Clark Fork doubles pair places fourth at state
Clark Fork's Wesley Simko (left) and Blaine Williams won the 3A District 1-2 boys doubles title on May 15 in Coeur d'Alene.
(Photo courtesy of JEFF EMMER)
BOISE — Wesley Simko and Blaine Williams wrapped up their high school tennis careers this weekend with some state hardware.
The Clark Fork boys doubles team placed fourth at the 3A state tournament.
"I am really proud of those two," head coach Jeff Emmer said. "They showed that they could play with the best of them, and they did it with class. Five years from now, few will remember who won and who lost, but they will take their character with them forever."
They are the first Clark Fork tennis players to bring home state medals since 2011.
To place fourth, Simko and Williams had to take down a doubles pair from Fruitland on Saturday afternoon to earn a spot in the consolation final. They won the first set 7-5 and were leading the second 4-3 when play was stopped for about four hours due to rain.
Once play resumed, the Clark Fork duo finished off a 6-4 second set victory to secure their spot in the consolation final against a doubles pair from Parma.
Simko and Williams lost 6-3, 6-4 to place fourth as a team at state. Emmer said the duo competed well in the consolation final, but they were emotionally drained from the demands of the tournament.
On the first day of the tourney on Friday, the duo opened with a first-round bye before taking down a doubles team from Sun Valley Community School, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the quarterfinals.
The Wampus Cats fell to a doubles pair from Sugar-Salem in the semifinals, 6-3, 6-1, to move to the consolation bracket on Saturday.
Simko and Williams have been playing together since they were freshmen. This season, they contemplated splitting up and pursuing berths to state in singles, but eventually they came to their senses and completed one last storybook season.
The duo won the boys doubles district title for the first time in their careers this spring, and secured their third trip to state together.
Simko and Williams left their mark at Clark Fork and Emmer said things won't be the same without them.
"They have come a long way since they first went to state as freshmen," he said. "It will seem really odd not to have them at practice next season."