Mead’s Stime returns to state, this time in singles

Katijene Stime is headed to state all on her own.

The Mead junior won the 4A Regional tennis tournament Saturday at University, knocking off Amy Schueman of Wenatchee in the final 6-1, 6-1.

The state tournament, which begins Friday at the Tri-City Court Club and Kamiakin High School in Kennewick, will be her third straight trip. The past two seasons she teamed with her sister, Britta, to place in the state doubles tournament. A year ago the pair fell to Demie Warner and Ali Welch of Kamiakin in the championship match.

“It’s different going in singles,” she said. “In doubles you always have your partner, so you have someone to talk to to help keep you focused. But I play a lot of singles, too, during the summer.”

Stime said she plans to take today off, then get to work preparing herself for the state tournament. She plans to call on some tennis-circuit friends to help her get ready.

“My sister will help and we have some friends from the tennis circuit – doubles players, even some men doubles players – who can help me get ready,” she said.

Stime’s Mead teammate, Ethan Vaughn, also reached the singles championship match, but he fell to Hudson Barnhart of Wenatchee in the title match 6-4, 6-4.

Central Valley sophomore Leslie Ho earned her second straight state berth, taking home the fourth-place medal, falling to Katie Willis of Wenatchee 6-0, 6-4 in the consolation final.

State tournament veteran Anna Lambert of Gonzaga Prep fell one match shy of a return trip, placing fifth by beating Briana Tanaki of Davis 6-1, 6-2.

The defending girls doubles champions, Warner and Welch, were denied the regional girls doubles title, falling to Presley Peck and Tianna Cummings of Walla Walla 6-2, 7-6 in the title match.

Chelsea Motzel and Lani Sherman of Mead knocked off Southridge’s Priscilla Cancado and Sara Morgan in the consolation final 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, and will be a No. 3 seed to state. The match started at U-Hi, but had to be shifted to Rogers because of rain.

Alex Marcinkowski of G-Prep earned the No. 4 seed to state in boys singles, falling to Josh Thornton of Kamiakin 6-4, 6-1.

3A

Karin Chymcakova of North Central won the girls singles title at Rogers to earn the No. 1 seed to state. Chymcakova defeated West Valley of Yakima’s Alexis Filliol 6-4, 6-2.

Justin McClain of Mt. Spokane earned the No. 2 seed to state in boys singles by beating Mitchell Anderson of West Valley-Yakima 6-4, 6-1.

East Valley’s Alyssa Dorr and Bryce Combs earned the No. 2 seed to state in girls doubles with a 7-5, 6-7, 7-5 win over West Valley-Yakima’s Becca Sherman and Carley Schmidt.

2A

Alejandro Canseco of Deer Park earned the boys singles top seed to state out of the District 7 2A tournament in Pullman. Clarkston’s Dustin McConnell (No. 2 seed) and Drew Adams (No. 3) also advanced to state.

In girls singles, Elise Rooney of Clarkston is the No. 1 seed to state, followed by Kaley Fox (second, Colville) and KC McConnell (third, Clarkston).

In boys doubles, Clarkston’s team of Derek Young and Nick Van Cleave netted the No. 1 seed, followed by Clarkston’s Jace Kessler and Shawn Callahan (No. 2) and Pullman’s Sam Schad and Nishant Dwivedi (No. 3).

In girls doubles, West Valley’s Ann Phan and Dru Sanchez advance to state as the No. 1 seed, followed by Clarkston’s Katie Servatius and Katie Van Cleave (No. 2) and Clarkston’s Roni Hewett and Kellie McCann-Smith (No. 3).