The Philomath High School girls tennis team wrapped up Special District 2 play Tuesday with a 5-3 victory at Cascade.
The Warriors finish 5-1 in the league and improve to 11-2 overall with the regular-season finale scheduled for 4 pm Wednesday at home against McKay.
In the win over the Cougars, senior Bailey Bell, junior Adele Beckstead and senior Elise Reese all won singles matches. The Reese match went to three sets for the win, 3-6, 6-0, 7-5 — a pivotal victory for the team’s final tally. Bell won 6-0, 6-0 and Beckstead 6-2, 6-1.
Philomath won at No. 1 and No. 4 doubles for his other two victories. Seniors Daniella Carlisle and Nadia Durski were challenged but pulled out to 7-5, 6-3 win. Freshman Clara Neville and sophomore Maggie King defeated their opponents, 6-1, 6-4.
Philomath’s girls won 38 of 48 individual matches against district opponents this season.
Meanwhile, the PHS boys scheduled a home match Tuesday and played pro sets against Cascade. The two schools compete in the same district and the Warriors posted a 6-2 win over the Cougars back on April 11.
In this unique set up, opponents were mixed and matched with Philomath winning 11 of 15 sets. The Warriors swept all singles sets and split with the Cougars in doubles. No. 1 singles player Andrew Leonard, a senior, beat Cascade’s top singles player, Andrew Suelzle, 8-2, in his only set of the day.
Senior Sawyer Ainsworth, junior Jackson Rice and sophomore Johnny Pickett each won two matches with four of those ending with 8-0 counts. Among the wins was Ainsworth over Suelzle, 8-4 — the most competitive of the pro sets in singles.
In doubles, senior Gradin Fairbanks and sophomore Lane Schell split sets against different opponents. Senior Osvaldo Garcia-Bazan and junior Jackson Holroyd teamed up for two wins with one of those coming over Cascade’s No. 1 doubles team, 8-3. Senior Owen Thomas and junior Ethan Aynes also had a double win.
Philomath’s boys will end the regular season Wednesday at McKay.
Both PHS tennis teams will then prepare for the district tournament, which begins Monday — the boys at Molalla and the girls at Estacada. The tournaments move to the Salem Tennis and Swim Club on May 16-17 as athletes try to qualify for state.
