Boys doubles team takes fourthThe Powell High School tennis teams finished the year much improved from where they began it.Their performance at the state tournament last weekend was highlighted by a fourth place finish from the boys No. 3 doubles team of Todd Lewis and Tyler Morgan.PHS head Coach Ray Bieber said he was pleased with the play of all of his players, who battled through nasty weather in Cheyenne Thursday through Saturday.Despite winds gusting 35 to 50 miles per hour and a wind chill factor that reached as low as 20 degrees, Bieber said his squads voiced no complaints, and tried to take advantage of the conditions.“We played probably the best we could have,” said Bieber.Of the 15 high school teams competing at the state tournament, the Powell girls finished in ninth place, the boys 12th.“This was our rebuilding year, but we did everything we needed to do to rebuild,” said coach Bieber, adding, “We had to be one of the more improved teams from where we started to where we ended.”Six of 10 Panther competitors won at least one match in the double-elimination tournament, and “several others that were really close,” Bieber said.For the girls, No. 1 singles player Lisa Schiermeister, a junior, lost in a “really tough, very close,” match 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Melinda Gonzalez of Cheyenne East, said Bieber.Schiermeister then beat Rawlins' Rose Burke 6-3, 6-2, before falling to Cody's Jill Ross, 6-3, 6-2.At No. 2 singles play, senior Brittany Feller lost to Frannie Murray of Cheyenne Central, 6-0, 6-2, but rebounded to defeat Laurie Gurney of Torrington, 7-5, 6-0, and thump a Natrona County fill-in, 6-0, 6-0.Feller then was eliminated by Christa Munari of Cody, 6-0, 6-1.The girls top doubles team, sophomores Lacey Eckerdt and Emily Kath, fell to Cheyenne East in a tight 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 contest, then beat Rawlins 6-1, 6-2, finally falling to the eventual fourth-place finisher from Laramie (6-3, 6-3).Juniors Shelby Walton and Haylee Humphries, playing at No. 2 doubles, opened with a loss (6-0, 6-1) to the third-place finisher from Cheyenne Central, and then were eliminated in what Bieber called “a very, very, very, very, very close match” against Green River (4-6, 6-4, 6-4).The No. 3 doubles team of junior Marquette McArthur and freshman BreaAnn Hollenbeck fell to the second-place team from Gillette (6-3, 6-0), beat Riverton (6-2, 6-3), and then lost to Cheyenne Central (7-6 (7-1), 6-1).For the boys, No. 1 singles player Pablo Garces, an exchange student from Chile, lost 6-0, 6-2 to Tim Lew of Rock Springs and 6-2, 6-2 to Derek O'Garro of Torrington.Freshman Justin Lynn lost to second-place finisher Adam Hefeneider of Gillette (6-0, 6-1), and Cody Hansen of Rock Springs (6-1, 6-4) at No. 2 singles.Seniors Sam Wise and Levi Anderson were edged out 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) by Green River, and then fell to Cody 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).Bieber praised the No. 1 doubles team's improvement this season, calling the matches Wise and Anderson's best.At No. 2 doubles, sophomores Eric Curtis and Robert Speiser nearly came out with an opening win, but fell in a 6-7(7-4), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, nail-biter to Green River. They then beat Rawlins, 6-3, 7-6(7-3), before dropping a three-set match to third-place finisher Laramie (5-7, 6-1, 6-4).Given the closeness, “They (Curtis and Speiser) could have easily been third place,” Bieber said.Last, but definitely not least, sophomore Lewis and junior Morgan, of Rocky Mountain High School, opened with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Rawlins' No. 3 doubles team, but were knocked out of the championship bracket by Cheyenne Central (6-2, 6-0).“Then they came back and won three in a row,” said Bieber. Lewis and Morgan beat Sheridan (6-1, 6-2), Riverton (6-2, 4-6, 6-4), and Cody (7-5, 7-5), to advance to the consolation title game. There they ran into the Cheyenne Central team again, falling 6-3, 6-1 to take the fourth-place medal.Looking to next year, Bieber is looking forward to continued improvement.On the girls side, six Lady Panthers were getting their first varsity experience at the state tourney, and they'll return next year. The guys should have about a dozen players battling for varsity slots in fall 2010, Bieber said.“We need to start next year better than we are now. If we do, we're going to be extremely competitive,” said the coach, adding, “We're just primed to make the next step.”

