Well balanced across the board and winners of three individual titles, the Parma Panthers were dominant during last weekend's 14-school State 3A high school tennis tournament on courts in Caldwell.
But coach Phil Huss' Community School Cutthroats made significant progress. Sun Valley, 18 players strong, added 33 points and a girls' doubles championship compared to its second-place finish behind Parma and no titles last year.
It was certainly a happy weekend for determined Cody Curran, one of the best female athletes the Sun Valley independent school has produced. She suffered a knee injury playing soccer last fall and sat out the basketball season, but Cody was ready to rumble when tennis season arrived.
She teamed up with junior Marin Shepardson to capture the girls' doubles championship with three straight-set wins last weekend, including the 7-6, 6-2 title match over Cutthroat teammates Emily Eshman and Ricki Eshman. Cody Curran had placed second and fourth in girls' singles at state in 2006 and 2007, so this was her first state tennis title.
And it was only the second girls' doubles state championship in Cutthroat annals, the other rung up by Devon Bunce and Mandy Alexander in 2005.
In all, the Cutthroats amassed the maximum 36 points in girls' doubles and finished with 56.5 points in the final girls' team totals, just a fraction behind girls' team winner Parma (57). The Panthers ran away with the boys' team championship 58 to 35.5 over The Community School.
So the Cutthroats came home with two silver trophies for placing second place in the girls' and boys' totals.
Parma (115 points overall) captured the ninth and 10th state titles in school history. The Community School (26-19 in all state matches last weekend) had 92 points, 33 better than last year. Weiser had 43.
Placing third in singles were senior Travis Stone and junior Courtney Hamilton. Stone won three matches, losing only to state champ Bryant Timmons of Parma. Hamilton won three times and beat Parma junior Jenny Shaner 6-3, 6-4 for third.
Fourth places in doubles at state went to Peter Atkinson and Tanner Flanigan, and John Martin and Melissa Becker. All those players are due to return next year for a Cutthroat team that only had four seniors out of 18 players at state. Parma qualified seven seniors out of its 16 players at state in 2008.
Results from state (14 schools and 96 players):
Final overall team totals
(state qualifiers in parentheses)
1—Parma (16) 115 points
2—The Community School (18) 92
3—Weiser (9) 43
4—Sugar-Salem (6) 33
5—Clark Fork (6) 29
6—Fruitland (11) 17
Others—Grangeville (5) 13 points.....Clearwater Valley (7) 12 points....Deary (6) 6 points....Homedale (2) 5 points....Coeur d'Alene Charter (5) 4 points.....Payette (2) 4 points....Culdesac (2) 2 points....Troy (1) 1 point.
Breakdown by boys and girls
Boys
1—Parma 58 (9th state title)
2—Community School 35.5
3—Sugar-Salem 26
4—Weiser 18
5—Clark Fork 16
6—Grangeville 9
Girls
1—Parma 57 (10th state title)
2—Community School 56.5
3—Weiser 25
4—Clark Fork 13
5—Fruitland 8
6—Sugar-Salem 7
Points by category
(115)—Parma: 24 BS, 29 GS, 16 BD, 10 GD, 36 MD for 115 points.
Placings: 1st—BS, GS, MD. 2nd—MD. 3rd—BD. 4th—GS, GD.
(92)—Community School: 16 BS, 14 GS, 13 BD, 36 GD, 13 MD for 92 points.
Placings: 1st—GD. 2nd—GD. 3rds—BS, GS. 4ths—BD, MD.
(Note: The Cutthroats have finished first or second at state in 11 of the last 12 state meets. Successive point totals were 53 in 1997, 46 in 1998, 52 in 1999, 76 in 2000, 91 in 2001, 94 in 2002, 59 in 2003, 86 in 2004, 108 in 2005, 120 in 2006, 59 in 2007 and 92 in 2008. Average point total at state in those 12 years, including 2008, has been 78.0 points).
(43)—Weiser: 16 BS, 20 GS, 1 BD, 4 GD, 2 MD for 43 points.
Placings: 1st—none. 2nd—BS, GS.
Points by singles/doubles
92—Community School (26-19 all matches in 2008, 22-18 all matches in 2007, 33-15 all matches in 2006 and 30-14 in 2005)—30 points singles (8-10), 62 points doubles (18-9)
State team championships
(40th time)
2008 (3A)—Parma (boys) and Parma (girls)
2007 (3A)—Parma
2006 (3A)—Community School
2005 (3A)—Community School
2004 (3A)—Community School
2003 (3A)—Homedale
2002 (3A)—Community School. 2001 (A-2)—Community School.
1998-2000 (Class B)—Bishop Kelly. 1997—Jerome.
1996—Homedale. 1995—Bishop Kelly. 1993-94—Parma. 1992—Jerome.
1991—Parma. 1989-90—Jerome. 1988—Wood River. 1987—Vallivue.
