Polson tennis off to a solid start

Polson High School’s tennis teams swept four matches over two days last weekend to kick off the 2022 season.

Head coach Bob Hislop’s teams got off to a strong start with convincing victories over Libby and Hamilton on Friday, and Missoula Loyola and Corvallis on Saturday on the courts at Linderman Elementary.

The Lady Pirates are defending class A state champions, though five of the six members of last year’s team graduated. Returning from last year’s state team are junior Clara Todd and senior Sierra Lundeen, who served as an alternate at state.

Lundeen and Todd are among the team’s top girls singles players, while sophomore Torrin Ellis and junior Trent Wilson lead the boys. Ellis finished second at state, along with partner Michael Smith, in doubles as a freshman last season.

Ellis went 1-1 in singles play Friday. He lost to Andy Purcell of Hamilton, 6-3, 7-5, then rebounded with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Libby’s Ryan Beagle on Saturday.

Hislop received a welcome addition to his team this season when Camilla Foresti, a foreign exchange student from Italy, decided to play. Foresti, a senior, earned all-state volleyball honors last fall after helping lead the Lady Pirates to a third-place finish at state.

“(Foresti) hasn’t played a lot of tennis, but she’s such a great athlete,” Hislop said. “She should do well.”

Lundeen and Foresti won a pair of doubles matches over the weekend, including a three-set victory over Maria Kanenwisher and Brynn Lehtola of Hamilton on Friday. Lundeen also partnered with Katelyn Smith for a doubles win against Libby, and she earned a singles win on Saturday.

Loyola didn't have enough boys for a match Saturday, so the Pirates played a pair of matches against Corvallis.

Polson will play matches at home the next two weekends, against Stevensville and Hamilton on April 2, and against Dillon and Whitefish the following weekend.

Libby and Hamilton at Polson

Friday, March 25

BOYS

Polson 6, Hamilton 1

Singles: Andy Purcell, H, def. Torrin Ellis, 6-3, 7-5; Trent Wilson, P, def. Dawson Berglund, 6-1, 6-0; Brock Henriksen, P, def. Isaac Harmon, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 10-7; Noah Trosper, P, def. Jacob Rollins, 4-6, 6-0, 10-7.

Doubles: Colter Wilson/Owen McElwee, P, def. Liam O'Connell/Jackson Heath, 4-6, 6-3, 10-7; Tate Barentsen/Chris Lake, P, def. Sam Duerr/Jonah Wilhelm, 6-0, 6-2; Ashten Nelson/Taegen Gage, P, def. Finn Dufresne/Daniel Simmerman, 6-2, 6-0.

Polson 6, Libby 1

Singles: Ellis, P, def. Ryan Beagle, 6-3, 6-4; T. Wilson, P, def. Trevor Collins, 6-2, 6-0; Tyler Andersen, L, def. Barentsen, 6-3, 3-6, 10-8; Lake, P, def. Alderic Martineau, 7-5, 6-2.

Doubles: C. Wilson/McElwee, P, def. Thomas Roark/Cylis Goddard, 6-1, 6-2; Trosper/Henriksen, P, def. Zach Fantozzi/Jennings Greenfield, 6-2, 6-3; Nelson/Gage, P, def. Morgan Davis/Kai BaSham, 6-2, 6-2.

GIRLS

Polson 5, Hamilton 2

Singles: Eliana Foss, H, def. Clara Todd, 6-2, 6-4; Katie Smith, P, def. Gracie Hawkes, 6-4, 6-3; Hope Morrison, P, def. Emma Hollingsworth, 4-6, 6-2, 10-8; Karli Owen, P, def. Kristen Jessop, 6-2, 6-0.

Doubles: Sierra Lundeen/Camilla Forest,i P, def. Maria Kanenwisher/Brynn Lehtola, 6-1, 5-7, 10-8; Lucy Violett/Piper Hoxie, P, def. Kiara Daughtey/Tegan Chapman, 6-0, 6-0; Tessa Lewanski/Brooklyn Brown, H, won by forfeit.

Polson 5, Libby 2

Singles: Todd, P, def. Kaitlyn Canary, 6-0, 6-0; Hoxie, P, def. Elaina Covington, 6-2, 6-2; Morrison, P. def. Marissa Hollingsworth, 6-0, 6-2; Violett, P, def. Maggie Fantozzi, 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles: Lundeen/Smith, P, def. Bella Covington/Macey Halverson, 6-0, 6-1; Allie Thorstenson/Ellie Andreessen, L, def. Foresti/Owen, 6-1, 6-4; Kayla Hoff/Savannah Lucas, L, won by forfeit.

Missoula Loyola and Corvallis at Polson

Saturday, March 26

BOYS

Polson 4, Corvallis 2

Singles: McElvee, P, def. Vai, 6-0, 6-0; Henriksen, P, def. Jessop, 7-6, 4-6, 12-10; Violett def. Gividen, 6-4, 6-2.

Doubles: Hutchison/Wilcox, C, def. C. Wilson/T. Wilson, 6-4, 6-3; Talia/Sangster, C, def. Barentsen/Lake, 6-2, 6-3; Nelson/Gage, P, def. Chavez/Allsop, 7-5, 6-4.

Polson 4, Corvallis 2

Singles: T. Wilson, P, def. Hutchison, 6-3, 2-6, 10-7; Barentsen, P, def. Wilcox, 7-5, 7-5; Gividen, C, def. Nelson, 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles: Sangster/Talia, C, def. McElwee/C. Wilson, 7-6, 6-1; Henriksen/Lake, P, def. Jessop/Vai, 6-4, 6-4; Gage/Violett, P, def. Allsop/Chavez, 6-4, 6-3.

GIRLS

Polson 6, Corvallis 1

Singles: Todd, P, def. Henry, 6-2, 7-5; Lundeen, P, def. Powell, 6-4, 6-3; Smith, P, def. Gross, 7-6, 6-0; Morrison, P, def. Watt, 6-2, 6-1.

Doubles: Yaskus/Trail, C, won by forfeit; Owen/Foresti, P, def. Williams/Koerner, 6-4, 6-0; Hupfine/Violett, P, def. Jessop/Venema, 6-3, 6-1.

Polson 5, Loyola 2

Singles: Evelyn Dechans, L, def. Todd, 6-0, 6-0; Smith, P, def. Wamsley, 6-1, 6-0; Morrison, P, def. Morgan Neibauer, 1-6, 6-1, 10-1; Violett, P, def. Ngyuan, 6-0, 6-1.

Doubles: Foresti/Lundeen , P, def. Schneider/Deschamps, 6-0, 6-0; Dechans/Ngyuan, L, won by forfeit; Owens/Huffine, P, def. Schneider/Deschamps, 6-4, 6-1.