Epic effort leads to epic results, like an unexpected but very welcome State B-C tennis championship for long-time coach Rick Berreth and his never-say-die Bobcats.

The resilient Cats, in spite of not winning an individual title, put together all the right wins at all the right times, winning the consolation finals in the third-fourth and fifth-sixth place matches, to clinch it and pull off the championship feat in Missoula Saturday.

One week after finishing third in team scoring in the Northwestern B-C divisional tournament, Josie Crabb, Perri Jasper, Mady Neu and Alyza Wickham combined forces and, in the end, won it all together, bringing home Superior’s third State B-C tennis title since Berreth first guided the Cats to the second of consecutive championships in 1999.

This title time, Crabb won third place in singles and Jasper fifth, and Neu and Wickham earned fourth place in doubles as the Lady Cats scored 30 team points to edge out Fort Benton (28) and Valley Christian (25) and secure the State B-C metal.

The Bobcats used third plus fourth plus fifth to equal first in Missoula.

Due to rain it became an indoor/outdoor event. The tourney started outdoors at the Fort Missoula and Playfair courts in Missoula Thursday and Friday but finished up inside the Peak Athletic Club south of Missoula because of the bad weather Saturday.

The Lady Cats didn’t just play great tennis, they also simply refused to give in, rain or shine. That patient persistence paid off with the hard-earned State B-C crown.

“In the end it was our veterans, Josie and Perri and the matches they won in the consolation round, that won it for us,” Berreth said. “That and the freshmen tandem of Mady and Alyza picking things up after losing in the first round to win four straight matches until the consolation finals where the magic ran out against Missoula Loyola.”

Neu and Wickham fell to a Loyola doubles team in that conso final after battling their way back with several come-from-behind efforts, fighting back to win matches after losing the first set each time.

Stacy Crabb said the team realized the opportunity for the team title Saturday morning as they gathered at the hotel before play began that day and collectively decided to seize the moment then and there.

“They saw that we were in the running to place Saturday morning and decided to go for it,” she said. “And then they played with such determination and composure. They were so gritty and resilient.”

Turning in perhaps the grittiest performance of all after having been forced to sit out much of the season with a stress fracture, Josie Crabb led the way by sweeping to the consolation title, unfortunately having to defeat teammate Jasper along the way in the consolation round

Undaunted, the equally scrappy Jasper picked herself up and battled back for fifth place after falling to her teammate and practice partner. Jasper switched into singles play this season after specializing in doubles previously, and her fine fifth place win was a large part of the State B-C winning formula for Superior.

One key to the Lady Cats’ success this season was the fact that they had such good players to practice with in Superior. Besides the four players that combined to win the State B-C crown, both coaches Berreth and Crabb also complimented the play of freshman Kamryn Church (who narrowly missed qualifying for state) and pointed to the collective effort of all involved on the Lady Cat team in making Superior the State B-C champions this spring.

In addition to Berreth and Stacy Crabb, Lanie Crabb served as a valued volunteer assistant coach for Superior tennis this season, and was working the sidelines for the Cats in Missoula last week.

    SUPERIOR’S NO. 1 singles player, junior Josie Crabb won third place in Missoula last week to lead the Lady Cats to the school’s first State B-C tennis team championship in 27 years. Crabb is pictured playing in the consolation finals Saturday at the Peak Athletic Club. (John Hamilton)
  

    SUPERIOR SENIOR Perri Jasper sizes up a forehand shot during the match for fifth and sixth place at the State B-C tournament at the Peak Athletic Club May 30. Jasper won this match to help the Cats claim Superior’s first State B-C team title since 1999. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)
  

    DOUBLES TOUGH – Superior freshman Alyza Wickham hits a shot in consolation match action at the Peak Athletic Club south of Missoula Saturday. Wickham and freshman partner Mady Neu eventually finished fourth in doubles and scored crucial team points towards Superior’s unlikely run to the State B-C title. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)