Third-year Wood River High School tennis coach Vicki Johnston was thrilled that her Wolverines put it all together and won the school's first-ever Great Basin Conference championship at the 4A level Thursday afternoon in Pocatello.
Wood River thus qualified 13 players—seven seniors, three juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen—for the Idaho High School Activities Association's State 4A tournament Friday and Saturday, May 16-17 at Boise Racquet & Swim Club.
And only two of those 13 state qualifiers, senior Tessa Barrow and junior Tanya Greenwood, are making a return trip to state. So, while most of the Wolverines are seniors, they'll be fresh-faced newcomers at the state tennis meet.
Johnston couldn't be happier for them to have a chance.
Having placed fourth of six teams in the league meet last year, Wood River added 38 points to its total and finished ahead of two-time defending Great Basin Conference champ Century of Pocatello 99-93 margin in girls' and boys' totals.
Wood River had never won a 4A banner since moving up from the 3A ranks where the perennial power from Hailey had owned 13 district titles from 1976-2004.
But Johnston's squad had a conference-leading 54.5 points in girls' events and was the runner-up to Century with 44.5 points in the boys when the two-day meet at Century ended.
Placing first and emerging as conference champions were senior Anna Chrysikopoulos in girls' singles along with senior Scott Pike and sophomore Morgan Pike in boys' doubles.
Chrysikopoulos, who didn't compete at the state qualifying meet last year, defeated 2007 conference queen Liz Anderson of Century. Chrysikopoulos won four matches and placed fourth at state in 2006.
Wolverine players placed third in boys' and girls' singles, and third in girls' doubles—meaning they won their final matches of the tournament.
Junior Carlos Neme won his final four matches for third in boys' singles. Junior Maya Diem (5-1) did the same in girls' singles to finish third. In doubles, Tessa Barrow and Kami Doan ended up third as well.
Senior Ben Leopold and Greenwood settled for fourth in mixed doubles.
Meanwhile, Wood River bolstered its state team by an additional four players with victories in two of its three fifth-place state play-in matches at the conference tourney.
Seniors Karl Fostvedt and Ainsley Gourlay won their mixed doubles fifth-place match, while freshmen Jessica Hamilton and Ellen Davis grabbed fifth in girls' doubles. Narrowly missing out on a state trip were Brendan Freund and William Eagan, sixth in boys' doubles.
It will be Wood River's 33rd trip to state. Four-time defending State 4A champion is Bishop Kelly of Boise (a state-best 17 state tennis titles). Wood River (7 state qualifiers) finished sixth of 17 schools with 24 points at state in 2007.
Results follow for the Great Basin Conference tennis meet May 7-8 at Century.
Final overall team totals
1—Wood River 99 points—13 to state
2—Century 93—10 to state
3—Pocatello 71—7 to state
4—Burley 46—4 to state
5—Minico 24—4 to state
6—Jerome 15—2 to state
Breakdown by boys and girls
Boys
1—Century 56
2—Wood River 44.5
3—Pocatello 27
4—Burley 24.5
5—Minico 15.5
6—Jerome 8
Girls
1—Wood River 54.5
2—Pocatello 44
3—Century 37
4—Burley 21.5
5—Minico 8.5
6—Jerome 7
Previous Great Basin champions
2002—Century. 2003—Century. 2004—Jerome. 2005—Pocatello. 2006—Century. 2007—Century.
Points by category
Wood River (99): 14 BS, 32 GS, 24 BD, 16 GD, 13 MD.
Century (93): 36 BS. 20 GS. 12 BD, 9 GD, 16 MD.
Pocatello (71): 13 BS, 10 GS, 3 BD, 23 GD, 22 MD.
