Shadle Duo Pulls Off A Double Surprise

Prep tennis

Third-seeded Lisa Trefts and Leslie Liddell of Shadle Park pulled off the biggest surprise during Friday’s opening rounds of the Region IV 4A tennis tournament.

Playing at East Valley, Trefts and Liddell advanced to the girls doubles championship match by defeating the Nos. 2 and 4 seeds from the Big Nine Conference.

The Highlanders duo automatically qualified for next week’s state tournament in Kennewick. They’ll play a team from Davis (Yakima) in today’s championship match at Central Valley.

The Greater Spokane League’s other representatives in today’s title matches are Shadle’s Philip Laubscher in boys singles, and James VanHess and Kevin Novan of Ferris in boys doubles.

Laubscher, the GSL’s No. 1, topped Richland’s Erik Husa 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 in a semifinal at CV. He’ll meet Eisenhower’s Bryce Cooper in the final. Cooper held on for a 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 win over Kamiakin’s Luke Roloff, who defeated Laubscher two weeks ago for the Inland Empire Tournament title.

VanHess and Novan won a 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 thriller at CV from Big Nine No. 1 Martin Uylangco and Ryan Parsons of Wenatchee.

Two GSL No. 1 seeds fell into the consolation bracket. Lisa Van Gemert of Gonzaga Prep dropped a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 semifinal to Walla Walla’s Jenny Siegel at EV.

Lewis and Clark’s Karl and Peter Johnson lost in the boys doubles semifinals at CV. Karl Johnson has battled the flu this week.

All of today’s matches are scheduled for CV. Finals are expected to begin at 11 a.m.

Leo D’Incao of West Valley, and Camille Anderson and Julie Kathrens of Cheney survived loser-out matches during the first round of the Region IV 3A tournament at Sunnyside High. D’Incao topped Tyler Van Horn of West Valley (Yakima) 6-4, 6-3 to make the final four in boys singles. Anderson/Kathrens overcame a WV-Yakima team 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to make the girls doubles final four. … Tiffany McFrederick of West Valley (Spokane) was eliminated by Eastmont’s Heidi Stagge, 6-4, 6-4… . The tourney concludes today, with the top two in each event qualifying for next week’s state tournament at the University of Washington.

Pullman and Medical Lake dominated the opening rounds of the District 7 2A tournament at Pullman. The host Greyhounds (four) and ML (three) have individuals or teams in all but one of today’s finals… . Results went nearly according to seeding, except in girls doubles, in which both of the top two seeds were defeated. ML’s unseeded Ariel Johnson and Stephanie Sullivan made the finals with a 6-2, 6-3 win.