McGuinness, Polson girls tennis team win state tournament
Rob Zolman
Polson High School girls tennis teammates Shea McGuinness, Berkely Ellis, Kyler Lundeen, Josie Peterson and Qia Harlan pose for a photo with the state trophy.
Rob Zolman
Polson Pirate Johnny Moore places fifth at the State Tennis Tournament in Polson.
Rob Zolman
Lady Pirate Shea McGuinness races to the ball.
Rob Zolman
McGuinness smiles after her victory.
Rob Zolman
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POLSON – As Polson’s Shea McGuinness and Corvallis’ Olivia Fehr were midway through their pre-game warmups to determine who would be crowned girls Class A singles state champion, rainy weather that had plagued much of the tournament on Thursday and Friday, once again caused yet another delay in the action.
“I think it actually helped me,” McGuinness said. “To be honest, before the rain delay, I am not sure I was in the exact zone.”
According to McGuinness, the more-than-an-hour delay helped calm her nerves. “I kind of got it in my head this is actually happening. That I was going to play in the championship match.”
Once the sun had returned and the court was dry, McGuinness went on to defeat Fehr in two sets 6-4, 6-3 clinching the state singles title.
“It feels good,” McGuinness said of winning the singles title. “The satisfaction of reaching a goal I worked so hard for feels good.”
The junior finished the season with an 18-0 record and went 4-0 during the state tournament winning all her matches in two sets.
In girls doubles, Lady Pirates Kyler Lundeen and Berkely Ellis battled their way to a fourth-place finish on Saturday.
The McGuinness title and fourth-place doubles finishers allowed the Polson squad to earn enough team points to capture the girls state team title.
It is the fourth state team title for Polson coach Bob Hislop and the Pirate program.
“It’s pretty amazing,” coach Hislop said. “We’re blessed with some real nice kids, real talented kids here.”
In the boys singles, Johnny Moore defeated Livingston’s Jakim Ricketts 6-4, 6-0 to place fifth for the Pirates.
Girls Singles:
McGuinness (Polson) def. Stokke (Belgrade) 6-1, 6-1
McGuinness (Polson) def. Hritsco (Bev. Co) 6-4, 6-4
Smith (Park) def. Petersen (Polson) 7-5, 1-6, 2-6
Hardy (Hardin) def. Petersen (Polson) 6-2, 6-2
McGuinness (Polson) def. Smith (Park) 6-4, 6-3
McGuinness (Polson) def. Fehr (Corvallis) 6-4, 6-3
Boys Singles:
Johnny Moore (Polson) def. Brendan Johnson (Park) 5-7, 6-3, 6-0
Brad Rakich (Beaverhead) def. Johnny Moore (Polson) 6-1, 6-4
Johnny Moore (Polson) def. Danner Purkett (Park) 6-3, 6-3
Johnny Moore (Polson) def. Jake O’Leary (Bill C.) 1-6, 6-2, 6-1
Johnny Moore (Polson) def. Jakim Ricketts (Park) 6-4, 6-0
Manuel Gonzalez (Butte C.) def. Johnny Moore (Pol) 6-2, 6-1
Girls Doubles:
Lundeen/ Ellis (Polson) def. Beller/ Cavill (Stevensville) 6-0, 6-0
Gilbertson/ Reddick (Belgrade) def. Lundeen/Ellis 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Lundeen/ Ellis (Polson) def. Watt/Pickett (Cor) 6-1, 6-1
Lundeen/ Ellis (Polson) def. Kant/ Lima (Park) 6-3, 6-1
Lundeen/ Ellis (Polson) def. Kant/ Lima (Park) 7-6 (7-4), 6-0
Hanks/Potthoff (Whitefish) def. Lundeen/ Ellis (Polson) 6-4, 6-3
Boys Doubles:
Caleb Mason/Jonathan Noteboom (Hardin) Def. Colemon Taylor/Thomas Yellow Bird III (Ronan) 6-1, 6-2
David Evans/Ben Noteboom (Hardin) Def. Carson McDaniel/ Joe McDonald (Polson) 6-4, 6-1
Ophus/Kjersem (Havre) def. Taylor/Yellow Bird III(Ron) 7-6 (10-8), 6-4
McDaniel/McDonald (Pol) def. Southam/Peterson (BeavC.) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
Anderson/Kobelt (WF) def. McDaniel/McDonald (Pol) 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5)