Points by singles/doubles
Wood River (33-13 all matches)—46 points singles (13-4), 53 points doubles (20-9)
District team championships
Wood River (13, all at Class B/3A level)—2004, 1993-96, 1990, 1988, 1982, 1976-80
Wood River in 4A (1)—2008
Boys singles (12 players)
Seeds
1—Tom Delehanty (Century senior)
2—James Collett (Pocatello senior)
3—Carlos Neme (WR junior)
4—Eric Novis (Jerome)
Final results (top 5 to state)
1—Shayan Zoghi (Century)
2—Tom Delehanty (Century senior, 3rd straight year as BS runner-up)
3—Carlos Neme (WR junior)
4—James Collett (Pocatello senior)
5—Tom Chambers (Pocatello senior)
Championship—Shayan Zoghi (Century) over Tom Delehanty (Century senior)
Third place—Carlos Neme (WR junior) 4-6, 7-6, 6-1 over James Collett (Pocatello senior)
Fifth place—Tom Chambers (Pocatello senior) over Eric Novis (Jerome)
Wood River players
Carlos Neme (4-1, junior)
Bye
Lost 8-6 to Shayna Zoghi (Century)
Won 8-0 over Erik VanEvery (Minico)
Won 8-1 over Riley Christiansen (Burley)
Won 6-2, 7-5 over Tom Chambers (Pocatello)
Won 4-6, 7-6, 6-1 over James Collett (Pocatello)—third place
R.J. Forgeon (1-2, sophomore)
Lost 8-6 to Tom Chambers (Pocatello)
Won 8-0 over Tom Whipple (Burley)
Lost 8-8 (7-5) to Eric Novis (Jerome)
Girls singles (12 players)
Seeds
1—Anna Chrysikopoulos (WR senior)
2—Liz Anderson (Century junior)
3—Emily Cundick (Pocatello junior)
4—Sam Sobotka (Jerome)
Final results (top 5 to state)
1—Anna Chrysikopoulos (WR senior)
2—Liz Anderson (Century junior), last year's GS champion
3—Maya Diem (WR junior)
4—Emily Cundick (Pocatello)
5—Kelcie Dickerson (Century)
Championship—Anna Chrysikopoulos (WR senior) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 over Liz Anderson (Century)
Third place—Maya Diem (WR junior) 6-1, 6-3 over Emily Cundick (Pocatello)
Fifth place—Kelcie Dickerson (Century) over Sam Sobotka (Jerome)
Wood River players
Anna Chrysikopoulos (3-0, senior)
Bye
Won 8-0 over Addie Herrera (Minico junior)
Won 8-2 over Kelcie Dickerson (Century)
Won 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 over Liz Anderson (Century)—championship
Maya Diem (5-1, junior)
Won 8-1 over Breanna Gilbert (Jerome)
Lost to Emily Cundick (Pocatello)
Won 8-1 over Samantha Halverson (Minico)
Won 8-4 over Breanna Gilbert (Jerome)
Won 6-4, 6-1 over Kelcie Dickerson (Century)
Won 6-1, 6-3 over Emily Cundick (Pocatello)—third place
Boys doubles (12 teams)
Seeds
1—Scott Pike-Morgan Pike (WR senior, sophomore)
2—Ben Child-Sheldon Zimmerman (Minico seniors)
3—Brent Lee-Logan Nielson (Burley)
4—Jordan Green-Kyle Kener (Century)
Final results (top 5 to state)
1—Scott Pike-Morgan Pike (WR senior, sophomore)
2—Brent Lee-Logan Nielson (Burley)
3—Jordan Green-Kyle Kener (Century)
4—Ben Child-Sheldon Zimmerman (Minico seniors)
5—Matt Child-Derek Jentzsch (Minico)
Championship—Scott Pike-Morgan Pike (WR senior, sophomore) 7-6, 6-2 over Brent Lee-Logan Nielson (Burley)
Third place—Jordan Green-Kyle Kener (Century) over Ben Child-Sheldon Zimmerman (Minico seniors)
Fifth place—Matt Child-Derek Jentzsch (Minico) over Brendan Freund-William Eagan (WR soph, freshman)
Wood River teams
Scott Pike-Morgan Pike (3-0, senior/sophomore)
Bye
Won 8-2 over Matt Child-Derek Jentzsch (Minico)
Won 8-1 over Jordan Green-Kyle Kener (Century)
