Otto, Napolsky take singles championships
New champions were crowned all around at the 60th Inland Empire Tennis Tournament on Saturday.
Lewis and Clark’s Elise Otto won the girls singles title with a 6-4, 6-2 upset over top-seeded Jessica Martin of Richland.
Martin was tough in the first set, but the Lewis and Clark sophomore controlled the match with her consistent serving and fierce net play. After going up a break early in the first set, Otto held on to her service games. Martin’s high number of unforced errors contributed to a short second set.
“(Elise’s) serve was just really tough,” Martin said. “I really wanted to win and take over what (Amanda) did so well for four years, but there is always state. I would like to play Elise again in state.”
Martin was speaking of Amanda Taylor, who graduated in 2004 from Richland and captured three state singles titles and won all four years at the Inland Empire Tournament.
When asked how it felt to be the new champion, Otto just shrugged and said, “It feels pretty cool.”
On the boys side, an all-Greater Spokane League final ended with second-seeded Logan Napolsky of Mt. Spokane defeating Lewis and Clark’s Ben Gullickson 6-4, 6-2.
Gullickson, seeded fourth in the tournament, pulled off a huge semifinal upset over Medical Lake’s Zak Nelson, the top-seeded player in the boy’s draw.
Gullickson, a sophomore at Lewis and Clark, put up more of a fight than the scores would show.
In the 6-2 second set, Gullickson and Napolsky went to deuce in nearly every game. Napolsky’s strong forehand and powerful serve were too much for Gullickson.
Ferris dethroned Wenatchee for the team championship with 126 points. Wenatchee had 102 points, Lewis and Clark finished third with 93 points. Richland was fourth with 11 and Mt. Spokane was fifth with 87 points. Forty-three schools were represented.
Sunnyside’s Johnny and Danny Plesha defended the boys doubles title with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Torrey Brantner and A.J. Collinsworth of West Valley-Yakima.
Nikki Chambers and Gabe Madson of Moses Lake defeated Ashley Montgomery and Keri Salemme of Southridge 6-2, 6-4 for the girls doubles title.
Wenatchee took the mixed doubles title when Laura Decamp and Andrew Knox defeated Mead’s Katrina Schwab and Barry Weber 6-1, 6-4.