Daniels second at state tennis

MISSOULA — Mission’s top singles netter Karl Daniels capped off a terrific senior season with a runner-up finish at the weekend’s Class B-C state tennis tournament in Missoula.

Daniels’ big win came in the semifinals three sets, 4-6, 7-4, 7-6 (3), over Cut Bank’s Isaac Matt.

“He was a much more mature and calmer player than the year before,” Mission coach Kimimi Ashley said. “I knew that he had it in him. He’d been playing really good the last few weeks of the season.”

The senior fell to Loyola’s Kalen Christiaens, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, in the championship match.

“I think he just felt the after-effects of the day before,” Ashley said, referring to his three wins on Friday.

Daniels’ effort, along with consolation bracket wins from Jamie Mullins and Steven Bravo (both lost their opening matches) were enough to put the Bulldog boys in third place in the team standings.

Ronan finished fifth in the state, highlighted by Fisher Shima’s sixth-place effort.

The doubles team of Daniel Aylesworth and Ron Cullis placed sixth for Ronan.

Caleb Koble and Colter Roullier also earned points for the Chiefs in singles. Logan Soukkala and Ethan Blevins won a consolation match in doubles.

In girls action, West B-C division champion Briar Ahlborn, of Mission, lost her first-round match to Fairfield’s Maggie Leigland. Ahlborn rebounded, though, to take out two consolation bracket opponents in straight sets before falling to Chester/Joplin/Inverness’ Susanne Stewart.

Mission’s Kayla Billette also lost a first-round singles match. The senior won a tough consolation matchup, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1, before falling in the second consolation round.

Daisie VandenBos lost out in straight sets for the Bulldogs.

The Ronan doubles team of Hannah Bird Rattler and Hannah Kiehn won their first match by forfeit before falling in two straight to end the pair’s run on the first day.

Results

Team scores

Boys

Loyola Sacred Heart 59, Cut Bank 38, St. Ignatius 23, Troy 20, Ronan 19, Conrad 17, Bigfork 14, Valley Christian 6, Darby 2.

Girls

Chinook 35, Townsend 31, Cut Bank 28, Fairfield-Power 23, Chester/Joplin/Inverness 13, Baker and Choteau 12, Bigfork 11, Loyola and Troy 9, Conrad 7, Superior-Alberton and Wolf Point 5, Valley Christian and Fort Benton 4, St. Ignatius 3, Eureka and Ronan 2, Simms, Boulder and Darby 1.