Chinook tennis completes the 3-Peat as they win Class B/C state title
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Sonia Swank
The Chinook Sugarbeeters captured their third straight Montana Class B-C Tennis Championship this past weekend in Missoula. The 'Beeters have made their statement emphatically the past three seasons, increasing their margin of victory each year. This years squad scored a record 56 points in capturing the title while having six athletes capture All-State honors including the State B/C Doubles tandem of senior Cortney Gunderson and senior Lauren Harshman.
There are schools in Montana that haven't won three state titles, and even more that haven't won three state titles in the same sport. However to win three state titles in the same sport for three straight years is exactly what the Chinook Sugarbeeter tennis team has done.
The 'Beeters took to the court this past weekend in Missoula for the Class B/C State Tennis Tournament and won the title for a third straight year. This year Chinook not only won but they set a new state record in points scoring 56 on their way to the title. Chinook surpassed their own state record after tying the previous record last year with 52 points. The weather did play a factor in the tournament with matches being delayed and play extending into the evenings.
It was the doubles teams that excelled at state this year, with the two Chinook teams squaring off in the state championship match. It was the team of Lauren Harshman and Cortney Gunderson that would win the match against teammates Hattie Niedergger and Sierra Swank.
"Both duos played the best tennis of their careers at this tourney. Lauren and Cortney have been on a mission to be state champs all season after finishing second last year. They lost one match early in the season and had a couple close calls later on, but didn't lose another match all season," said Chinook head tennis coach Thom MacLean.
Harshman and Gunderson had a little trouble in the quarterfinal round against the Fairfield team of Konen and Townsend according to MacLean, but after they got by those two he said they started hitting on all cylinders and couldn't be stopped. They then met a talented team from Bigfork in the semi-finals whom they had little trouble with en route to the championship.
MacLean said the team of Niederegger and Swank was a team that was just put together this year and continued to get better and better each week.
"When I matched her (Niederegger) up with Sierra this year, I knew they had a chance to be very good. I told them from the beginning of the season that they could be playing for a state championship," Maclean stated. "As the season progressed, they began to see their potential a little more clearly and they peaked at State just like they needed to."
On the singles side Brooke Nicholson who has been playing well all year led the Sugarbeeters. Nicholson took down her first three opponents with ease, including Cut Bank standout Dakota Dosch, who placed last year at state. Nicholson then was matched up in the semi-finals against Luisa Locker of Lone Peak, who was last year's runner-up to Chinook's Mariah Swank. Locker and Nicholson fought hard but Nicholson lost in three sets.
"Perhaps our only disappointment in this tournament was that Brooke and Luisa were on the same side of the draw and that match was a semifinal contest and not the championship," said MacLean
Nicholson battled back though through the loser-out bracket and won the consolation championship to finish third. This is the third straight year that Nicholson has taken that spot at state.
Tracy McCracken/ Sonia Swank
The Chinook doubles team of Lauren Harshman and Cortney Gunderson along with the doubles team of Hattie Niederegger and Sierra Swank. Harshman and Gunderson beat Niederegger and Swank in the championship match to win the Class B/C State Doubles Tennis Championship this past weekend in Missoula.
In other singles action for Chinook, Megan Pruttis lost out in the second round but fought back to win the next four matches she was in to finish in the top six and earn All-State honors.
"She really stepped up for a sophomore and beat two very good, experienced seniors in Cut Bank's Dakota Dosch and Loyola's Casey Cummins in that four game stretch," MacLean stated.
Chinook's other two singles competitors were Junior Nicole McCracken and Sophomore Jamie Roth. McCracken had three wins in the consolation bracket before losing out, and Roth had one win in the tourney.
The 'Beeters tennis team graduates four seniors in Nicholson, Harshman, Gunderson and Niederegger and MacLean said they have all had amazing tennis careers during their time at Chinook High School.
"They have been a huge part of the reason we have three consecutive state titles," MacLean said. "They are a very fun group and have been so easy to coach. I basically just had to make sure they set their goals high enough, point them in the right direction, and let them go at it."
