The first volleys of the Class AA, A and B-C state tennis tournaments were exchanged Thursday in Kalispell, Missoula and Great Falls.
Following are highlights from Day 1:
State AA
KALISPELL — Defending Class AA boys singles champion Ryan Ashley of Helena Capital won twice Thursday to march back into Friday's semifinals.
Ashley beat Missoula Hellgate's Samuel Ender 6-2, 6-0 and topped Great Falls CMR's Carson Rich 7-6(4), 6-1 to set up a semifinal match with Bozeman High's Oliver Ward.
Mason McCarty, a freshman from Bozeman Gallatin, also won twice Thursday and will face Hellgate's Sebastian Silverstein in the semis on Friday. McCarty is looking to add to his family's trophy case, and has defeated Ashley this season already in the event they meet for the singles title.
For full Class AA state tournament results, click here.
State A
MISSOULA — Miles City's girls, hoping to be in the running for some hardware by the end of the tournament, sent two on to the semifinals in singles play — Alina Kot and Bryn Coffin.
Coffin will face Columbia Falls' Cloey Ramage on the semis on Friday while Kot is paired against Polson's Clara Todd. Todd lost just one set on Thursday.
For full Class A state tournaments results, click here.
State B-C
GREAT FALLS — Missoula Loyola's defending champion girls doubles duo of Gio Horner and Ava Bellamah kept their bid for a repeat intact with straight-set victories in the first and second rounds to advance to Friday's semifinals. Loyola's girls are in search of their fourth consecutive team title.
Loyola has owned the B-C landscape in both boys and girls tennis in the past few years. The program is seeking its third straight boys title this weekend.
For full Class B-C tournament results, click here.
