The Juneau-Douglas High School tennis team will head to the Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) First National Bank Alaska 2015 state championships on Friday and Saturday in Anchorage at the Alaska Club East.
Freshman Erica Hurtte and junior Sami Good are seeded second in the state for Girl’s Doubles and will open competition at the top level, giving the capital city a good chance at their first state tennis crown since 2009.
“We felt they would have the strongest chance to advance,” JDHS assistant Anne coach Kincheloe said. “They both have been playing from a young age so their strokes are well developed. During the season they have been working on their double’s strategy and getting to know how to play together. They trust each other’s strengths and cover each other’s weaknesses.”
If the duo make it to the finals, they will likely meet top-seeded Ava Lekander and Allie Haynes from West Anchorage.
“Our other players, just as members of other teams, are unseeded and will play out their matches depending on the draws,” JDHS coach Kurt Dzinich said. “It all depends on who you draw. It should be fun.”
Senior Anton Rieselbach and sophomore Kolby Hoover will compete in Boy’s Doubles. According to coaches, Hoover’s wing span of six-foot-six should help in the duo’s first round matchup against the top state seed from West Valley.
Seniors Katherine Kane and Derek Dzinich will play in Mixed Doubles and face the state’s second seeded pair from West. The Crimson Bears’ duo has not played together all season but coaches are confidant they will have a competitive strategy.
Junior Kelson Rounds-Mcpherson will compete in Boy’s Singles. He has a good first draw and could advance to play the second seeded Joseph Hemry from South.
The Crimson Bears recently finished their Region V tournament that saw Good and Hurtte defeat junior Gaby Hebert and Kane 6-0, 6-0 for the Girl’s Doubles title; Hurtte topped Good 6-2, 6-0 for the Girl’s Singles title; junior Reuben MacNaughton and McPherson-Rounds defeated Dzinich and Rieselbach 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (1) for the Boy’s Doubles championship; McPherson-Rounds stopped Hoover 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-3 for the Boy’s Singles crown; and Dzinich and Hurtte defeated Good and Hoover 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) for the Mixed Doubles championship.
The JDHS tennis team also included sophomores Tristan Walker-Andrews; freshmen Wolf Dostal, River Reyes and Sahil Bathija; and assistant coaches Jacob Dangli and Mona Yarnall.
“All teams in the state competition have their strong players,” Dzinich said. “However, West from Anchorage has been very strong over the past years, and will be strong again this year, and generally is the team to beat across the divisions.”
The 2015 state tournament begins Friday and runs through Saturday.
“This season has been fun, and we were lucky to have full use of the two remaining tennis courts here at Alaska Club Juneau,” Dzinich said. “They have been very accommodating. The tennis community of Juneau has also helped out tremendously, with adults volunteering to play our students on weekends, and paying to play in our fund raiser tournament.”
JDHS tennis history
Past JDHS state tennis champions have included Brian Vandor and Laurel Messerschmidt in mixed doubles in 2009, Merijke Coenraad and Steffan Wilcox in mixed doubles in 2008 and Hong Kong exchange student Ling Chan in women’s singles in 2007.
Chan actually won the first-ever girl’s singles state championship, as 2007 was the inaugural tournament. At the time, Chan was the 15th ranked open and juniors ladies’ singles player in Hong Kong. She had won the 2004 Hong Kong National Junior Tennis Championship and the 2005 South Chinese Athletic Association Chairman’s Cup Title.
The Crimson Bears placed 3rd at the state championships in 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013, were fifth in 2009, and seventh in 2010 and 2011.
In 2007, Nathan Graves and Lindsey Kelly finished second in mixed doubles, and Coenraad and Dream Suchitbharabitya were fourth in girls doubles. Graves and Kelly were chosen for the Good Sport Team.
In 2008, Aaron Cohen and Vandor were second in boys doubles. Coenraad and Graves were Good Sport Team selections.
In 2009, Cohen and Graves were runners up in the boys doubles. Messerschmidt and Nick Parker were Good Sport Team choices.
In 2010, JDHS’ Eddie Hurtte and Sage Davenport placed fourth in mixed doubles. Marlena Sloss and Nathan Fosket were selected as Good Sport Team members.
In 2011, Emma Good began her three-year state championship career with a runner-up finish in the mixed doubles with partner Johnny Joyce. Davenport and Sloss placed third in girls doubles and Sloss and Joyce were Good Sport Team selections. Good would finish runner-up in the mixed category for the next two years and would jokingly refer to herself as “the best runner-up player in the state.”
In 2012, E. Good and Marc Heifetz placed second in mixed doubles, Pelle Arthur was third in girls singles and Sam Bibb and Jasper MacNaughton finished third in boys doubles. Jade Pilcher and Bibb were Good Sport Team selections.
In 2013, E. Good and MacNaughton finished second in mixed doubles while S. Good and Kathe Tallmadge placed third in girls doubles.
In 2014, JDHS placed ninth. McNaughton and Bibb lost their opening match and went on to win the boys doubles consolation final. Jon Scudder and S. Good were upset in their opening mixed doubles match and went on to lose consolation final. Philip Wall lost in the boy’s singles consolation final and Bailey Davenport and Catherine Walsh fell in the girl’s doubles consolation semifinals.
JDHS tennis got its start in 2003 through the efforts of parents and the owner of the Juneau Racquet Club, John McConnochie. The club had merged with the Alaska Club in 2001 but McConnochie stayed on under a three-year contract.
The club pro, Hassan Banisaaid, was the coach that first season. The team consisted of eight to 10 players who had been playing for several years. Banisaaid moved on the next year and Amy Skilbred was asked to replace him for two weeks while a new coach was found. She would stay on, retiring in 2015.
The 2004 season saw the team (20 strong) playing its first matches against other schools, participating in the Fairbanks Alyeska High School Invitational and the Anchorage Invitational.
In 2005, the team continued to expand and again played the Fairbanks Alyeska High School Invitational and Anchorage Invitational, finishing first in Boys Doubles and second in Girls Doubles. The team added a JDHS Tennis Championship for the Juneau players and recognized the girls and boys singles winners and runners up.
In 2006, the team had grown to 35 tennis players. They won the Alyeska High School Invitational, played a JV match against Dimond and participated in the Anchorage Invitational, coming in second in Girls Singles and Mixed Doubles.
In 2007, the team expanded to 45 players and played head-to-head against West and South in Anchorage, as well as playing in the Fairbanks Jamboree. In that year, ASAA held the first Tennis State Championships.
The JDHS tennis team participates under the USTA no-cut policy and its philosophy is based on bringing more people into the game while at the same time offering a competitive program for the more experienced players.
JDHS junior Sami Good hits a shot at the net during Region V tournament action. Good will team with freshman Erica Hurtte in girls doubles at the state championships in Anchorage this weekend.
