Newport tennis dominates LRS

RITZVILLE — The Newport Grizzlies boys and tennis teams swept Lind-Ritzville and Sprague Monday, April 20.

The tree-member boys’ team did especially well, says Newport coach Brandon McDaniel.

“There was some really good tennis played across the board especially with our boys who did a great job of getting ahead early and keeping the pressure up,” McDaniel says. “The girls played great and we came away with a great win.”

Vance Vooge took a two set win a No. 1 boys singles, winning 6-0, 6-1. Markus Will took a 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 singles and DJ Atkins got a 6-1-6-3 win.

In girls’ singles, Heaven Cooper did a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles. Carmin Taxter got a 6-1, 6-0 win. Newport forfeited the No. 3 singles match.

The girls’ doubles team continued to dominate their opponents. At No. 1 doubles, Marisa Dahl and Emmalee Doughty didn’t let their opponents win a game, getting 6-0, 6-0 wins. At No. 2 doubles Evelyn Sears and Allie Erickson won 6-2, 6-3.

Last Wednesday the Grizzly teams went to Reardan. With Dahl and Doughty competing at a Future Business Leaders of America competition, all the girls moved up a place.

The girls won 3-2 and only Atkins played for the boys, losing 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1 singles.

For the girls’ singles, Cooper won her match 6-2, 6-4, Taxter lost 6-3, 6-4 and Maria Swiatkowska won 6-2, 6-3.

“Heaven came out swinging with a 6-2, 6-4 win to start things strong for our girls and is really seeming to find her groove,” McDaniel says.

Sears and Erickson lost 6-2, 6-1 at No. 1 doubles.

“They went up 2-0 quickly in the first set and then lost momentum, losing the match,” McDaniel says. “They are young and are not used to the speed that No.1 doubles can play at, but they did a great job.”

At No. 2 doubles Chloe Slinger and Rya Gilbertson won 6-3-7-5.

The match came down to the No. 3 doubles.

“Maria played well at the No. 3 singles and put the match in reach with a 6-3, 6-2 win leaving it in our No. 2 doubles’ hands to put it away, with Chloe and Rya coming up big in the second set with a 6-3, 7-5 win for the match and win for Newport,” McDaniels says.

Friday, April 24 the players competed in the Inland Empire Tennis Tournament.

“Friday was a tough day,” McDaniels says.

Only one of the eight Newport players competing had experienced that level of competition. “So, it was all new and we definitely had a deer in the headlights feel.”

All lost their first two matches against some good opponents, he says.

“I think that experience helps prepare them for the tournament time of the year we have coming up over the next three week as we start regionals a week from this coming Saturday,” he says.

Newport played St. George’s Monday, go to Kettle Falls Wednesday, April 29, and are home for Senior Night Friday against Chewelah, with matches starting at 3 p.m.