Dynamic Mead duo split, but for all the right reasons

Breakups aren’t always a bad thing.

The decision to split wasn’t that difficult for Mead’s Britta Stime and Katrina Schwab. When the defending girls State 4A doubles tennis champions opted to go their separate ways for postseason play this year it was for the greater good, Stime said.

“That was the best chance for us to win the state title for the team,” said the junior, who will pair up with her freshman sister, Katijene, in hopes of earning a second straight state title in doubles.

Schwab and Stime followed up a sixth-place finish at the 2006 State 4A tournament with the title last year – beating out Lewis and Clark’s Erica Ehlo and Lyndi Seidensticker in the final.

While Schwab and Stime have enjoyed their time together, both are excited to go at it from a different angle this year.

“It’s just fun to play with my sister,” said Stime. “When we were little we started playing together and just twirled our rackets around and danced around the courts pretty much – not necessarily playing good tennis at 8 years old, but just having fun together on the courts.”

They play good tennis together now.

Fresh off an Inland Empire tournament doubles title last weekend, top-seeded Stime and Stime breezed through the second and third rounds of the District 8 4A tournament Tuesday, losing a total of three games in four sets.

“I think they’re going to do really well,” said Mead coach Sandy Ivers, whose Panthers were the Greater Spokane League champions with a 10-0 regular-season team record. “They have probably not played that much competitive doubles together, but when they have they played really well.

“There’s that bond that sisters have, and they can be real frank with each other and even talk about it at home.”

Schwab, a senior, will test the waters in singles as the Panthers look to translate team success into individual achievement.

Her singles quest as the No. 2 seed began with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over LC’s Anya Klyukanova in the second round of districts and was followed up with a 6-1, 6-0 defeat of Gonzaga Prep’s Lizzie Reiner.

On Wednesday, Schwab defeated talented G-Prep sophomore Anna Lambert, the third seed in the semifinals, 6-2, 6-0. On Friday at University High, Schwab will play top-seeded Katie Griffith of Ferris for the championship.

“I’m excited,” said Schwab, who is considering attending and playing for Seattle University next fall. “I feel more prepared this year than any year in the past. I’m ready.

“I’m excited for the challenge. I enjoy doubles, but in singles you are in control of every single point, so that’s a nice aspect of it.”

Whatever happens, both have enjoyed the ride.

“We had an amazing season,” said Schwab. “It’s the strongest team that I’ve ever been on in my four years here. This year our top four singles players are all USTA players that play year-round.”

“Every single player on our team (was) really strong,” Stime added. “That’s what makes this such a great year – it’s so much fun to practice with everyone and just the team bonding thing has been a lot of fun.”