15 Bulldogs still alive for state berths after day 1 of tennis regionals

SANDPOINT — Plenty of Sandpoint tennis players are still alive after day one of the 4A Region 1 championships, and they will all be seeking state berths on Saturday.

A total of 15 Bulldogs are still in the running for state berths and nine of them will play in championship matches.

Given the amount of players that advanced to two day of regionals for Sandpoint, a regional title sweep is looking like a real possibility, head coach Kent Anderson said.

As anticipated, the championship final in boys doubles is filled with a pair of Sandpoint doubles teams. Josh Embree and Christian Story, the No. 1 seed, will battle Tyler Korn and Carter Johnson, the No. 2 seed, for the title.

It's the matchup everyone wanted and a winner will be crowned on Saturday. The match will start at 10:30 a.m. at Travers Park.

Embree and Story cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 win to secure a spot in the final while Korn and Johnson faced a little more resistance. They won their match 6-4, 0-6, 6-0.

Anderson said Korn and Johnson will need to play stronger than they did on Friday if they want to dethrone Embree and Story.

"Hopefully they got whatever they had out of their system," he said. "If they're playing the way I've seen them play, I can't make the call in the match against Christian and Josh, but they are going to have to play at their top level for sure."

In girls doubles, Olivia Petruso and Denali Terry grabbed a pair of victories to secure a spot in the championship final. In their second match, they were able to hold off Lakeland in a hard fought second set.

"It was a tight match," he said. "Denali got mad and was just a monster at the net. It was pretty cool."

In girls singles, freshman Neva Reseska grabbed a pair of victories in straight sets to lock up a spot in the championship match.

"She had some really big wins today," Anderson said.

Maise Brazill and Adrian Doty are also still alive for a state berth in girls singles in the consolation bracket.

The Bulldogs' No. 2 pairing of Tyler McNamee and Kailee McNamee will battle Moscow's No. 2 in the mixed doubles regional title match. Sandpoint's No. 1 pairing of Patch Howard and Aden Heitz will play in the consolation semifinal.

In boys singles, Charlie Johnson and Josh Jessen are still alive and will play each other at noon for a spot in the consolation final.

The top two finishers in girls singles, girls doubles, boys singles, boys doubles and mixed doubles will qualify for the 4A state championships on May 21-22 in Boise.

Depending on how Saturday's matches shake out, Anderson said the Bulldogs could send about 12 kids to state.

"Saturday's matches are going to be intense," Anderson said.

Matches start at 9 a.m.

Sandpoint results

4A Region 1 championships Day 1

GIRLS SINGLES: No. 1 Neva Reseska, Spt., d. Moscow No. 2, 6-0, 6-0. No. 1 Neva Reseska, Spt., d. Lakeland No. 2, 6-0, 6-1. No. 2 Maise Brazill, Spt., d. Moscow No. 3, 6-0, 6-1. No. 1 Malika Warnick, LL, d. No. 2 Maise Brazill, Spt., 6-0, 6-2. No. 2 Maise Brazill, Spt., d. Moscow No. 2, 6-0, 6-2. No. 3 Adrian Doty, Spt., d. Lakeland No. 3, 6-1, 6-2. No. 1 Malika Warnick, LL, d. No. 3 Adrian Doty, Spt., 6-0, 6-1. No. 3 Adrian Doty, Spt., d. Moscow No. 3, 6-2, 6-3. CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH — No. 1 Malika Warnick, LL, vs. No. 1 Neva Reseska, Spt., 10:30 a.m. CONSOLATION QUARTERFINAL: Lakeland No. 2 vs. No. 3 Adrian Doty, Spt, 9 a.m. CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL: No. 2 Maise Brazill, Spt., vs. winner of consolation quarterfinal, noon.

GIRLS DOUBLES: No. 1 Olivia Petruso/Denali Terry d. Moscow No. 2, 6-3, 6-4. No. 1 Olivia Petruso/Denali Terry d. Ellie Carlson/Addie Raebel, 6-2, 7-5. No. 2 Berkeley Cox/Maile Evans d. Lakeland No. 2, 6-1, 6-3. Moscow No. 1 d. No. 2 Berkeley Cox/Maile Evans, 6-2, 6-3. Moscow No. 2 d. No. 2 Berkeley Cox/Maile Evans, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2. CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: No. 1 Serena Strawn/Aneesha Shrestha, Moscow, vs. No. 1 Olivia Petruso/Denali Terry, Spt., 10:30 a.m.

BOYS SINGLES: No. 1 Charlie Johnson d. Lakeland No. 2, 6-0, 6-1. No. 1 Lynnsean Young, Moscow, d. No. 1 Charlie Johnson, 7-5, 6-1. No. 1 Charlie Johnson d. Moscow No. 3, unknown. No. 2 Brahma Heitz d. Moscow No. 2, 6-1, 6-0. No. 1 Marwann Warnick, LL, d. No. 2 Brahma Heitz, 6-1, 6-2. No. 1 Lynnsean Young, Moscow, d. No. 3 Josh Jessen. No. 3 Josh Jessen d. Lakeland No. 2, 6-2, 6-2. No. 3 Josh Jessen d. No. 2 Brahma Heitz, 6-1, 6-3. CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL: No. 1 Charlie Johnson vs. No. 3 Josh Jessen, 6-1, 6-3, noon.

BOYS DOUBLES: No. 1 Josh Embree/Christian Story d. No. 1 Clayton Hemming/Kel Larson, 6-1, 6-0. No. 2 Tyler Korn/Carter Johnson d. No. 1 Brady Hannah/Brady Manko, 6-4, 0-6, 6-0. CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: No. 1 Josh Embree/Christian Story vs. No. 2 Tyler Korn/Carter Johnson, 10:30 a.m.

MIXED DOUBLES: No. 2 Moscow d. No. 1 Patch Howard/Aden Heitz, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. No. 1 Patch Howard/Aden Heitz d. No. 1 Quinn McGovern/Maddie Hersh, Lakeland, 6-1, 6-0. No. 2 Tyler McNamee/Kailee McNamee d. No. 1 Quinn McGovern/Maddie Hersh, 6-2, 6-1. No. 2 Tyler McNamee/Kailee McNamee d. No. 1 Ellen Haynes/Mark Sproull, 6-1, 6-3. CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: No. 2 Moscow vs. No. 2 Tyler McNamee/Kailee McNamee, 9:00. CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL: No. 1 Patch Howard/Aden Heitz vs. No. 1 Ellen Haynes/Mark Sproull, Moscow, 11 a.m.