Won 7-6, 6-2 over Brent Lee-Logan Nielson (Burley)—championship
Brendan Freund-William Eagan (3-2, sophomore/freshman)
Won 8-4 over Alex Siciliano-Taylor Gordon (Century)
Lost 8-5 to Brent Lee-Logan Nielson (Burley)
Won 8-6 over Aaron Ross-Jordan Neservy (Jerome)
Won 8-1 over Bryce Horrocks-John Byers (Pocatello)
Lost to Matt Child-Derek Jentzsch (Minico)—fifth place
Girls doubles (12 teams)
Seeds
1—Madeline Woodhouse-Kaitlin Clark (Pocatello seniors)
2—Kim Ashton-Kim Haynie (Burley)
3—Tessa Barrow-Kami Doan (WR seniors)
4—Mrin Barnes-Caitlin Chandler (Minico)
Final results (top 5 to state)
1—Madeline Woodhouse-Kaitlin Clark (Pocatello seniors)—Woodhouse defending champion
2—Kim Ashton-Kim Haynie (Burley seniors)
3—Tessa Barrow-Kami Doan (WR seniors)
4—Makenna Nolte-Kelsey Reiland (Minico)
5—Jessica Hamilton-Ellen Davis (WR freshmen)
Championship—Madeline Woodhouse-Kaitlin Clark (Pocatello seniors) over Kim Ashton-Kim Haynie (Burley seniors)
Third place—Tessa Barrow-Kami Doan (WR seniors) 6-3, 6-2 over Makenna Nolte-Kelsey Reiland (Minico)
Fifth place—Jessica Hamilton-Ellen Davis (WR freshmen) 6-4, 6-3 over Mrin Barnes-Caitlin Chandler (Minico)
Wood River teams
Tessa Barrow-Kami Doan (3-1, seniors)
Bye
Won 8-8 (7-1) over Makenna Nolte-Kelsey Reiland (Century)
Lost 9-7 to Kim Ashton-Kim Haynie (Burley)
Won over Jessica Hamilton-Ellen Davies (WR)
Won 6-3, 6-2 over Makenna Nolte-Kelsey Reiland (Century)—third place
Jessica Hamilton-Ellen Davis (4-2, freshmen)
Won 8-2 over Cassie Novis-Benz Prairuangkit (Jerome)
Lost 8-2 to Madeline Woodhouse-Kaitlin Clark (Pocatello seniors)
Won 8-3 over Mettea Gunter-Aubry Burton (Century)
Won 8-2 over Makena Haynie-Caitlin Carlquist (Burley)
Lost to Tessa Barrow-Kami Doan (WR)
Won 6-4, 6-3 over Mrin Barnes-Caitlin Chandler (Minico)—fifth place
Mixed doubles (12 teams)
Seeds
1—Chester Kener-Kate Mills (Century)
2—Danny Lasike-Melissa Fairbrother (Jerome)
3—Sander Hadley-Holly Hancock (Pocatello)
4—Jordan Hammond-Chelsey Funk (Burley)
Final results (top 5 to state)
1—Sander Hadley-Holly Hancock (Pocatello)
2—Chester Kener-Kate Mills (Century)
3—Danny Lasike-Melissa Fairbrother (Jerome)
4—Ben Leopold-Tanya Greenwood (WR senior, junior)
5—Karl Fostvedt-Ainsley Gourlay (WR seniors)
Championship—Sander Hadley-Holly Hancock (Pocatello) over Chester Kener-Kate Mills (Century)
Third place—Danny Lasike-Melissa Fairbrother (Jerome) 6-3, 7-5 over Ben Leopold-Tanya Greenwood (WR senior, junior)
Fifth place—Karl Fostvedt-Ainsley Gourlay (WR seniors) 6-2, 6-3 over Tyson Bradley-Katarina Hick (Pocatello)
Wood River teams
Ben Leopold-Tanya Greenwood (3-2, senior/junior)
Won 8-8 (7-1) over Tyson Bradley-Katarina Hick (Pocatello)
Won 8-4 over Jordan Hammond-Chelsey Funk (Burley)
Lost 8-0 to Chester Kener-Kate Mills (Century)
Won 6-1, 6-4 over Karl Fostvedt-Ainsley Gourlay (WR)
Lost 6-3 ,7-5 to Danny Lasike-Melissa Fairbrother (Jerome)—third place
Karl Fostvedt-Ainsley Gourlay (4-2, seniors)
Won 8-1 over Chris Olsen-Ashley Laurence (Century)
Lost 8-2 to Danny Lasike-Melissa Fairbrother (Jerome)
Won 8-3 over Kade Carpenter-JC Blauer (Burley)
Won 8-5 over Kevin Jurgensmeier-Karee Jurgensmeier (Minico)
Lost 6-1, 6-4 to Ben Leopold-Tanya Greenwood (WR)
Won 6-2, 6-3 over Tyson Bradley-Katarina Hick (Pocatello)—fifth place
