Bragging rights belonged to three teams from southwestern Idaho during the State 3A prep tennis tournament Friday and Saturday, May 20-21 at Vallivue High School in Caldwell.
They were Fruitland, Parma and Weiser. Overall, they were the top three teams in the 13-school meet by wide margin—Fruitland piling up 101 overall points, Parma 94 and Weiser 60.
Fruitland's Grizzlies ran away with their first-ever state tennis team championship by a 66.5-54 margin over three-time defending champion Parma. In boys' rankings, Parma slipped past Weiser by a 40-36 total for the 13th Panther state crown.
This year, the perennial 3A powerhouse Community School from Sun Valley had to settle for fourth place in the overall team, boys' team and girls' team standings.
Best result came from junior Tim Kanellitsas. He placed second in boys' singles behind Weiser senior Austin Winegar. No other Cutthroat placed out of the 14 who qualified for state.
Over two days the Cutthroats managed only 35 points winning nine of 26 matches.
Head coach Phil Huss said, "We met some tough competition. Lots of young players had the chance to see tennis played at a high level. They loved being part of the state tournament. Each player improved."
Kanellitsas played some great tennis at state, the coach added. He said, "Tim didn't drop a set on his journey to the finals. He met his match in the finals and lost 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) to the quarterback and football star from Weiser (Austin Winegar, a senior)."
Sophomore singles player Zach Lindahl also posted some feisty wins—three in straight sets—and made it to the semi-finals in the consolation round.
Here are results:
Final overall team totals (state qualifiers in parentheses)
1—Fruitland (15).... 101 points
2—Parma (14).... 94
3—Weiser (6)....60
4—Community School (14)....35
Others—Payette (3) 19 points, Homedale (2) 13, Clark Fork (6) 13, Grangeville (10) 11, Coeur d'Alene Charter (8) 9, Sugar-Salem of Sugar City (6) 8, Clearwater Valley (3) 5, Gooding (4) 4 and Deary (5) 3.
Breakdown by boys, girls
Boys
1—Parma (13th state title) 40
2—Weiser 36
3—Fruitland 34.5
4—Community School 25.5
5—Homedale 13
Girls
1—Fruitland (1st state title) 66.5
2—Parma 54
3—Weiser 24
4—Community School 9.5
5—Payette 8
Points by category—
(101)—Fruitland 12 BS, 20 GS, 8 BD, 32 GD, 29 MD=101
1st—GD, MD. 2nd—GS. 3rd—BS, GD. 4th—MD.
(94)—Parma 0 BS, 21 GS, 32 BD, 25 GD, 16 MD=94
1st—BD. 2nd—GD. 3rd—GS, BD, MD. 4th—GS, GD.
(60)—Weiser 20 BS, 20 GS, 16 BD, 4 GD, 0 MD=60
1st—BS, GS. 2nd—BD. 3rd—none. 4th—none.
(35)—Community School 20 BS, 4 GS, 4 BD, 4 GD, 3 MD=35
1st—none. 2nd—BS. 3rds—none. 4ths—none.
Points by singles/doubles—
35—Community School.....9-17 all matches in 2011—24 points singles (6-7 matches), 11 points doubles (3-10).
History: 23-19 all matches in 2010, 21-16 all matches in 2009, 26-19 all matches in 2008, 22-18 all matches in 2007, 33-15 all matches in 2006 and 30-14 in 2005.
State team championships (43rd time):
2011 (3A)—Parma (boys) and Fruitland (girls)
2010 (3A)—Community School (boys) and Parma (girls)
2009 (3A)—Community School (boys) and Parma (girls)
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 13, Community School 7, Jerome 6, Wood River 4, Payette 2, Homedale 2, Gooding 1, Vallivue 1, Fruitland 1.
