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Chinook girls win divisional title, head to State B-C as defending champs
Chinook's Brooke Nicholson is gunning for a Class B-C state championship, as is the entire Chinook girls tennis teams this weekend at the state tournament in Missoula. Chinook won the North-East B-C divisional last week in Havre.
George Ferguson
Havre Daily News sports editor
Postseason tennis got underway this past weekend in Havre. But, for the Chinook girls tennis team, the fun is just beginning.
As expected, the Beeters cruised to the North-East B-C girls divisional championship last Saturday at the Bill Vaughey Memorial Tennis Courts in Havre. Chinook scored 65 points and swept the singles and doubles championships. Chester-Joplin-Inverness was a distant second with 19 points while Harlem was third.
With the divisional title in tow, Chinook will now look to defend its Class B-C state championship at the 2016 B-C state tournament Thursday through Saturday in Missoula. Head coach Thom MacLean’s Beeters have won the last two state championships, and with the depth Chinook has, a third title is close at hand.
Chinook’s depth starts with senior singles star Brooke Nicholson. She placed third a year ago, and is one of three favorites in this week’s draw in Missoula. Nicholson rolled to the divisional title last Saturday, beating teammate Nichole McCracken in the championship match.
The Beeters will have four singles players in the state draw, as Megan Pruttis and Jamie Roth also made it out of the divisional tournament, but, all eyes will be on Nicholson, who looks to keep the B-C singles title in Chinook for the third straight year, with the graduated Mariah Swank winning the last two. Nicholson’s main competition this week will come from Luisa Locker of Lone Peak and Cut Bank’s Dakota Dosch.
In doubles, Chinook also has favorites. Two of them in fact. The duo of Lauren Harshman and Cortney Gunderson are divisional champions and were state runners-up in doubles a year ago. They are a team to reckon with this week, but so is the duo of Hattie Niederegger and Sierra Swank, who finished second at the divisional tourney, and could very well play their teammates in the state championship match. Chinook will have tough challengers from Fairfield and Townsend in the doubles draw, but with so much firepower, the Beeters are certainly on the right road to another state championship. Chester-Joplin-Inverness’ Hailey Erickson and Madeline Woods also qualified for the state tourney in doubles.
As far as the team points race is concerned in Missoula, the Beeters have more firepower than anyone, but, Fairfield, Townsend and Missoula Loyal will be in the hunt too. Still, don’t expect anything less than more Chinook dominance, which has become the norm as it relates to B-C girls tennis as of late.
Chinook will go for its fourth state championship in the last six seasons when the Beeters play in the B-C state tournament Thursday through Saturday in Missoula.
NORTH-EAST B-C GIRLS
At Havre
Chinook 65; CJI 19; Harlem 6
Singles
Championship -- Brooke Nicholson (CHK) d. Nicole McCracken (CHK) 6-1, 6-0
Consolation -- Megan Pruttis (CHK) d. Jamie Roth (CHK) 6-1, 6-0
Consolation semifinals -- Megan Pruttis (CHK) d. Makaya Stone (CJI) 6-0, 6-0; Jamie Roth (CJI) d. Hailley Lame Bull (HAR) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
Consolation quarterfinals -- Makaya Stone (CJI) d. Hailley Lame Bull (HAR) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
Championship -- NA
Consolation -- Haley Erickson/Madeline Woods (CJI) d. Brooke Woods/Jeraca Tempel (CJI) 6-1, 6-0
Consolation semifinal -- Haley Erickson/Madeline Woods (CJI) d. Cippy Guardipee/Michael Ann Humphreys (HAR) 6-0, 6-0; CJI
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