1986—Wood River. 1985—Jerome. 1983-84—Bishop Kelly. 1982—Wood River.
1981—Gooding. 1975-80—Bishop Kelly. 1973-74—Payette. 1972—Bishop Kelly.
1971—Parma. 1970—Parma and Jerome. 1968-69—Parma.
Number of state team titles—Bishop Kelly 17 overall, Parma 10, Jerome 6, Community School 5, Wood River 3, Payette 2, Homedale 2, Gooding 1, Vallivue 1.
This was Community School's 25th year fielding a team, and 24th to state.
State titlists (20—12 S, 8 D):
2008—Cody Curran and Marin Shepardson GD.
2006—Wes Flanigan and Christian Cairncross BD.
2006—Max Sabel and Jessie Curran MD.
2005—Tyler Martin BS.
2005—Devon Bunce and Mandy Alexander GD.
2005—Wes Flanigan and Christian Cairncross BD.
2004—Tyler Martin BS.
2004—Luke Fostvedt and Mandy Alexander MD.
2003—Joel Evans BS.
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002—Lauren Drew GS.
2001, 2002—Ryan Drew BS.
2002—Joel Evans and Luke Fostvedt BD.
1997—Chancey Martin BS. 1992—Amy Stuhlberg and Adam Saphier MD.
1986—Tory Thornton GS. 1985—John Jacoby BS.
Boys singles (12 players)
Final results
1—Bryant Timmons (Parma senior, defending state BS champion)
2—Grayson Duran (Weiser senior)
3—Travis Stone (Community School senior, 4th BS last year)
4—Kyle Fournier (Grangeville junior))
Summary: CS 5-5 match record, 16 points BS
Championship—Bryant Timmons (Parma senior) 6-3, 6-4 over Grayson Duran (Weiser senior)
Third place—Travis Stone (Community School senior) 6-3, 6-1 over Kyle Fournier (Grangeville junior)
Local players
Travis Stone (CS senior, 3-1)
Won 6-4, 6-1 over Rance Portenier (Parma junior)
Lost 6-1, 6-4 to Bryant Timmons (Parma senior)
Won 6-0, 6-2 over B.J. Allen (Clearwater Valley senior)
Won 6-3, 6-1 over Kyle Fournier (Grangeville junior)—third-place match
Chet Stephens (CS junior, 1-2)
Lost 6-2, 7-6 (5) to Shraven Sriganesh (Homedale senior)
Won 6-4, 6-2 over Paul Davis (CS sophomore)
Lost 6-3, 7-5 to B.J. Allen (Clearwater Valley senior)
Paul Davis (CS sophomore, 1-2)
Won 6-2, 6-4 over Ben Sedgwick (Clearwater Valley senior)
Lost 6-3, 6-0 to Grayson Duran (Weiser senior)
Lost 6-4, 6-2 to Chet Stephens (CS junior)
Girls singles (12 players)
Final results
1—Kali Roche (Parma sophomore, defending 3A GS champion)
2—Shae Duren (Weiser freshman)
3—Courtney Hamilton (CS junior)
4—Jenny Shaner (Parma junior)
Summary: CS 3-5 match record, 14 points GS
Championship—Kali Roche (Parma sophomore) 6-2, 6-2 over Shae Duren (Weiser freshman)
Third place—Courtney Hamilton (CS junior) 6-3, 6-4 over Jenny Shaner (Parma junior)
(Note: Kali Roche lost only 4 games in three straight-set wins)
Local players
Courtney Hamilton (CS junior, 3-1)
Won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 over Jenny Shaner (Parma junior)
Lost 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 to Shae Duren (Weiser freshman)
Won 6-1, 6-0 over Jami Farmer (Fruitland freshman)
Won 6-3, 6-4 over Jenny Shaner (Parma junior)—third-place match
Emmy O'Reilly (CS junior, 0-2)
Lost 6-1, 6-2 to Liz Hullinger (Weiser senior)
Lost 6-2, 6-4 to Sarah Blair (CDA Charter junior)
Emma Wilander (CS freshman, 0-2)
Lost 6-1, 6-2 to Jami Farmer (Fruitland freshman)
Lost 6-0, 6-0 to Jenny Shaner (Parma junior)
Boys doubles (12 teams)
Final results
1—Brian King-Steve Holman (Sugar-Salem seniors)
2—Thomas McMahon-Mike Martin (Clark Fork seniors, 4th BD 2007)
3—Hal Nielsen-Nathan Nielsen (Parma senior-sophomore)
4—Peter Atkinson-Tanner Flanigan (CS junior-sophomore, 3rd BD 2007)
Summary: CS 6-4 match record, 13 points BD
Championship—Brian King-Steve Holman (Sugar-Salem seniors) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 over Thomas McMahon-Mike Martin (Clark Fork seniors)
