Lake City High junior Luke Ness showed up Saturday at the Boise Racquet & Swim Club all psyched up to try to knock off the top high school boys tennis player in Idaho in the semifinals of the state tennis tournament.

But what he walked into that morning was a swirl of controversy, of which he had nothing to do with, though he and a fellow North Idaho player would be the beneficiary.

Ness was scheduled to play Boise High senior Garrett Patton, who had won two of the previous three state boys singles titles, in the semifinals. And Rafa Hewett-Steiger of Lewiston was slated to play Eagle senior Austin Miller.

But late Friday night, Patton and Miller were ruled ineligible, and forced to forfeit their remaining matches in the tournament. Patton, who has committed to play at Boise State for his father, Greg, and Miller, who has committed to play at Idaho State, had participated in what was dubbed a "social mixer" in April at the Boise Racquet & Swim Club.

Since the event happened during the season, and score was kept, players advanced in a draw, and a champion was declared, it counted as two matches played. High school players are allowed 16 matches during the regular season, so that event put Patton and Miller over the limit, making them ineligible.

"It was just an honest mistake," Lake City coach Tim Scott said. "Even as a coach I wasn't aware of that, I wouldn't think that something like that that is just kind of a fun little event, non-sanctioned, no money, no trophies, just a get-together, would have counted as a match."

SO NESS and Hewett-Steiger each won by default in the semifinals and advanced to the finals Saturday afternoon, where Hewett-Steiger beat Ness 6-4, 6-2 - the Lewiston player's third win over Ness in four meetings this season.

"You could tell both boys were very nervous," Scott said. "There was a lot of unforced errors and double faults.

You could tell that under the circumstances, both guys out on the court were extremely nervous. All eyes were on them."

Hewett-Steiger won because "he committed fewer unforced errors," Scott said.

"But you know, I looked at it this way," he said. "Both boys, regardless of the circumstances, they've worked hard all year, both Rafa and Luke. Even though the circumstances put them into the championship, they earned the right to be there because they worked hard all year."

THOUGH THE "mixer" took place weeks ago, the Idaho High School Activities Association wasn't informed of the possible violation until Friday, leading to some suspicion as to why this news didn't surface until the state tournament. The IHSAA board of control voted 8-0 Friday night to rule the two players ineligible.

Scott said he didn't know who reported the possible violation to the IHSAA, but said the draw board from the mixer was still up at the club on Friday, the first day of the state tournament - with Patton and Miller's names on it, in plain sight for anyone to see.

"I wouldn't have thought anything of it," Scott said. "I saw it (the draw sheet). It just didn't dawn on me. I'm busy getting my boys ready for state. But somebody noticed it, and it ended up costing those two guys playing in the semis."

Ness - and Scott - didn't know what was going on until they showed up at the tennis club on Saturday morning.

"He was psyched," Scott said of Ness hoping to play Patton. "Patton is a good player; Patton has a lot more gears than Rafa and Luke."

Scott said the kind of "social mixers" that got Patton and Miller in trouble can go on anywhere - even at Peak Health and Wellness in Coeur d'Alene. Scott said he didn't think anything of those events in the past, but he said he will now pay more attention to them - and let his players know the ramifications of playing in them.

After all, he wouldn't want one of his players to go through what Patton and Miller had to experience at state.

"That was very much a learning experience for all us coaches," Scott said. "We all learned - there were a lot of coaches going, 'Wow.'"

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com.