The Montezuma-Cortez High School Lady Panthers tennis team performed well at the 4A Region 8 tournament in Grand Junction on Friday and Saturday.
M-CHS placed fourth as a team and the No. 1 doubles team of Andi Pickens and Jessica Gonzalez qualified for the CHSAA Class 4A State Girls Tennis Championships in Pueblo, Thursday through Saturday, by placing second.
I was extremely pleased with our performance and thank (M-CHS athletic director) Justin OConnor for scheduling a tough season that prepared us for regionals, M-CHS coach Dan Wood said. Going into the final day, we had seven players still playing for the state championships. I think Jessica and Andi will perform well at state.
The Lady Panthers garnered 17 points in the 12-team tournament, only behind winner Steamboat Springs (63 points), Durango (52 points) and Aspen (28 points).
Pickens and Gonzalez (12-6) went 3-1 in the tournament, with the lone defeat coming in the championship to Steamboat Springs, 4-6, 2-6. The seniors grabbed wins over Roaring Fork, 6-2, 6-2, Durango, 6-2, 6-7, (5-7), 7-5, and Aspen, 6-4, 6-6, (7-5).
The Lady Panthers got fourth-place finishes at No. 3 and No. 4 doubles. Emily Walck and Raena Conklin went 2-1 at No. 3 doubles with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Aspen, and a 6-3, 6-3 win over Cedaredge. The pair lost to Steamboat Springs, 1-6, 0-6.
Jordan Valdez and fellow senior Ysaline Spaey lost a hard-fought match to Aspen, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, but rebounded to beat Roaring Fork, 6-4, 6-2, and Hotchkiss, 6-1, 6-4.
Senior Brie Odell took fourth-place at No. 3 singles with victories over Hotchkiss, 6-1, 6-3, and Aspen, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, after losing in the semifinals to Steamboat Springs.
Abby Pickens and Sadee Threlkeld lost at No. 1 and No. 2 singles to Paonia, 1-6, 2-6, and Glenwood Springs, 7-6, (6-8), 4-6.
Andi Pickens and Gonzalez, and coaches Wood and Valorie Bauer, will head to the state tournament in Pueblo on Wednesday. Competition begins on Thursday at 9 a.m.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.
