By Don Nelson
The Liberty Bell High School tennis team started its season with wins over Oroville last Thursday (March 16), then lost both the boys’ and girls’ match-ups when they ran into a tougher Omak team on Saturday (March 18).
At Oroville, the Liberty Bell girls won the match, 4-0. In singles play, Logan Butler won 6-4, 6-1; Ruthann Matteson won 6-2, 6-2; and Tiva Ward prevailed, 6-4. 6-0. The doubles team of Shelby Vintin and Chloe Temple also won, 8-6.
The boys claimed a 3-2 win over Oroville. The singles players accounted for all the victories: Jesse Schulz won, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in an extended duel; and Alex White won, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 in another long battle. Tim Haley had an easier time, winning 6-0, 6-3.
The LBHS doubles team of Isaac Blodgett and Tyler White lost, 4-6, 3-6; while William Grubb and Gavin Headlee also lost, 0-6, 3-6. The junior varsity team won, 2-0.
Two days later the girls’ team lost at Omak, 1-4. Logan Butler dropped her singles set, 0-6, 0-6 against the Omak coach’s daughter; Ruthann Matteson lost a hard-fought marathon session, 6-4, 6-7 (10-12 tiebreaker), 1-6; and Karlee Wright claimed a win for the Lady Lions, 6-0, 6-0 in her first competition of the season. In doubles, Chloe Temple and Shelby Vintin lost, 4-6, 1-6, and Liberty Bell forfeited the second doubles match because it did not have enough players.
The Liberty Bell boys were shut out, 0-5. In singles play, Jesse Schulz lost, 1-6, 3-6; Alex White was defeated, 4-6, 3-6; and Tim Haley lost, 3-6, 2-6. The doubles team of Grayson Alexander and Tyler White lost, 1-6, 0-6; as did William Grubb and Fallon Hutson, 4-6, 6-4, 6-9 (3-7 tiebreaker). The junior varsity team claimed a 1-1 tie.
LBHS coach Dave Schulz said the team was happy to be outside after spending the first couple of weeks working out in the gym. Twenty-one students turned out, but Schulz said he could use more players, especially girls, and it’s not too late to become part of the team.
Liberty Bell was scheduled to play at Okanogan on Tuesday (March 21), but that match was canceled. The team will host Lake Roosevelt on Thursday (March 23) at 4 p.m., then travel to Chelan on Friday (March 24).
