Bulldog tennis team gunning for rare state trophy
Above: Junior Logan Temple will play singles at state, beginning this morning in Boise. Temple is one of 12 Bulldogs competing in the two-day, true double-elimination tournament. Right: Michael Favor, pictured retrieving a deep ball at districts, will team up with Liz Parsley in hopes of earning a medal in mixed doubles. —Photos by ERIC PLUMMER
Michael Favor, pictured retrieving a deep ball at districts, will team up with Liz Parsley in hopes of earning a medal in mixed doubles.
SANDPOINT — Both quality and quantity will be wearing red when the Bulldogs take to the tennis courts around Boise this morning, with a dozen players hungry for a team trophy at the 4A state tennis championships.
Leading the way will be juniors Laney Search and Khloe Kyllonen, who placed fifth last year and are the No. 2 seeds in the girls draw this year. Search, who teamed with older sister Kennedy to finish second two years ago, has the ability to dominate at the net, earning easy points.
Kyllonen is strong from the baseline and great at keeping tough balls alive at the net, which meshes well with Search’s ability to end points. The two advanced to the semis last year in a senior-heavy bracket, and could be primed for more.
“Khloe has great placement from the baseline, which sets up Laney for easy points at the net,” said Anderson, who feels his No. 2 doubles team of seniors Violet Plummer and Caroline Suppiger could also vie for a medal. “Vi and Caroline are right there with Laney and Khloe.”
Senior Cassidy Story also returns with plenty of state experience, making her third trip to Boise. Always a strong counter-puncher on defense, Story added some offensive weapons to her game and could make a serious run at a medal in her final attempt.
The boys doubles teams of Patrick Rockwell and Matthew Curtiss, and Jake Aguirre and Reilly Wolfe, also have the chops to make some noise in the 16 team draw. Both teams play with huge pace and rely on athleticism, which can make for some entertaining points.
Boys doubles at state is usually loaded with big hitters, so good hands are essential and nothing comes easy. If the two teams play like they did in an entertaining district championship, they should more than hold their own.
“The first set of the doubles final was the best high school doubles I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot,” recalled Anderson. “They’re all so athletic.”
Michael Favor and Liz Parsley have a chance to pick up some wins in mixed doubles, which traditionally features the most parity of any of the draws at state, meaning more teams have legitimate shots at medals. Favor plays with big top-spin and is strong from the baseline, setting up the lengthy Parsley for quality, point-ending volleys.
Junior Logan Temple, who features great consistency and control with a strong forehand and volleys, will gain valuable experience in the boys singles draw, where he’ll likely face a level of competition he rarely gets to see in North Idaho.
Anderson has led a team to a top four finish and trophy in the past, and he feels like this team has a shot at another with some strong play this weekend.
“The biggest key is to win matches in the main draw, those are worth more points,” he said. “If we can do that, we’ve got a shot.”