For a program that has enjoyed tremendous past success at the Idaho High School Activities Association’s state tennis tournament, the Community School struggled big time Friday, May 17 on the first day of this year’s State 3A tournament on the Caldwell courts.
Certainly the youngest team there (7 juniors, 5 sophomores, 4 freshmen), the Cutthroats from Sun Valley entered 16 players in the two-day, 16-school tournament and ran into a first-round buzz saw.
They were 0-6 in their opening singles matches, and 0-5 doubles—sending everybody into the consolation bracket.
Athletic coordinator Richard Whitelaw summed it up, saying, “A tough day all around. Parma and Fruitland are strong this year and we are the only school without seniors. We also had two stoppages for rain delays.”
You can’t accumulate many team points without succeeding in the championship bracket, which is the main reason the final Cutthroat state tally of 29 points was way off the school’s average of 76 points attained at each state meet in 16 successive years from 1997-2012.
But chiefly through 12 points in girls’ singles plus 4 points in girls’ doubles, the Cutthroats totaled 17 points in the State 3A girls’ standings and still brought home a third-place team trophy for 2013.
Third-seeded freshman Olivia Ott, losing her first match in straight sets to Wilder senior Lena Jokanovic, rallied with three wins in the singles consolation bracket to claim fourth place—again falling to Jokanovic in the final match, but this time in split sets.
Winning twice were sophomore George Everitt in boys’ singles, and the boys’ doubles team of junior Doug DuFur and freshman Daniel DuFur.
The Fruitland Grizzlies (116 points) ran away with the overall title over the Parma Panthers (94). Fruitland captured its first state boys’ team title 54-41 over Parma, and the Grizzlies also won their third consecutive girls’ team championship 62-53 over Parma.
Leading Fruitland’s charge were singles titles won by seniors Bryce Nattress and Sadie Stutzman—Nattress moving up from third-place finishes in 2011-12, and Stutzman winning her first singles title after a second in 2012. Stutzman also won gold in state girls’ doubles in 2011.
The climb up the ladder felt sweet for Fruitland’s Hannah Farmer and Abby Tesnohlidek, who won girls’ doubles after placing third two years ago and second last year. Payette seniors Matt Bake-Devin Soelberg won boys’ doubles, and Parma seniors Kyler Beck-Landri Timmons took mixed.
2013 State 3A tennis tournament
May 17-18, 2013 at Vallivue and Caldwell high schools
16 schools, 96 players
Final overall team totals (state qualifiers in parentheses)
1—Fruitland (12)…. 116 points
2—Parma (16)…. 94
3—Weiser (7)….37
4—Community School (16)….29
Others—Payette (2) 20; Gooding (6) 13; Wilder (1) 12; Coeur d’Alene Charter (11) 12; Prairie (1) 9; Grangeville (8) 7; Clark Fork (4) 6; Homedale (2) 6; Kamiah (1) 4; Deary (5) 4; Sugar-Salem (2) 4; Clearwater Valley (2) 2.
Breakdown by boys and girls
Boys
1—Fruitland (1st state boys title, 4th overall) 54
2—Parma 41
3—Weiser 22
4—Payette 20
5—Community School 12
Girls
1—Fruitland (3rd straight state title) 62
2—Parma 53
3—Community School 17
4—Weiser 15
5—Wilder 12
Points by category—
(116)—Fruitland 20 BS, 20 GS, 28 BD, 36 GD, 12 MD=116
1st—BS, GS, GD. 2nd—BD, GD. 3rd—BD, MD. 4th—none.
(94)—Parma 16 BS, 19 GS, 7 BD, 16 GD, 36 MD=94
1st—MD. 2nd—GS, MD. 3rd—BS, GD. 4th—none.
(37)—Weiser 16 BS, 0 GS, 0 BD, 9 GD, 12 MD=37
1st—none. 2nd—BS. 3rd—. 4th—GD, MD.
(29)—Community School 6 BS, 12 GS, 5 BD, 4 GD, 2 MD=29
4ths—GS.
