TENNIS

SANDPOINT — Sandpoint High head coach Kent Anderson said it was probably the most dominant performance in Sandpoint High tennis' history, even with the inclusion of league foe Lewiston this year.

Senior Jacob Dawson and sophomore Pepper Rickert both defended their singles titles and the host Bulldogs came away with the boys and girls 5A Inland Empire League District 1-2 trophies after a successful outing at both the James E. Russell Sports Center and the courts at Travers Park this past Friday and Saturday.

Rickert, who is the defending 4A (now 5A) state champion and holds a 20-0 record on the season, cruised to the girls singles title, defeating teammate Bella Bailey in the championship match.

"Pepper marched through the tournament without giving up a game," coach Anderson said. "It was fun to see Pepper take on her close friend Bella in the championship match. They both hit so consistent. Pepper has the added weapon of incredible power when the opportunity arises, which is very hard to defend against."

Dawson, who is 15-2 on the season, also cruised to the boys singles title by winning every match in straight sets. He faced his teammate, junior Nathan Duke, in the championship match.

"He’s a level better this year compared to last year at this time," coach Anderson said of Dawson. "He took on his buddy Nathan in the finals, which was both a major challenge and a great warm-up for state for both."

Senior Aubrey Knowles, who won a district title in girls doubles in 2024 with then senior Sydney Webb, clinched her second straight title — this time with freshman Amelia Poulson. The two hold a perfect 15-0 regular season record on the year.

"Aubrey and Amelia found themselves in the finals playing their close teammates, Hannah (Fisher) and Lily (Evans). "It’s pretty hard to coach when all the players are from the same team, but it’s sure fun to watch. All four will be headed to state."

Sandpoint's girls won the team title with 71 points, 30 more than the runner-up Lady Bengals.

Brennan Johnson and Ethan Ballard added a second-place finish in boys doubles for Sandpoint's boys, which scored 63 points and defeated runner-up Lewiston by 29 points.

The 5A State Championship will be held this Friday and Saturday at Bishop Kelly High, Borah High and the Boise Racquet & Swim Club.

BOYS TEAM SCORES — 1, Sandpoint 63. 2, Lewiston 34. 3, Lakeland 18. 4, Moscow 13.5.

GIRLS TEAM SCORES — 1, Sandpoint 71. 2, Lewiston 41. 3, Moscow 13.5. 4, Lakeland 12.

(top three teams/individuals to state)

BOYS SINGLES — Championship bracket — Semifinals: Jacob Dawson, Sandpoint, d. Wyatt Thornycroft, Moscow, 6-1, 6-1; Nathan Duke, Sandpoint, d. Dylan Smith, Lewiston, 6-2, 6-1. Championship match: Dawson, Sandpoint, d. Duke, Sandpoint, 6-2, 6-2. Consolation bracket — Thornycroft, Moscow, d. Balembah, Moscow, 6-4, 2-6, 10-5; Smith, Lewiston, d. Allen, Sandpoint, 6-1, 6-2. Third-place match: Smith, Lewiston, d. Thornycroft, Moscow, 6-2, 6-0. 

BOYS DOUBLES — Championship bracket — Semifinals: JJ Pachecho/Cayden Beehler, Lewiston, d. Dail/Martz, Sandpoint, 7-6 (4), 6-2; Ballard/Johnson, Sandpoint, d. Raebel/Ruelle, Lakeland, 6-2, 3-6, 11-9. Championship: Pacheco/Beehler, Lewiston, d. Ballard/Johnson, Sandpoint, 6-0, 6-3. Consolation bracket — Raebel/Ruelle, Lakeland, d. Dail/Martz, Sandpoint, 2-6, 6-4, 12-10. 

GIRLS SINGLES — Championship bracket — Semifinals: Pepper Rickert, Sandpoint, d. Pfaff, Lewiston, 6-0, 6-0; Bella Bailey, Sandpoint, d. Gloeckner, Moscow, 6-1, 6-3. Championship: Rickert, Sandpoint, d. Bailey, Sandpoint, 6-0, 6-0. Third-place match: Pfaff, Lewiston, d. Geary, Lewiston, 6-2, 6-1. 

GIRLS DOUBLES — Championship bracket — Semifinals: Aubrey Knowles/Amelia Poulson, Sandpoint, d. Klein/Hartwig, Lewiston, 6-1, 6-4; Evans/Fisher, Sandpoint, d. Godfrey/Clark, Moscow, 6-3, 6-4. Championship: Knowles/Poulson, Sandpoint, d. Evans/Fisher, Moscow, 6-4, 6-1. Third-place match: Klein/Hartwig, Lewiston, d. Godfrey/Clark, Moscow, 4-6, 6-4, 11-9. 

MIXED DOUBLES — Championship bracket: Championship: Keller/Rice, Lewiston, d. Caitlin Costello/Marty Babb, Lakeland, 6-4, 6-2. Third-place match: Williams/Elder, Moscow, d. Ellenwood/Greggio, Lewiston, 6-4, 6-2. 

Wampus Cats sending two teams to state

LEWISTON — After the 4A (then 3A) District 1-2 Championship was all said and done on Saturday at Lewiston High, Clark Fork High mixed doubles pair Charlie Beaman and Kathi Rupp and girls doubles pair Priscilla Mayorga and Aurora Lane qualified for the 4A State Championship.

