Montezuma-Cortez High School was on spring break last week.
But the girls tennis team was hard at work.
The Lady Panthers placed fifth as a team at the Delta County tournament last Friday and Saturday at Delta High School. M-CHS won 13 individual matches. The victories came against opponents from Aspen, Paonia, Cedaredge, Delta, Grand Junction, Fruita Monument, Roaring Fork and Durango.
Grand Junction Central won the 12-team tourney. Durango, Aspen, Glenwood Springs and M-CHS rounded out the top five.
The Lady Panthers have improved significantly, M-CHS coach Dan Wood said. The team is really looking forward to regionals in the first week of May.
The highlight of the tourney came at No. 1 doubles from Emily Walck and Charley Stewart versus Fruita. Walck and Stewart brought their A game to win 6-3, 6-4 in the freezing wind at 9:30 p.m., Friday. The M-CHS No. 1 pair went on to take second-place. They lost in the finals to Central in a hard battle, 4-6, 1-6.
Lady Panthers Mary Wright and Jessica Quinonez earned second-place medals at No. 2 doubles. They, too, lost to Central in the finals.
I was very impressed with their inspirational determination, and enjoyment of the competition, said Wood about his No. 2 doubles team.
Kristin Parker had a solid two days at No. 1 singles. Although she lost to a tough Aspen Skier, Parker recorded wins over Paonia, Cedaredge and Delta.
M-CHS will take this week off from competition. The Lady Panthers return to action in Delta on Friday and Saturday, April 20-21, with four matches. M-CHS plays Hotchkiss and Paonia at 1 and 4 p.m., then faces Cedaredge and Delta the next day at 9 a.m. and noon.