Third place—Hal Nielsen-Nathan Nielsen (Parma senior-sophomore) 7-5, 6-3 over Peter Atkinson-Tanner Flanigan (CS junior-sophomore)
Local players
Peter Atkinson-Tanner Flanigan (CS junior-sophomore, 3-2)
Won 6-1, 6-0 over Rayne Loomis-Kevin Bergquist (Weiser senior-junior)
Won 6-3, 6-3 over Lee Sallee-Ben Hulbert (Parma seniors)
Lost 6-3, 6-3 to Thomas McMahon-Mike Martin (Clark Fork seniors)
Won 6-0, 6-3 over Wyatt Bunce-Bergen Palmer (CS sophomores)
Lost 7-5, 6-3 to Hal Nielsen-Nathan Nielsen (Parma senior-sophomore)—third-place match
Wyatt Bunce-Bergen Palmer (CS sophomores, 3-2)
Won 6-1, 6-4 over Nick Eimers-Brennan Wright (Grangeville seniors)
Lost 6-1, 6-0 to Hal Nielsen-Nathan Nielsen (Parma senior-sophomore)
Won 6-2, 6-1 over Trent Dalton-Jeff Fischer (Deary juniors)
Won 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-1 over Max Aslett-Cameron Garner (Fruitland juniors)
Lost 6-0, 6-3 to Peter Atkinson-Tanner Flanigan (CS junior-sophomore)
Girls doubles (12 teams)
Final results
1—Cody Curran-Marin Shepardson (CS senior-junior)
2—Emily Eshman-Ricki Eshman (CS senior-sophomore)
3—Shania Gustafson-Chelsea Macumber (Clark Fork sophomores)
4—Alison Fetter-Kaitlin Nielsen (Parma seniors)
Summary: CS 6-1 match record, 36 points GD
Championship—Cody Curran-Marin Shepardson (CS senior-junior) 7-6, 6-2 over Emily Eshman-Ricki Eshman (CS senior-sophomore)
Third place—Shania Gustafson-Chelsea Macumber (Clark Fork sophomores) 7-5, 6-4 over Alison Fetter-Kaitlin Nielsen (Parma seniors)
Local players
Cody Curran-Marin Shepardson (CS senior-junior, 3-0)
Won 6-3, 6-1 over Jessica Gibson-Necia Dalley (Fruitland seniors)
Won 6-3, 6-1 over Alison Fetter-Kaitlin Nielsen (Parma seniors)
Won 7-6, 6-2 over Emily Eshman-Ricki Eshman (CS senior-sophomore)—championship
Emily Eshman-Ricki Eshman (CS senior-sophomore, 3-1)
Won 6-1, 6-2 over Alyson Perry-Melanie Loya (Parma senior-freshman)
Won 6-2, 6-3 over Michelle Meine-Angie Ngyuen (Fruitland seniors)
Won 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 over Shania Gustafson-Chelsea Macumber (Clark Fork sophomores)
Lost 7-6, 6-2 to Cody Curran-Marin Shepardson (CS senior-junior)—championship
Mixed doubles (12 teams)
Final results
1—Terrell Timmons-Alli Nielson (Parma sophomores)
2—Martin Loya-Alysha Rohrbacher (Parma junior-sophomore)
3—Greg Grant-Katelyn Thueson (Sugar-Salem seniors, 2nd MD 2007)
4—John Martin-Melissa Becker (CS junior-sophomore)
Summary: CS 6-4 match record, 13 points MD
Championship—Terrell Timmons-Alli Nielson (Parma sophomores) 6-3, 6-4 over Martin Loya-Alysha Rohrbacher (Parma junior-sophomore)
Third place—Greg Grant-Katelyn Thueson (Sugar-Salem seniors) 7-5, 6-2 over John Martin-Melissa Becker (CS junior-sophomore)
Local players
John Martin-Melissa Becker (CS junior-sophomore, 3-2)
Lost 6-0, 6-2 to Jordan Olson-Brittany Beeman (Deary seniors)
Won 7-5, 6-3 over Derrick Wright-Audriana Sedgwick (Clearwater Valley senior-junior)
Won 7-6 (1), 1-6, 6-3 over Eric Bokides-Jen Roundtree (Weiser junior-senior)
Won 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 over Marc Soelberg-Cass Gross (Payette juniors)
Lost 7-5, 6-2 to Greg Grant-Katelyn Thueson (Sugar-Salem seniors)—third-place match
Riley Berman-Jessie Curran (CS junior-senior, 3-2)
Won 6-0, 6-3 over Eric Bokides-Jen Roundtree (Weiser junior-senior)
Lost 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to Martin Loya-Alysha Rohrbacher (Parma junior-sophomore)
Won 6-1, 6-1 over Austin Lortie-Carli Beck (Fruitland sophomore-senior)
Won 6-1, 6-1 over Jordan Olson-Brittany Beeman (Deary seniors)
Lost 6-1, 6-0 to Greg Grant-Katelyn Thueson (Sugar-Salem seniors)