This was Community School's 28th year fielding a team, and 27th 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—Austin Winegar (Weiser senior)
2—Tim Kanellitsas (Community School junior)
3—Bryce Nattress (Fruitland sophomore)
4—Tanner Lair (Homedale senior—state champ BS 2010)
Summary: CS 5-3 match record, 20 points BS
Championship—Austin Winegar (Weiser senior) 6-3, 7-6 (2) over Tim Kanellitsas (Community School junior)
Third place—Bryce Nattress (Fruitland sophomore) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 over Tanner Lair (Homedale senior—state champ BS 2010)
Local players
Tim Kanellitsas (CS junior, 2-1)
Bye
Won 6-4, 6-0 over Leo Brito (Payette senior)
Won 6-2, 6-3 over Bryce Nattress (Fruitland sophomore)
Lost 6-3, 7-6 (2) to Austin Winegar (Weiser senior)—championship
Zach Lindahl (CS sophomore, 3-2)
Won 6-0, 6-2 over Jay Brewer (CDA Charter senior)
Lost 6-0, 6-2 to Austin Winegar (Weiser senior)
Won 7-6, 6-0 over Mitch Ketron (CDA Charter senior)
Won 6-4, 6-3 over Nick Stotzem (Grangeville senior)
Lost 6-2, 6-1 to Bryce Nattress (Fruitland sophomore)
Girls singles (12 players)
Final results
1—Shae Duren (Weiser senior, 1st place 2010 GS, 2nd place 2008-09 GS)
2—Emily Tesnohlidek (Fruitland junior, 3rd place GS 2010)
3—Landri Timmons (Parma sophomore, 4th place GS 2010)
4—Kaelyn Flaherty (Parma freshman)
Summary: CS 1-4 match record, 4 points GS
Championship—Shae Duren (Weiser senior) 6-4, 6-1 over Emily Tesnohlidek (Fruitland junior)
Third place—Landri Timmons (Parma sophomore) 6-0, 6-0 over Kaelyn Flaherty (Parma freshman)
Local players
Emma Wilander (CS senior, 0-2)
Bye
Lost 6-0, 6-1 to Landri Timmons (Parma sophomore)
Lost 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 to Carly Grant (Sugar-Salem senior)
Chloe Chrysikopoulos (CS freshman, 1-2)
Lost 6-3, 6-4 to Kaelyn Flaherty (Parma freshman)
Bye
Won 6-2, 6-1 over Rebecca Winzer (CDA Charter senior)
Lost 3-0 retired to Carly Grant (Sugar-Salem senior)
Boys doubles (12 teams)
Final results
1—Chance Velie-Kyler Beck (Parma junior-sophomore)
2—Spencer Richardson-Matt Child (Weiser seniors, 2nd BD 2010)
3—Tanner Nielsen-Trevor Nielsen (Parma senior-freshman)
4—Stillman Berkly-Nate Nesbitt (Clark Fork junior-senior)
Summary: CS 1-4 match record, 4 points BD
Championship—Chance Velie-Kyler Beck (Parma junior-sophomore) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 over
Spencer Richardson-Matt Child (Weiser seniors)
Third place—Tanner Nielsen-Trevor Nielsen (Parma senior-freshman) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 over Stillman Berkly-Nate Nesbitt (Clark Fork junior-senior)
Local players
Colin Waycott-Gray Riedinger (CS juniors, 1-2)
Bye
Lost 6-1, 6-3 to Spencer Richardson-Matt Child (Weiser seniors)
Won 6-3, 7-6 (6) over Taylor Adler-Nick Wright (CS freshmen)
Lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to Stillman Berkly-Nate Nesbitt (Clark Fork junior-seior)
Taylor Adler-Nick Wright (CS freshmen, 0-2)
Lost 6-1, 6-1 to Connor Heersink-Joel Van Patten (Fruitland sophomore-freshman)
Bye
Lost 6-3, 7-6 (6) to Colin Waycott-Gray Riedinger (CS juniors)
Girls doubles (12 teams)
Final results
1—Jami Farmer-Sadie Stutzman (Fruitland senior-sophomore)
2—Riley Brixey-Brittney Sorrell (Parma juniors)
3—Hannah Farmer-Abby Tesnohlidek (Fruitland sophomore-freshman)
4—Amanda Chaney-Erica Nichols (Parma seniors)
Summary: CS 1-4 match record, 4 points GD
Championship—Jami Farmer-Sadie Stutzman (Fruitland senior-sophomore) 6-0, 6-1 over
Riley Brixey-Brittney Sorrell (Parma juniors)
Third place—Hannah Farmer-Abby Tesnohlidek (Fruitland sophomore-freshman) 6-0, 7-6 (3) over Amanda Chaney-Erica Nichols (Parma seniors)
Local players
Morgan Atkinson-Gabi Perenchio (CS juniors, 0-2)
Bye
Lost 6-2, 6-1 to Riley Brixey-Brittney Sorrell (Parma juniors)
Lost 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) to Paige Riedinger-Taylor Figge (CS sophomores)
Paige Riedinger-Taylor Figge (CS sophomores, 1-2)
Lost 6-2, 6-2 to Tanna Pettet-Erin Tolman (Weiser seniors)
Bye
Won 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) over Morgan Atkinson-Gabi Perenchio (CS juniors)
Lost 6-1, 6-2 to Tylee Coons-Jade Gutzman (Clearwater Valley juniors)
Mixed doubles (12 teams)
Final results
1—Chris Fields-Lauren Farmer (Fruitland seniors)
2—Matt Bake-Kaley King (Payette sophomore-junior)
3—Kirk Rohrbacher-Melanie Loya (Parma junior-senior)
4—Nick Garner-Karli Farmer (Fruitland seniors)
Summary: CS 1-2 match record, 3 points MD
Championship—Chris Fields-Lauren Farmer (Fruitland seniors) 6-2, 6-3 over Matt Bake-Kaley King (Payette sophomore-junior)
Third place—Kirk Rohrbacher-Melanie Loya (Parma junior-senior) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 over Nick Garner-Karli Farmer (Fruitland seniors)
Local players
Reed Roudabush-Chloe Francois (CS freshmen, 1-2)
Bye
Lost 6-2, 6-0 to Matt Bake-Kaley King (Payette sophomore-junior)
Won 6-3, 6-4 over Alan Blankenship-Lyndsey Keibert (Clark Fork sophomore-freshman)
Lost 7-6 (10), 6-2 to Drew Brint-Alicia Lothspeich (Grangeville seniors)