Boys doubles team takes fourth

The Powell High School tennis teams finished the year much improved from where they began it.

Their performance at the state tournament last weekend was highlighted by a fourth place finish from the boys No. 3 doubles team of Todd Lewis and Tyler Morgan.

PHS head Coach Ray Bieber said he was pleased with the play of all of his players, who battled through nasty weather in Cheyenne Thursday through Saturday.

Despite winds gusting 35 to 50 miles per hour and a wind chill factor that reached as low as 20 degrees, Bieber said his squads voiced no complaints, and tried to take advantage of the conditions.

“We played probably the best we could have,” said Bieber.

Of the 15 high school teams competing at the state tournament, the Powell girls finished in ninth place, the boys 12th.

“This was our rebuilding year, but we did everything we needed to do to rebuild,” said coach Bieber, adding, “We had to be one of the more improved teams from where we started to where we ended.”

Six of 10 Panther competitors won at least one match in the double-elimination tournament, and “several others that were really close,” Bieber said.

For the girls, No. 1 singles player Lisa Schiermeister, a junior, lost in a “really tough, very close,” match 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Melinda Gonzalez of Cheyenne East, said Bieber.

Schiermeister then beat Rawlins' Rose Burke 6-3, 6-2, before falling to Cody's Jill Ross, 6-3, 6-2.

At No. 2 singles play, senior Brittany Feller lost to Frannie Murray of Cheyenne Central, 6-0, 6-2, but rebounded to defeat Laurie Gurney of Torrington, 7-5, 6-0, and thump a Natrona County fill-in, 6-0, 6-0.

Feller then was eliminated by Christa Munari of Cody, 6-0, 6-1.

The girls top doubles team, sophomores Lacey Eckerdt and Emily Kath, fell to Cheyenne East in a tight 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 contest, then beat Rawlins 6-1, 6-2, finally falling to the eventual fourth-place finisher from Laramie (6-3, 6-3).

Juniors Shelby Walton and Haylee Humphries, playing at No. 2 doubles, opened with a loss (6-0, 6-1) to the third-place finisher from Cheyenne Central, and then were eliminated in what Bieber called “a very, very, very, very, very close match” against Green River (4-6, 6-4, 6-4).

The No. 3 doubles team of junior Marquette McArthur and freshman BreaAnn Hollenbeck fell to the second-place team from Gillette (6-3, 6-0), beat Riverton (6-2, 6-3), and then lost to Cheyenne Central (7-6 (7-1), 6-1).

For the boys, No. 1 singles player Pablo Garces, an exchange student from Chile, lost 6-0, 6-2 to Tim Lew of Rock Springs and 6-2, 6-2 to Derek O'Garro of Torrington.

Freshman Justin Lynn lost to second-place finisher Adam Hefeneider of Gillette (6-0, 6-1), and Cody Hansen of Rock Springs (6-1, 6-4) at No. 2 singles.

Seniors Sam Wise and Levi Anderson were edged out 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) by Green River, and then fell to Cody 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).

Bieber praised the No. 1 doubles team's improvement this season, calling the matches Wise and Anderson's best.

At No. 2 doubles, sophomores Eric Curtis and Robert Speiser nearly came out with an opening win, but fell in a 6-7(7-4), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, nail-biter to Green River. They then beat Rawlins, 6-3, 7-6(7-3), before dropping a three-set match to third-place finisher Laramie (5-7, 6-1, 6-4).

Given the closeness, “They (Curtis and Speiser) could have easily been third place,” Bieber said.

Last, but definitely not least, sophomore Lewis and junior Morgan, of Rocky Mountain High School, opened with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Rawlins' No. 3 doubles team, but were knocked out of the championship bracket by Cheyenne Central (6-2, 6-0).

“Then they came back and won three in a row,” said Bieber. Lewis and Morgan beat Sheridan (6-1, 6-2), Riverton (6-2, 4-6, 6-4), and Cody (7-5, 7-5), to advance to the consolation title game. There they ran into the Cheyenne Central team again, falling 6-3, 6-1 to take the fourth-place medal.

Looking to next year, Bieber is looking forward to continued improvement.

On the girls side, six Lady Panthers were getting their first varsity experience at the state tourney, and they'll return next year. The guys should have about a dozen players battling for varsity slots in fall 2010, Bieber said.

“We need to start next year better than we are now. If we do, we're going to be extremely competitive,” said the coach, adding, “We're just primed to make the next step.”