Having spent a month dodging raindrops, Wood River High School tennis coach Vicki Johnston was excited to be back playing outside, and she was excited about the promise shown by Wolverine players in three recent matches.
"It was a lot of fun to be outside," Johnston said.
Wood River, sparked by a girls' singles and doubles sweep, tied reigning State 3A champion The Community School of Sun Valley 6-6 last Thursday on the Hailey tennis courts. Then, on a windy Saturday, the Wolverines played to a 6-6 tie at 4A Blackfoot.
Monday, the Wolverines (2-3-3, 1-0 league) disregarded the windy conditions and stunned the tough Twin Falls Bruins (3-2) by a 7-5 score, in Twin Falls.
Johnston said, "Connor Fairman's third-set tiebreaker (#2 boys' singles) clinched the win. We had great victories."
With its strength on the girls' side, Wood River swept singles in straight sets with #1 Kira Gardner, #2 Ashley Prior and #3 Tanya Greenwood. Johnston moved her top two singles players, Hadley DeBree and Anna Chrysikopoulos, to girls' and mixed doubles.
It paid off.
Hadley DeBree teamed with Abby Fairman for a 6-2, 7-6 win in #1 girls' doubles. Meanwhile, Dixon Mooseau and Chrysikopoulos won #2 mixed doubles 6-3, 6-1. In #1 mixed, Cory Rutkowski and Whitney DeBree breezed 6-1, 6-4.
Fairman's #2 boys' singles win was by 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 scores.
Against the Cutthroats Thursday, host Wood River swept girls' singles in straight sets behind #1 Hadley DeBree, #2 Chrysikopoulos and #3 Greenwood.
The Community School boys' singles players were nearly as dominant, with #1 Peter Atkinson, #2 Travis Stone and #3 Ryon Campbell winning their matches. But coach Johnston was impressed by Connor Fairman's play in a split-set match against Stone.
"Connor played singles for the first time. It's a very promising position for him and the team. He has quick feet and crafty hands," said Johnston. "Connor was definitely our player of the day."
The straight-set wins by Wood River girls' doubles teams Abby Fairman-Kira Gardner and Kami Doan-Alexis Greenwood were also exciting.
Johnston said, "We had great teamwork in both matches. Abby and Kira had a very competitive match. They showed good focus and strong and solid play with very little letdown."
Critical to the tie was the 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 win in #2 mixed doubles by Casey Lane and Lauren Rust. "It was a tough three-set match. Casey and Lauren were up 6-4 in the final game, then it was 6-6 and they finally pulled it out," said Johnston.
All Wolverine players adapted well to Saturday's windy matches at Blackfoot, the coach said. "We had great playing from everybody especially Connor Fairman, who pulled off his three-set match this time," she said.
Fairman's #2 boys' singles triumph combined with another girls' singles sweep and #1 boys' doubles and mixed doubles victories pulled the Wolverines into the 6-6 tie.
Wood River hosted Minico Tuesday and will entertain Burley Thursday, then Century and Pocatello arrive in Hailey Saturday, April 22 for a three-way 4A racquet encounter.
Results from Thursday's Community School meet and Saturday's meet at Blackfoot:
WR 6, Community School 6
April 13 at Hailey
Boys' singles: #1 Peter Atkinson (CS) 6-0, 6-0 over Alex Henning (WR); #2 Travis Stone (CS) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 over Connor Fairman (WR); #3 Ryon Campbell (CS) 6-4, 6-3 over Tristan Tanner (WR).
Girls' singles: #1 Hadley DeBree (WR) 6-1, 6-3 over Cody Curran (CS); #2 Anna Chrysikopoulos (WR) 6-2, 6-0 over Courtney Hamilton (CS); #3 Tanya Greenwood (WR) 6-1, 6-4 over Sarah Jane Slater (CS).
Boys' doubles: #1 Wes Flanigan-Christian Cairncross (CS) 6-3, 6-1 over Dixon Mooseau-Bryce Newcomb (WR); #2 Tyler Chandler-Austin Grill (CS) 6-2, 6-2 over Robbie Lascheck-David Sibrian (WR).
Girls' doubles: #1 Kira Gardner-Abby Fairman (WR) 6-4, 6-3 over Mandy Alexander-Grayson Palmer (CS); #2 Kami Doan-Alexis Greenwood (WR) 6-4, 6-1 over Emmy O'Reilly-Emily Eshman (CS).
Mixed doubles: #1 Cory Rutkowski-Whitney DeBree (WR) 6-1, 6-3 over Connor Brown-McKenzie Hart (CS); #2 Casey Lane-Lauren Rust (WR) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 over Chet Stephens-Jessie Curran (CS).
Junior varsity—Riley Berman (CS) 8-0 over Hans Howard (WR) in #1 boys' singles; Cody Edison-J.J. Martin (CS) 8-4 over Chris Chapman-Ben Leopold (WR) in boys' doubles; Mac Whittington-Rafael Pena (CS) 8-5 over Jason Barbee-Will Drier (WR) in boys' doubles.
WR 6, Blackfoot 6
April 15 at Blackfoot
Boys' singles: #1 Scott Johns (B) 6-4, 6-1 over Phillip Neeley (WR); #2 Connor Fairman (WR) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 over Curt Vonderlieth (B); #3 Jarod Purcell (B) by default.
Girls' singles: #1 Hadley DeBree (WR) 6-2, 6-0 over Ame Jo Jefferis (B); #2 Anna Chrysikopoulos (WR) 6-0, 6-0 over Sarah Johns (B); #3 Tanya Greenwood (WR) 6-4, 6-2 over Ciara Clovis (B).
Boys' doubles: #1 Dixon Mooseau-Bryce Newcomb (WR) 6-3, 7-5 over Caleb Gunderson-Brad Leyland (B); #2 Ross Matsuura-Brad Hudson (B) 6-3, 6-3 over Casey Lane-Alex Henning (WR).
Girls' doubles: #1 Kelsi Kesler-Markie Jerreris (B) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 over Kira Gardner-Abby Fairman (WR); #2 Michelle Banner-Alyssa Falter (B) 6-2, 6-4 over Kami Doan-Tessa Barrow (WR).
Mixed doubles: #1 Cory Rutkowski-Whitney DeBree (WR) 6-1, 6-3 over Stevie Ison-Brianna Pearson (B); #2 Justin Heyrend-Marissa Parks (B) 6-4, 6-4 over David Sibrian-Alex Mallea (WR).
