STATE HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS: A new ballgame for Coeur d'Alene

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

Coeur d’Alene enters the state 6A tennis tournament today unbeaten in matches this season.

But as senior Katie Shell knows, this is different.

Shell qualified in girls singles for Coeur d’Alene, which finished tied for 10th in the girls team scoring last year. The Vikings were ninth in the boys last year.

“I know I’m seeded seventh, but I’m a little nervous because it’s a different ballgame now,” Shell said. “The kids from Boise play year-round, so there’s a bit of nerves.”

Shell will face Sophia Jacobs of Eagle, who was runner-up at state last year, in the first round today.

Coeur d’Alene senior Caitlin Combes, who advanced to the girls singles final as a sophomore while attending Coeur d’Alene Charter, qualified for state this year in mixed doubles, with sophomore Grant Johnson.

“There’s definitely something that I know what to look for this year,” Combes said. “I’m more comfortable playing doubles because I’ve got a partner and don’t have to worry about myself the entire time. But there’s more pressure in doing good for your partner instead of just yourself."

As for what has keyed the strong season, it has been an attention to detail from each and every player.

“Our approach is to control what we can control with the team that we have,” Coeur d’Alene boys coach Corey DeLeonard said. “We focus on getting better every day and learning from our mistakes so we can grow throughout the season.”

“The coaches have been great,” Shell said. “They have us do a lot of different drills at practice. We do this three-ball drill that’s really fun. Overall, just having fun in practice has helped our play on the court as well.”

Coeur d’Alene has at least two competitors in boys and girls singles, girls doubles and mixed doubles.

“We just want to take it one match at a time,” Shell said. “Personally, I just want to win one and see what happens from there.”

“They all want to win and never miss a shot or lose a match, but how do they support that person when they do miss a shot or don’t have their best day?,” DeLeonard said. “How are they going to lift them up and help the team move forward? I think that is what makes our team what it is and why the kids love it so much. It is a great culture that they help create and maintain that can lead to things they will later experience off the court in the real world.”

STATE HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS AT A GLANCE

6A

2024 champions: Timberline boys; Eagle girls.

Boys singles at Appleton Tennis Center, Boise; girls singles at Julia Davis Park, Boise; boys doubles, girls doubles and mixed doubles at Timberline High on Friday, Saturday’s semifinals at Appleton Tennis Center.

Local qualifiers: Connor Judson, Coeur d’Alene (boys singles), Sam Mandel, Coeur d’Alene (boys singles), Easton Swope, Lake City (boys singles), Katie Shell, Coeur d’Alene (girls singles), Whitlee Sudol, Lake City (girls singles), Maddie Hunt, Coeur d’Alene (girls singles), Tysen Gersdorf/Lincoln Stowell, Lake City (boys doubles), Isaiah Robinson/Branson Morse, Post Falls (boys doubles), Lucas Reeves/Max James, Coeur d’Alene (boys doubles); Ava Jaeger/Libby Morrisroe, Coeur d’Alene (girls doubles), Kaydence Dalton/Demi Mocko, Post Falls (girls doubles), Gabby Knutson/Natalie Knutson, Coeur d’Alene (girls doubles), Nathan Pulsipher/Krysten Moore, Coeur d’Alene (mixed doubles), Caden Oxenrider/Josie Hocking, Lake City (mixed doubles), Grant Johnson/Caitlin Combes, Coeur d’Alene (mixed doubles).

NOTES: Judson advanced to the semifinals last year, but was unable to play due to surgery on his appendix.

5A

2024 champions: Century (boys), Sandpoint girls. 

Boys singles at Boise Racquet and Swim Club, boys doubles, girls doubles at Bishop Kelly High, Boise, mixed doubles at Borah High, Boise.

Local qualifiers: Brock Raebel/Jayden Ruelle, Lakeland (boys doubles), Caitlin Costello/Marty Babb, Lakeland (mixed doubles).

NOTES: Raebel and Ruelle went 1-2 at state last year … Sandpoint won the program’s first girls title last year … Sophomore Pepper Rickert (girls singles) returns to defend her championship.

4A

2024 champions: Weiser (boys), Parma (girls).

Boys singles, girls singles, boys doubles, girls doubles at Ridgevue High, Nampa; mixed doubles at Owyhee High, Meridian.

Local qualifiers: Cooper Hermes, Coeur d’Alene Charter (boys singles), Mattis Macmillan, Coeur d’Alene Charter (boys singles), Papael Reynaud, Coeur d’Alene Charter (boys singles), Etta Corkill, Coeur d’Alene Charter (girls singles), Aedan Aguirre/Thomas Wright, Coeur d’Alene Charter (boys doubles), Tate Burkholder/Owen Sharp, Coeur d’Alene Charter (boys doubles), Abi Johnson/Shaelyn Oxford, Coeur d’Alene Charter (girls doubles), Lydia Lehosit/Claire Leahy, Coeur d’Alene Charter (girls doubles), Bonnie Brumley/Thomas Strait, Coeur d’Alene Charter (mixed doubles), May Wigglesworth/Sam Poncato, Coeur d’Alene Charter (mixed doubles).

NOTES: Burkholder and Sharp fell in the consolation semifinals last year … Parma won its third title in the last four years last year.

    Courtesy photo The Coeur d'Alene High boys tennis team won the 6A District 1 championship last Saturday at Coeur d'Alene High. From left are Grant Johnson, Cooper Irwin, Payson Irwin, Lucas Reeves, Max James, Connor Judson, Nathan Pulsipher and Brody Rader.