BOISE — Even at the state level, nobody can match the skills of Pepper Rickert.

The Sandpoint High junior continued her reign of dominance as she captured her third consecutive 5A State Championship girls singles title after play concluded Saturday at Boise Racquet & Swim Club.

Rickert, 25-0 on the season and 73-0 on her high school career, won her first three matches by scores of 6-0, 6-0 before beating Brinley Nelson of Hillcrest in the championship match by a 6-1, 6-1 tally. It was the third year in a row Rickert and Nelson, also a junior, met in the title match.

"Amazingly long, hard-fought points from start to finish," Sandpoint High head coach Kent Anderson said. "The final was truly national-level hitting at its best."

Lily Evans and Amelia Poulsen won their first round matchup in straight sets before falling to the 2025 state champions and eventual 2026 runners-up from Idaho Falls.

"Lily’s serve and net play was outstanding and complimented Amelia’s strong groundstrokes and solid volleys," coach Anderson noted of the duo, who helped the Lady Bulldogs to a fourth-place team trophy.

Umbi Petito represented Sandpoint in the boys singles bracket. After a three-set tiebreaker loss in the first round, he defeated his opponent from Wood River by a score of 6-0, 6-1 in the first round of the consolation ladder. The standout junior then battled back in the consolation second round, but was defeated via a three-set tiebreaker that ended in a score of 11-9.

"Umbi played solid tennis, missing a deep run by mere inches," coach Anderson said.

Clark Fork High seniors Aurora Lane and Priscilla Mayorga played three matches, all of which went to three sets, and won one by a 10-8 margin as they accounted for the lone point for the Lady Cats in the 4A ranks.

Bonners Ferry High senior Daniel Woelfle, who competed with Sandpoint all year up until the postseason, picked up a two-set win in boys singles, defeating Luis Urbat of Coeur d'Alene Charter by a score of 6-2, 6-4 in the first round of the consolation bracket.

5A

BOYS TEAM SCORES — 1, Century 41.5. 2, Bishop Kelly 41. 3, Hillcrest 22. 4, Middleton 17.5. 5, Idaho Falls 16. 6, Lewiston 11. 7, Blackfoot 9. 8, Nampa 7. t-9, Burley, Mountain Home 4. 11, Skyview 3. t-12, Bonneville, Skyline, Twin Falls, Wood River 2. 16, Moscow 1.5. t-17, Pocatello, Sandpoint 1. 

GIRLS TEAM SCORES — 1, Hillcrest 34. 2, Century 28.5. 3, Bishop Kelly 28. 4, Sandpoint 22. 5, Middleton 20.5. 6, Idaho Falls 16. 7, Twin Falls 15. 8, Bonneville 5. t-9, Lewiston, Skyline 4. t-11, Mountain Home, Shelley 3. 13, Blackfoot 2. t-14, Burley, Pocatello 1. 16, Moscow 0.5. 

(local results)

GIRLS SINGLES — FIRST ROUND: No. 1 Pepper Rickert, Sandpoint, d. Taryn Peterson, Shelley, 6-0, 6-0. QUARTERFINALS: No. 1 Pepper Rickert, Sandpoint, d. Jamie Baker, Bishop Kelly, 6-0, 6-0. SEMIFINALS: No. 1 Pepper Rickert, Sandpoint, d. No. 6 Kaia Kessler, Hillcrest, 6-0, 6-0. CHAMPIONSHIP: No. 1 Pepper Rickert, Sandpoint, d. No. 2 Brinley Nelson, Hillcrest, 6-1, 6-1.

GIRLS DOUBLES — FIRST ROUND: Amelia Poulsen/Lily Evans, Sandpoint, d. Abigail Ricks/Abby King, Burley, 6-3, 6-4. QUARTERFINALS: No. 2 Katie Woodhouse/Addi Westwood, Idaho Falls, d. Amelia Poulsen/Lily Evans, Sandpoint, 6-1, 6-0. CONSOLATION SECOND ROUND: Ally Anderson/Sophie Anderson, Bonneville, d. Amelia Poulsen/Lily Evans, Sandpoint, 6-3, 6-4.

BOYS SINGLES — FIRST ROUND: No. 3 Dom Almaraz, Nampa, d. Umbi Petito, Sandpoint, 5-7, 6-3, 10-4. CONSOLATION FIRST ROUND: Umbi Petito, Sandpoint, d. Wes Nichols, Wood River, 6-1, 6-0. CONSOLATION SECOND ROUND: Aiden Cox, Skyview, d. Umbi Petito, Sandpoint, 3-6, 7-5, 11-9.

4A

BOYS TEAM SCORES — 1, Parma 51. 2, Fruitland 38. 3, Weiser 25. 4, Sun Valley Community School 20. 5, Gooding 12.5. t-6, Orofino, Sugar-Salem 12. 8, Ririe 3. t-9, Bonners Ferry, Coeur d’Alene Charter, Grangeville 1. 12, Clearwater Valley 0.5. 

GIRLS TEAM SCORES — 1, Fruitland 51. 2, Weiser 48. 3, Parma 42. 4, Sugar-Salem 13. 5, Sun Valley Community School 7. 6, Gooding 4.5. 7, Clearwater Valley 1.5. t-8, Coeur d’Alene Charter, Clark Fork, Grangeville 1. 

(local results)

GIRLS DOUBLES — FIRST ROUND: No. 3 Aurora Lane/Priscilla Mayorga, Clark Fork, bye. SECOND ROUND: Sadie Henggeler/Kenzie Walker, Fruitland, d. No. 3 Aurora Lane/Priscilla Mayorga, Clark Fork, 5-7, 6-1, 10-6. CONSOLATION SECOND ROUND: No. 3 Aurora Lane/Priscilla Mayorga, Clark Fork, d. Josie Graves/Ryley Romney, Clearwater Valley, 6-1, 1-6, 10-8. CONSOLATION THIRD ROUND: Keeley Strine/Piper Schmitz, Sun Valley, d. No. 3 Aurora Lane/Priscilla Mayorga, Clark Fork, 6-3, 5-7, 10-2.

MIXED DOUBLES — No. 6 Colby Searle/Claire Brassfield, Parma, d. Piper Scarlett/Bode Scarlett, Clark Fork, 6-0, 6-1. CONSOLATION FIRST ROUND: Piper Scarlett/Bode Scarlett, Clark Fork, bye. CONSOLATION SECOND ROUND: No. 4 Henry Baker/Sadie Hansen, Sugar-Salem, d. Piper Scarlett/Bode Scarlett, Clark Fork 6-0, 6-1.