior Pakin LaBaisa-Ard competed as singles players in the tournament but did not place. Ashley was proud of her players but is sad to see LaBaisa-Ard, the lone senior boy, depart for Thailand.

"Unfortunately, Bass [LaBaisa-Ard] is a foreign exchange student, so we will greatly miss him as being part of our tennis team," she said.

The girls' team sent only one doubles team and, despite going two and out, Ashley was extremely happy with the effort senior Becky Hiatt and sophomore Sarah Bowers showed.

"Sarah and Becky were great fighters this year and they showed that fight by not ever just letting their opponents walk over them," Ashley said. "They would play hard right to the end, but unfortunately the tiebreaks didn't end in their favor."

The doubles duo fell 2-6, 6-7 in the first round before taking their second match to three sets in a heartbreaking 2-6, 6-4, 6-7 (9-7) loss.

"Becky Hiatt had a great year in being a senior and this her first time ever playing state," Ashley said. "Sarah Bowers played some great tennis this weekend and never got down. She is only a sophomore and really stepped up this year."

The boys' team will lose senior Pakin LaBaisa-Ard, while the girls' will say good-bye to Hiatt, Rachel Jensen and Jenny Dillard.