PHS tennis teams go 1-2 on road trip
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Powell High School’s tennis teams saw some mixed success over some 550 miles and three matches in Cody, Jackson and Riverton last week.
Several PHS players fared well.
Boys No. 1 singles player Cody Akin won his three matches to run his record to 5-0 on the season. Girls No. 2 singles player Hattie Pimentel and boys No. 1 doubles players Rhett Pimentel and James Sheets also put together winning weekends, each going 2-1.
As a team, Powell’s boys won two of five matches against Cody on Thursday, while the girls picked up just one of five.
On Friday afternoon in Jackson, the hosts bested Powell’s boys four matches to one and swept the girls 5-0.
The Panther boys and girls rebounded by each sweeping Riverton 5-0 on Saturday.
“We just need to continue to improve and continue to work hard and continue to have a good attitude and get help where we need it and see what can happen,” said PHS head coach Ray Bieber. “Because ... even though the scores don’t necessarily indicate it, like against Jackson, we’re right in there.”
Particularly on the girls side, players have made big jumps from their positions last year and Bieber thinks some worried about getting “creamed.”
“They’re not getting creamed. Now they need to decide to take the next step and get some wins under their belt,” Bieber said.
He added later “we have such good kids, I think they’re going to come around.
“It’s going to be fun to see what they do at the end,” he said.
At No. 1 singles, Akin beat Zach Ross of Cody 6-1, 6-1, Jackson Livingood of Jackson 6-2, 6-4, and a “real good” David Gard of Riverton 6-3, 6-2, Bieber said. The coach noted Akin has yet to lose a set.
Kristian Stenlund, playing at No. 2 singles, lost 6-1, 6-2 to Cody’s Cooper Thompson before being edged 7-5, 7-5 by Jackson’s Brooks Bradford. Stenlund then took down Evan White of Riverton 6-3, 6-1 in what was “a really good win for him,” Bieber said.
At No. 1 doubles, Rhett Pimentel and Sheets beat Brad Sankey and Joe Luedde of Cody, 6-2, 7-5. They lost 6-3, 6-1 to Jackson’s Peter Frank and Nate Fairbanks, though Bieber said they played “pretty tough” against what he considers one of the best duos in the state. Continuing to play well, they beat Devon Harper and Alfred Glad of Riverton 6-1, 6-0 on Saturday, Bieber said.
In a couple close matches at No. 2 doubles, Dalin North and Miles Rumbolz lost 7-5, 6-3 to Cody’s Evan Wambeke and Bailey Lasko and “had a really good chance to win” before losing 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3 to Ryan Levy and Trevor Rizzotti of Jackson, Bieber said. North and Rumbolz swept Riverton’s Matteo Depopti and Tanner Selvig on Saturday, 6-0, 6-0.
No. 3 doubles players Aaron Jacobsen and Tanner Barngrover lost 6-3, 6-1 to Cody’s Gaston Osterland and Paavo Saukkonen and 6-2, 6-4 to Ryland Sauter and Jack Van Holland of Jackson. Jacobsen and Barngrover won by forfeit on Saturday as Riverton didn’t have a team.
On the girls side, No. 1 singles player Madi Morrow lost to Cody’s Meg Dickerman 6-1, 6-1 on Thursday and 6-4, 6-2 to Jackson’s Ellie Kucera, although playing “really well” against Kucera, Bieber said.
Morrow closed out the weekend with a win, stomping Faelyn Richmond 6-0, 6-0 on Saturday in “a really good match,” the coach said.
“Madi continues to get better, so we’re excited to see her progress,” Bieber said.
At No. 2 singles, Hattie Pimentel took down Cody’s Elisha Smith by rebounding from a 5-7 loss in the first set to win the next two 6-3, 6-3. The improving Pimentel lost to Jackson’s Kristina French 6-2, 6-4 before beating Alyssa McDonald of Riverton 6-0, 6-2 in “a really good match,” Bieber said.
No. 1 doubles players Maria Kissner and Keegan McLain lost 7-6(7), 6-2 to Cody’s Shaylee Schutzman and Tessa Blough and 7-6(4), 6-3 to Claire Radda and Ann Shea of Jackson, then beat Becca Branson and Bianca Koetuelyessy of Riverton 6-0, 6-2.
PHS No. 2 doubles players Tessa Eller and Lauren Asher lost 6-2, 0-6, 6-3 to Cody’s Lucille Sax and Zoe Pearson.
“They played them very well and very close,” Bieber said.
Eller and Asher lost 6-2, 6-3 to Alieu Ednie and Elizabeth Perry of Jackson before beating Gabby Cunningham and Gwen Murphy of Riverton, 6-1, 6-3.
It was the Powell duo’s first weekend of competition together and “they’re learning to play better,” Bieber said.
At No. 3 doubles, Kaylee Meyer and Jen Bonander lost 6-4, 6-2 to Dorothy Shippen and Jessica Morales of Cody, 6-4, 6-2 to Nicole Peck and Sara McIntosh of Jackson 6-4, 6-2, before beating Alanna Reid and Keirstan McDonald of Riverton 6-0, 6-3.
PHS will host the two Casper high schools on Saturday: Kelly Walsh at 9 a.m. and Natrona County at 2 p.m.
While formidable opponents, Bieber says PHS should be able to win some matches.
Powell is also hosting a rematch with Cody at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Bieber said the boys and girls have a chance to do a lot better, “so we’re pretty excited.”
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