On a mission

ST. IGNATIUS — Three Mission girls and the boys team are headed to the state tennis tournament this week in Missoula.

Briar Ahlborn won singles, Kayla Billette took third in singles and Cierra Dougherty placed sixth to earn state berths during divisionals, which were held in Eureka last Friday and Saturday.

Overall, the Mission girls team took home second place, only five points behind Bigfork’s 40 points.

Billette has struggled throughout the regular season, but shined during the tournament, Coach Sara Ison said.

“She instinctively knows where to place the ball and how to place it. I think she was just getting in the way of that by over thinking,” Ison said.

During the tournament, Billette stopped overthinking, Ison said, and her natural ability came through.

Junior Dougherty struggled a bit during divisional, but still managed to take sixth.

Ahlborn easily defeated Eureka’s No. 1 seed, Kathryn Stein despite Stein’s consistent play.

“[Briar] worked her tail off and played very smart,” Ison said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what these three girls can do at state this year,” Ison said, adding the goal next year is for all four singles players to state and for the team to win divisionals.

Although the boys were guaranteed a spot at state because of the small number of teams in the division, Saturday’s Boys Best of the West tournament was a good warm up for state, Coach Kimimi Ashley said.

“It’s a good way for them to get four matches in to realize that if you lose in the first round of state, you’re going to have to tough it out,” she said.

The boys took on Bigfork, Troy, Loyola, and Valley Christian at home.

Jamie Mullins was the surprise player Saturday, sweeping his four matches in the No. 4 singles slot for Mission.

Ashley said she’s surprised he did so well from an experience point of view, but not from a competitive drive standpoint.

“He’s a competitor,” she said. “He doesn’t like to lose, and he puts that into his tennis game.”

Ashley said she’s looking forward to state, and hopes the young boys team can bring home a trophy.

The road to a trophy will be difficult because of several other strong teams, she said. Because of the Bulldogs’ unseasoned players, the team will focus on fighting back if they lose one match, she said, adding No. 1 singles player Karl Daniels, who placed sixth at state last year, will have to outplay his steady competitors if he wants to place this year.

“He’s going to have to play really really tough,” she said.

Another player Ashley said to look for at state is Steven Oliver, who plays No. 2 singles for Mission. It’s his first year playing, she said. “But he also is a really competitive kid.”

The boys and girls head to Missoula for the Class B state tournament Thursday through Saturday. Thursday and Friday, the girls will play at the University of Montana courts, with the boys at the Playfair tennis courts. Play begins at 9 a.m. at both locations. All Saturday matches will be played at the Playfair courts, with play starting at 8 a.m.