2011 District Champions; Ladies Program

KENNEWICK — The Mac-Hi boys’ and Umatilla girls’ tennis teams won Special District 4 team titles on Saturday.

Mac-Hi scored 32 points to beat out Sherman (25) and Condon (20). Umatilla scored 34 to beat Sherman (24) while Condon and Stanfield tied in third with 15.

“I can say for certainty that the ladies of the program worked hard to win the district title,” said Umatilla coach Keith Gebers. “Lead buy seniors (Naomi) Castannon, (BreAnna) Watson, and (Diana) Manriquez, all nine players for the district team were instrumental in the title. I cannot image this program without those three (seniors). They have all been to state two times and are the cornerstone of the team.”

Sherman’s Scott Stroud beat Condon’s Clabe Widner for the boys’ singles title 6-0, 6-0. Condon’s Marlon Willecke got third after beating Stanfield’s Michael Gerhke 6-4, 6-1. The top four places go to state.

Mac-Hi’s Anthony Martinez and Kevin Ochoa backed up their No. 1 seed in doubles play with the title, beating teammates Luis Alvarez and David Camarena 6-4, 6-3 in the finals. Alvarez and Camarena were the No. 2 seed.

“The two teams from Mac-Hi and Stroud have a good chance at doing something at state,” said Gebers. “Martinez has state experience that should help him in the stress of the state championships.”

Also going to state are Helix’s Benn Fordice and Kevin Schatlzlein, which finished one above their No. 5 seed after losing 6-4, 6-4 to Sherman’s Terron Casper and John Carcedo in the third/fourth place game.

Condon’s Marnie Fitzsimmons won the girls’ singles title, beating Stanfield’s Joy Brammer 6-4, 6-1 in the finals.

“She did great and she showed poise on the court,” Gebers said of Fitzsimmons

Umatilla No. 2 seed Naomi Castannon beat teammate Susan Routson in the third/fourth place game 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

Sherman top seed Melanie Belshe and Maddie Belshe won the girls’ doubles title 6-1, 6-1 over Umatilla No. 2 seed BreAnna Watson and Diana Manriquez.

The Vikings duo of Muranda Cranston and Anali Rubio also is state-bound after a fourth-place finish to Sherman’s Krista Perisho and Chloe Van Gilder 7-6 (9-7), 2-6, 6-4.

Gebers said Perisho and Van Gilder spent more than six hours on the court for their tournament run.

“They seriously should have been charged for court time,” he joked.