The battle for third place in the final regular season Region 11 girls tennis standings is turning into a compelling one.
Mountain Crest proved it is in the mix thanks to a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Logan on Tuesday in Hyrum. It was the Mustangs' first triumph over the Grizzlies in quite some time, plus they were able to avenge a nailbiting 3-2 August setback to their rivals to the north, in the process.
The Mustangs (4-4 region duals) were able to reign supreme in all three singles matches and that was the difference in the rematch. Ivy Winward (No. 1) and Avylynn Hulbert (No. 3) prevailed in comfortable fashion, while Baylee Jacobsen pulled out a three-set win over Gracie Godfrey. Winward improved to 12-1 this season.
"It was a great feeling to have all three of our varsity singles players, Ivy Winward, Baylee Jacobsen and Avlynn Hulbert, beat Logan -- a long overdue accomplishment," MC head coach Joan Mahoney said. "Logan is a good team, it was just our day. A very proud moment (for our program)."
The Grizzlies (5-4 in region duals) were victorious in both doubles matches in straight sets. Angela Zhan and Demi Larsen rolled at the No. 1 position, while Molly Peterson and Mele Fonua received a pretty good test from Emma Robins and Jackie Shock at second doubles. Logan had won four straight region duals heading into Tuesday's showdown.
Like Logan and Mountain Crest, Sky View is also in the mix for third place in the region. The Bobcats (4-4 region duals) bounced back from Tuesday's 5-0 loss to three-time reigning 4A state champion Green Canyon with a hard-fought Thursday sweep of visiting Bear River (1-7 region duals). Three of Sky View's wins against Bear River went to a decisive third set, including both doubles matches.
Both Bobcat doubles tandems battled back from one-set deficits, to boot. Lexi Gunnell and Sydney Shaw outlasted Anna Hales and Josi Jensen, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 at the No. 1 spot, while Addison Ashcroft and Rylie Beckstead finished strong against Brooklyn Hadley and Alexa Flores at the No. 2 spot, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
"I am extremely proud of the grit and determination both of our doubles teams had during the match against Bear River," SV head coach Jazmyn Job said. "Both teams really fought hard for the win."
Ava Eldredge (No. 2) and Ashley Wallis (No. 3) defeated their opponents in comfortable fashion for the Bobcats, while fellow singles player Sarah Spackman came through with a barnburner of a 6-0, 5-7, 7-6 triumph at first singles. It was sweet revenge for Spackman, who lost to Duncan earlier this season in straight sets.
Green Canyon (8-0 region duals) continued to prove why its the odds-on favorite to make it five consecutive region championships by sweeping Sky View and West Field (0-8 region duals) at home this week. Bailey Huebner, the three-time defending region champion at first singles, did not play against the Bobcats, but that did not faze the experienced and talented Wolves one bit.
Green Canyon's Tori Jeppson (No. 1) and Macy Huish (No. 2) each bumped up a position in singles and won all of their games. Laycee Falslev was tested in the first set against SV's Wallis at third singles on her way to a 6-4, 6-1 victory. The Wolves won both doubles matches comfortably, with Carley Nielsen/Ruby Warner (No. 1) and Mike Schwartz/Hattie Maughan (No. 2) joining forces.
The Wolves only dropped in one games in 10 sets against the Longhorns. Green Canyon's lineup was composed of Huebner, Jeppson and Huish at singles, and Warner/Nielsen and Maughan/Schwartz at doubles.
Likewise, it was a good week for Ridgeline, which is now firmly in second place in the region standings. The Riverhawks (7-2 region duals) started things off with a Tuesday road sweep of West Field and then dispatched of Logan two days later at home, 4-1.
Luz Perez Spencer received a good test from Hannah Judkins at first single before prevailing, 6-3, 6-3. Ridgeline rolled in each of the other matches against West Field and it dropped one game in those eight sets. Annaston Wrigley (No. 2) and Macy Stowers (No. 3) also competed at singles for the Riverhawks, whose doubles duos were Tana Theurer/Halle Cole and Lydia Theurer/Lindy Ellis.
Perez Spencer, Wrigley and Stowers all won their singles matches against Logan convincingly, while the two rivals split their doubles matches. Logan's Angela Zhan and Demi Larsen are undefeated in region duals at first doubles, while Ridgeline's second doubles team of Lindy Ellis and Lydia Theurer bounced back from a second-set setback to beat a game Mele Fonua and Molly Peterson 6-1 in the decisive third set. Theurer and Ellis have yet to lose a second doubles match together this season.