Lane and Mayorga, both juniors, defeated Ella Denuit and Willow Van Gunten of Grangeville in straight sets (6-3, 6-1) in the second round before falling to the eventual district champions in the semifinals by a score of 6-1, 6-4. In the third-place match, the girls bounced back, defeating Abi Johnson and Shaelyn Oxford of Couer d'Alene Charter, also in straight sets (6-3, 6-2), to clinch a bronze medal.

Beaman and Rupp, also both juniors, placed fourth in their respective bracket after battling their way through the consolation rounds. After a close second round loss (7-6 (7-5), 6-4), they defeated Callie Weisz and Logan Landrum of Grangeville (6-0, 6-3) and Soux Sanford and Ryan Martinson of Culdesac (6-2, 7-6 (3)) before falling in the third-place match via a third-set tiebreaker (7-5, 0-6, 10-7) to a pair from Clearwater Valley.

The 4A State Championship will be held this Friday and Saturday at Ridgevue High in Nampa and Owyhee High in Meridian.

GOLF 

Coleman sixth, Yount 15th after day one

BURLEY — Priest River High senior Palmer Coleman, looking to defend his state title from a year ago, currently sits in sixth out of 75 competitors with a 6-over-par 78 after the opening round of the 3A State Championship on Monday.

Sophomore Nate Fegert is tied for 17th with an 85 for Priest River, which was 11th out 13 scoring teams after the day one tally.

On the girls side, senior Paityn Yount is tied for 15th out of 65 golfers with a 26-over-par 101 for the Lady Spartans.

The 3A State Championship resumes today at the River's Edge Golf Club.

BOYS

Day 1 Results

Par 72

TEAM SCORES — 1, Declo 332. 2, Compass Charter 335. 3, Melba 343. 4, Ambrose High 350. T-5, Genesis Prep; Kellogg 352. 7, Grace 358. 8, Sun Valley 359. 9, Ririe 362. 10, West Side 372. 11, Priest River 374. 12, Wendell 378. 13, Butte County 392.

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS — 1, Axel Silcock, Declo, 71; 2, Kelton Bodily, Melba, 74; 3, Cole Fay, Compass Charter, 75; t-4, Dylan McNeley, Rimrock; Ryan Gonzales, Nampa Christian, 76; 6, Palmer Coleman, Priest River, 78; t-7 Ry Mann, Sun Valley; Kody Landon, Ririe; Cole Olson, Cascade 79; t-10, Colter Bodily, Melba; Tate Williams, Grace; Tucker Fortin, Compass Charter, 81.

PRIEST RIVER INDIVIDUALS — 6, Palmer Coleman 78. t-17, Nate Fegert 85. t-54, Braxton Knaack 98. 71, Parker Bradbury 113. t-72, Mason Crump 115.

GIRLS

Day 1 Results

Par 75

TEAM SCORES — 1, Ambrose 378. 2, Soda Springs 397. 3, Grace 399. 4, Ririe 408. 5, Challis 412. 6, Valley 423. 7, Declo 448. 8, Compass Charter 451. 9, Lapwai 466. 10, Logos 506. 11, Genesis Prep 513. 12, North Star 578.

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS — t-1, Ashley Von Behren, Ambrose; Kamryn, Grace 79. 3, Jayden Parker, Soda Springs, 82. t-4, Tara Vedder, Soda Springs; Karlie Christensen, Grace, 89; 6, Lauren Robson, Ririe, 90. t-7, Kricket Wise, Hagerman; Ella McNicholas, Ambrose, 92. t-9, Bindi Frost, Challis; McKall Marsh, Ririe, 93.

PRIEST RIVER INDIVIDUALS — t-15, Paityn Yount 101. t-39, Aleigha Jensen 118.

BOYS LACROSSE

Mead 10, Sandpoint 5

PONDERAY — Senior Jacob Aexel scored two goals, his 18th and 19th of the season, and the host Bulldogs fell to the visiting Panthers in an IHSLL North Division Regional Tournament loser-out game held Friday at The Field of Dreams.

Junior Oliver Porieitis and sophomore Keagan Cole added a goal and an assist each for Sandpoint, which couldn't quite erase a 6-1 intermission deficit.

Freshman Trenton Cross found nylon once while fellow freshman Liam Bowen recorded a team-high eight groundballs and was 6-for-12 in the faceoff circle.

Sophomore Ryan Gaffney stopped eight shots in between the posts for Sandpoint, which finishes the season with a record of 8-11.

Sandpoint 0 1 3 1 — 5

Mead 1 5 3 1 — 10

GOALS: SPT — Aexel 2, Cross 1, Cole 1, Porietis 1. MEA — Colomb 4, Sterling 3, Talarico 1, Ulrich 1.

ASSISTS: SPT — Porietis 1, Cole 1, Aexel 1, Bowen 1. MEA — Drew 3, Talarico 1, Jordan 1, Pluid 1.

GROUNDBALLS: SPT — Bowen 8, Manske 4, Peck 4, Addison 3, Cross 3, Aexel 2, Sprinkle 2, Houtrouw 2, Adam 2, Porietis 1, Doko 1, Murphy 1. MEA — N/A.

SAVES: SPT —  Gaffney 8. MEA — Davenport, N/A.

    Sandpoint High sophomore Pepper Rickert shows off the gold medal she won after claiming the 5A District 1-2 girls singles championship without losing a single game. On the season, she holds a 20-0 record and has won 44 straight matches dating back to last year.