CMR sweeps Northern AA divisional tennis titles

KALISPELL – The C.M. Russell High boys’ and girls’ tennis teams were both victorious Friday at the Northern AA divisional tournament at Flathead Valley Community College, earning league championships in both singles’ brackets and boys’ doubles as well as a runner-up finish in girls’ doubles.

Gabbi Molen and Howard Daniel were individual champions for the girls’ and boys’ brackets, respectively, while the tandem of Josh Stimac and Eli Crist were victorious for the Rustler boys in doubles. Ryann Walker and Olivia Buckingham were finalists for the CMR girls, earning second place.

The CMR boys of head coach Byron Boyd racked up 61 team points for the title, 26 ahead of second-place Kalispell Glacier while Val Scheevel’s Rustler girls put up 57 points, 15 ahead of runner-up Glacier.

Both CMR squads advanced three singles’ players and a pair of doubles units to the state meet next week in Bozeman by virtue of top-four finishes, while the season ended for the Great Falls High teams with no athletes making a top-four spot.

Molen took the first of two all-Rustler divisional finals over teammate Grace Kauffman after a 7-6(2) victory in the semifinals over Claire Ennis of Glacier, while Howard Daniel topped freshman twin brother Fleming Daniel 6-4, 6-2 in the boys’ title tilt.

Stimac and Crist took the opening pair of rounds 6-0, 6-0 before a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over teammates Aeden Bingham and Conner Sherman in the semis. Stimac, a state-placer the last two seasons in doubles, and Crist topped the podium with a finals’ win over Glacier’s Will Rudback and Sam Engellant 6-3, 6-3.

Kiera Richards bounced back to take fourth and advance for the CMR girls after falling the quarterfinals, while Kade Haverlandt earned his way to the semifinals before a loss to teammate Fleming Daniel and a 6-1, 6-3 win to clinch a spot to state in the consolation bracket to also finish fourth.

Buckingham and Walker lost but two sets in their first two doubles’ matches to secure a trip to the divisional final prior to a defeat to defending state runner-up tandem Sara Downs and Haven Speer of Glacier.

Quincy Weymouth and Marianne Hawley also made their way to the state meet with a fourth-place showing in girls’ doubles, coming back with three victories after a quarterfinal loss.

The state meet kicks off Thursday in Bozeman and runs through Friday, with sessions beginning at 8 a.m. both days.