BELLINGHAM – Since late last week, the best tennis players in the Northwest Conference have been playing at Sehome High School to find out who will be moving on to the state tournament.
In singles competition, Anna Samoukovic of Lynden took first place as she defeated Bellingham’s Malia Hanks 6-2, 6-2. In the consolation round, Sehome’s Claire Stodola defeated Bernadine Salvatierra of Squalicum 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Salvatierra settled for fourth place.
Stodola’s win would then match her up against Hanks, for the second berth to the state tournament. Hanks ended up winning 6-4, 6-0. Stodola will also go to state as an alternate as she took third place.
It was the same format in the doubles tournament as Ella Morrow and Kira Carlson of Bellingham squeezed out the championship by defeating Kalanie Newcomb and Rilanna Newcomb of Lynden 6-3, 5-7, 7-5.
Morrow and Carlson return to the state tournament after finishing in second place last year.
The Lynden duo of Grace Rice and Mya VanderYacht eliminated the Anacortes group of Kendyl Flynn and Mikiah Dunham 6-1, 6-3, and then faced their teammates, the Newcomb sisters for second place.
The Newcombs won 6-4, 6-1 to take second place and head to the state tournament. Rice and VanderYacht are state alternates.
The state tournament will begin on Friday, May 24th at the Nordstrom Center in Seattle.