Points by singles/doubles—
29—Community School…..9-22 all matches in 2013—18 points singles (5-12 matches), 11 points doubles (4-10).
History: 9-22 all matches in 2013, 25-18 all matches in 2012, 9-17 all matches in 2011, 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 (45th time):
2013 (3A)—Fruitland (boys) and Fruitland (girls)
2012 (3A)—Community School (boys) and Fruitland (girls)
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 8, Jerome 6, Wood River 4, Fruitland 4, Payette 2, Homedale 2, Gooding 1, Vallivue 1.
This was Community School’s 30th year fielding a team, and 29th to state.
State titlists (21—13 S, 8 D):
2012—Michael Weaver BS.
2008—Cody Curran and Marin Shepardson GD.
2006—Wes Flanigan and Christian CairncrossBD.
2006—Max Sabel and Jessie Curran MD.
2005—Tyler Martin BS.
2005—Devon Bunce and Mandy Alexander GD.
2005—Wes Flanigan and Christian CairncrossBD.
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.
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Boys singles (12 players)
Final results
1—Bryce Nattress (Fruitland senior, 3rd BS 2011, 3rd BS 2012)
2—Dominic Aubrey (Weiser junior)
3—Tanner Kramer (Parma freshman)
4—Juraj Crnko (Prairie junior)
Summary: CS 2-6 match record, 6 points BS
Championship—Bryce Nattress (Fruitland senior) 6-2, 6-2 over Dominic Aubrey (Weiser junior)
Third place—Tanner Kramer (Parma freshman) 6-1, 6-2 over Juraj Crnko (Prairie junior)
Local players
Willis Sanchez-duPont (0-2, sophomore)
Bye
Lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to Dominic Aubrey (Weiser junior)
Lost 6-3, 6-0 to George Everitt (CS sophomore)
George Everitt (2-2, sophomore)
Lost 6-4, 6-3 to Mitch Nielsen (Parma freshman)
Won 6-3, 6-0 over Willis Sanchez-duPont (CS sophomore)
Won by default, 5-2, over Fernando Moreno (CDA Charter senior)
Lost 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 to Juraj Crnko (Prairie junior)
Trenor Gould (0-2, sophomore)
Lost 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 to Tanner Kramer (Parma freshman)
Lost 6-3, 6-4 to Kincade Kincheloe (Homedale sophomore)
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Girls singles (12 players)
Final results
1—Sadie Stutzman (Fruitland senior, 2nd place GS 2012)
2—Madison Beck (Parma freshman)
3—Lena Jokanovic (Wilder senior)
4—Olivia Ott (Community School freshman)
Summary: CS 3-6 match record, 12 points GS
Championship—Sadie Stutzman (Fruitland senior) 6-2, 6-4 over Madison Beck (Parma freshman)
Third place—Lena Jokanovic (Wilder senior) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 over Olivia Ott (Community School freshman)
Local players
Olivia Ott (3-2, freshman)
Bye
Lost 6-3, 6-3 to Lena Jokanovic (Wilder senior)
Won 6-4, 6-4 over Lynn Babich (CDA Charter senior)
Won 6-2, 7-6 (3) over Mindi Grantham (CDA Charter junior)
Won 6-2, 7-6 (3) over Aidee Garcia (Kamiah junior)
Lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to Lena Jokanovic (Wilder senior)—4th place
Hannah Conn (0-2, freshman)
Bye
Lost 6-1, 7-6 (4) to Aidee Garcia (Kamiah junior)
Lost 6-2, 6-1 to Emily Meyers (Parma freshman)
Blair Baker (0-2, freshman)
Lost 6-0, 6-0 to Sadie Stutzman (Fruitland senior)
Lost 7-6 (4), 6-1 to Hattie Mertz (Homedale sophomore)
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Boys doubles (12 teams)
