Sandpoint tennis closes out regular season with win over CDA
(Photo by KYLE CAJERO) Cayden Kindred (left) elevates for a forehand during a mixed doubles match against Post Falls on May 2. Kindred won a No. 3 boys singles match against Coeur d’Alene’s Adam Priest 6-0, 6-3 on Tuesday.
For those who believe in momentum, there are few more desirable outcomes than Sandpoint tennis’ five-game winning streak to close out the regular season.
The Bulldogs’ latest victim in their five-match streak was the 5A Coeur d’Alene Vikings, which fell to 4A Sandpoint 7-5 on Tuesday afternoon.
“This team is one of the grittiest teams I’ve ever coached,” Sandpoint tennis head coach Kent Anderson said in an email. “They just don’t like to lose. This was a quality win against a very strong CDA team who will be vying for a 5A district championships. The camaraderie of this group is special.”
The boys team swept Coeur d’Alene in singles and doubles; none of the matches went to three sets. Fighting blisters developed over the past week of tennis, No. 1 Charlie Johnson set the tone with his 6-1, 6-1 “shellacking” — as his coach called it — win.
“Charlie was unbeatable,” Anderson said. “He lived up to one of our team slogans: ‘You play better hurt.’”
Hurt by their first loss in quite some time at No. 1 boys doubles, Declan Plummer and Christian Story took out their frustrations on the Vikings and returned to form with a 6-1, 6-1 win.
“They were not thrilled with their loss [to Lakeland on Monday], but they returned to their patented power game and relentless attacking style and completely overwhelmed their opponents,” Anderson said.
The story wasn’t quite the same on the girls side, which conceded most of their matches to the Vikings. Despite the relatively off-day for the girls, both No. 2s shone in singles and in doubles. Over in doubles, Lily Anderson and Olivia Ramirez battled in the afternoon’s lone, three-match series, grinding out a 6-7, 6-3 (10-5) win. Meanwhile in singles, Colleene McBride’s two set victory stood out to her coach as one of the day’s best performances albeit one without some water, of all things, at the start.
“Colleene played inspirational tennis,” Anderson said. “Both players were wearing down as they battled through continual long, hard points in the heat of the afternoon. With Colleene down 3-2 in the second set, I discovered Colleene had forgotten to bring water to her match. After getting her water, she reeled off four straight games and won the match.”
“There’s a lesson to be learned there!” Anderson added.
If there will be any similarities between yesterday’s match and districts, it’s that temperatures will likely be scoring again down in Lakeland on Friday and Saturday. Action on both days starts at 8 a.m.
Sandpoint 7, Coeur d’Alene 5
Sandpoint athletes in bold
GIRLS SINGLES: No. 1 Madi Whittemore d. Jenny Slaveck, 6-0, 6-3. No. 2 Colleene McBride d, Rachel Hoopman, 6-4, 6-3. No. 3 Abby Markowski d. Denali Terry, 6-1, 6-2.
GIRLS DOUBLES: Maggie Bloom/Kim Gunnerson d. Tessa Beeman/Hadley Goodvin, 6-4, 6-3. Lily Anderson/Olivia Ramirez d. Emma Childress/Amy Corette, 6-7, 6-3 (10-5).
BOYS SINGLES: No. 1 Charlie Johnson d. Thomas Kladar, 6-1, 6-1. No. 2 Anton Morau d. Justin Jaworski, 6-2, 6-3. No. 3 Cayden Kindred d. Adam Priest, 6-0, 6-3.
BOYS DOUBLES: Declan Plummer/Christian Story d. Kobie DeLeonard/Guillermo Fernandez, 6-1, 6-1. Tabor Dussault/Carter Johnson d. Wes Sando/Zack Lara, 7-5. 6-1.
MIXED DOUBLES: Chris Swider/Sara Swider d. Alana Siefert/Tyler Korn. Sarah Silkey/Nez Ogle d. Josh Jessen/Taryn McBride, 6-3, 6-1.