By Kent Dolezal
MILES CITY Kellen Malone, avenging one of his few losses in the regular season, downed Mike Melby of Glendive 6-3, 6-2 Saturday to win the Class A boys singles title in Miles City, headlining a Blue Pony team that placed second.
Kellen became only the third Havre boy in tennis history to with the state boys singles championship, said Blue Pony coach Sam Dierman. Kellen had a great tournament, and he earned everything he got by how much he played last summer.
Glendive edged Havre for the team title 29-24. The deciding match was the boys doubles semifinal between Glendive and Havre, Dierman said. The doubles pairing of Nick Heninger and Eli Sethre lost to Mike Wilkinson and Brent Scarpholt in a three-game thriller, 6-3, 1-6, 5-7.
The Heninger/Sethre duo battled back to finish fourth. Dierman said that the finish was great for a team that had never played together before (this season). They were very close to getting into the championship, and I knew it was discouraging to lose to Glendive. But, they did rally back and get fourth.
Teri Sherrill became only the second Havre High girls singles player to finish third at the state tournament. She joins her sister Julie in the Blue Pony record book with that honor.
Once again, Teri played all summer, and she earned everything she got, Dierman said.
Sherrill suffered a tough semifinal loss, but rebounded with four straight victories. Sherrill, using her superior conditioning, defeated Tanya Potts of Bigfork in three-games 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Havres girls doubles squad of Shannon Brantley and Kirsten Kuka did not have the tournament they wanted when they dropped out the event in two straight matches.
Shannon had a great career at Havre and will do very well in the future at whatever she does, he said.
The Blue Ponies, who took all three boys doubles teams to state, saw the team of Michael Frey and Seth Maristuen and the squad of Chris Dorcheus and Robby Gaskill each win a match at the tournament.
Both of these teams scored a point, which I was hoping they would do, Dierman said.
Havres Bryan Frey ended his tennis career with two tough losses. He was in a very tough bracket and played very well.
This marks the third time in the last nine years that Havres boys have finished second in State A tennis, Dierman stated. Theyve also finished third twice. We have a very strong boys tennis program, and Im hopeful that it will continue this way.