Final results
1—Matt Bake-Devin Soelberg (Payette seniors)
2—Jaxxton Clayton-Joel Van Patten (Fruitland juniors, 4th BD 2012)
3—Dawson Crow-Cooper Crow (Fruitland senior, freshman)
4—Rico Mendez-Angel Garcia (Gooding seniors)
Summary: CS 2-4 match record, 5 points BD
Championship—Matt Bake-Devin Soelberg (Payette seniors) 7-5, 6-2 over Jaxxton Clayton-Joel Van Patten (Fruitland juniors)
Third place—Dawson Crow-Cooper Crow (Fruitland senior, freshman) 6-0, 6-0 over Rico Mendez-Angel Garcia (Gooding seniors)
Local players
Doug DuFur-Daniel DuFur (2-2, junior, freshman)
Bye
Lost 6-2, 6-1 to Matt Bake-Devin Soelberg (Payette seniors)
Won 6-2, 6-3 over Ethan Kjesbo-Reed Roudabush (CS juniors)
Won 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 over Parker Lewis-Keagan Brixey (Parma sophomores)
Lost 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Rico Mendez-Angel Garcia (Gooding seniors)
Ethan Kjesbo-Reed Roudabush (0-2, juniors)
Lost 7-5, 6-1 to Jaxxton Clayton-Joel Van Patten (Fruitland juniors)
Lost 6-2, 6-3 to Doug DuFur-Daniel Du-Fur (CS junior, freshman)
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Girls doubles (12 teams)
Final results
1—Hannah Farmer-Abby Tesnohlidek (Fruitland senior, junior, 3rd GD 2011, 2nd GD 2012)
2—Emma Farmer-Brooke Teunissen (Fruitland sophomores, 4th GD 2012)
3—Deborah Blanscet-Lauren Smyser (Parma junior, sophomore)
4—Hailee Anderson-Madison Walker (Weiser seniors)
Summary: CS 1-4 match record, 4 points GD
Championship—Hannah Farmer-Abby Tesnohlidek (Fruitland senior, junior) 6-4, 6-1 over Emma Farmer-Brooke Teunissen (Fruitland sophomores)
Third place—Deborah Blanscet-Lauren Smyser (Parma junior, sophomore) 6-2, 6-0 over Hailee Anderson-Madison Walker (Weiser seniors)
Local players
Erin Hennessy-Jolie Blair (1-2, juniors)
Bye
Lost 6-0, 6-0 to Deborah Blanscet-Lauren Smyser (Parma junior, sophomore)
Won 6-2, 6-1 over Marleigh Poulson-Isabelle Caraluzzi (CS sophomores)
Lost 6-1, 6-1 to Hailee Anderson-Madison Walker (Weiser seniors)
Marleigh Poulson-Isabelle Caraluzzi (0-2, sophomores)
Lost 6-1, 6-0 to Kailee Laub-Raely Irish (Parma freshmen)
Lost 6-2 ,6-1 to Erin Hennessy-Jolie Blair (CS juniors)
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Mixed doubles (12 teams)
Final results
1—Kyler Beck-Landri Timmons (Parma seniors)
2—Jacob Brown-Kaelynn Flaherty (Parma juniors)
3—Connor Heersink-Jessica Russell (Fruitland senior, junior)
4—Tyler Hemphill-Katelyn Westover (Weiser senior, sophomore)
Summary: CS 1-2 match record, 2 points MD
Championship—Kyler Beck-Landri Timmons (Parma seniors) 6-1, 6-4 over Jacob Brown-Kaelynn Flaherty (Parma juniors)
Third place—Connor Heersink-Jessica Russell (Fruitland senior, junior) 6-2, 6-2 over
Tyler Hemphill-Katelyn Westover (Weiser senior, sophomore)
Local players
Nick Wright-Hannah Dies (1-2, juniors)
Lost 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 to Tyler Hemphill-Katelyn Westover (Weiser senior, sophomore)
Won 6-0, 6-0 over Nic Johnson-Capria Rinaldi (CDA Charter seniors)
Lost 6-3, 6-2 to Landon Weber-Felecia Nelson (Sugar-Salem juniors)
Community School freshman Olivia Ott rallied to place fourth in the State 3A tennis tournament girls’ singles com-petition May 18 in Caldwell. Photo by Willy Cook
