For the fifth time in school history, the Juneau-Douglas High School tennis team placed third at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Tennis Championships.
The tournament was held at the Anchorage’s Alaska Club East on Oct. 6-7.
JDHS junior Erica Hurtte won 12 out of her 13 sets on the way to a finals matchup against South Anchorage’s Christine Hemry. Once there, Hurtte lost 6-1, 6-1, to Hemry, giving the Wolverines junior her third consecutive girls singles state championship.
“They are the best two players in the state — not even close,” JDHS coach Kurt Dzinich said of Hurtte and Hemry. “So she’ll have another chance next year. She’s a great player and a great kid. And Christine’s a great player and a great kid. And they could meet for a third consecutive year (in the singles championship) as seniors.”
Hemry defeated Hurtte last year in the singles championship, 6-3, 6-4.
Hemry’s older brother, Joseph, won the boys singles championship. Together they helped South Anchorage win the team title while Dimond High School finished in second place.
Sammy McKnight and Adelie McMillian, two of six Thunder Mountain High School students on the Crimson Bears via ASAA’s cooperative school program, also appeared in a final.
McKnight and McMillian lost their first set of the tournament before winning sixth straight over Anchorage and Fairbanks teams to earn a championship bid.
The duo would lose to West Valley’s Brian Ely and Jordan Dick in the finals though.
“Sammy and Adelie had a superb tournament, Dzinich said. “They played very well to get into the final in their first outing at state and they lost a tough match to get second place.”
The boys doubles team of Jacob Dale and Kolby Hoover, typically known for their prowess on the ice and basketball court respectively, took third overall.
The Juneau couple overtook Dimond’s Sean Carey and Isaiah Mills, 6-2, 6-1, in the third-place match for their second win of the tournament.
“They needed to take care of business in order to take third place and they did,” Dzinich said.
The girls doubles team of Madisyn Carter and Olivia Moore lost to Chugiak and North Pole. Boys singles player Wolf Dostal lost to Service’s Spirit Pretlow and Monroe’s Jack Cook.
Dostal, Carter, Moore, McMillian and Hurtte will all be returning to the team next year.
ASAA/First National Bank Alaska state tennis championships
Boys singles
Championship — Joseph Hemry, South, def. Derek Stone, Dimond, 6-1, 6-0.
Third place — Josef Schruf, North Pole, def. Spirit Pretlow, Service, 7-6, 6-1.
Girls singles
Championship — Christine Hemry, South, def. Erica Hurtte, Juneau-Douglas, 6-1, 6-1.
Third place — Savannah Paul, West, def. Sofia Main, Service, 4-6, 6-1, 10-7.
Boys doubles
Championship — Jake Brown/Lian Lincoln, South, def. Marco Riviera/David Columbus, East, 6-3, 6-1.
Third place — Jacob Dale/Kolby Hoover, Juneau-Douglas, def. Sean Carey/Isaiah Mills, Dimond, 6-2, 6-1.
Girls doubles
Championship — Kate Debenham/Layne Debenham, Dimond, def. Rebecca LaRue/Tyanna Melak, Chugiak, 6-2, 6-2.
Third place — Sophia Sanders/Khailey Yancha, South, def. Clarissa Mock/Claudine Mock, Service, 7-5, 4-6, 10-7.
Mixed doubles
Championship — Brian Ely/Jordan Dick, West Valley, def. Sammy McKnight/Adelie McMillian, Juneau, 7-6, 7-5.
Third place — Steve Kilkenny/Isabella Jameson, South, def. Christopher Braneberry/Kristina Yu, W, 4-6, 6-1, 10-7.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
