Tennis team opens district play

The Mountain Home Tiger tennis team opens District III 4A Tournament play today at Vallivue and Caldwell.

The Tigers closed out their regular season schedule last week with home losses to Emmett and Vallivue.

Emmett 8

Mountain Home 4

Mountain Home hosted Emmett at the airbase courts last Monday and battled long and hard before losing, 8-4. The Tigers battled Emmett to three sets in six of the 12 matches as the event lasted five and a half hours.

Jordan Niksich won the #1 boys singles match, 6-3, 6-2. Joey Miller dropped the first set at #2 singles, 0-6, but battled back to force a tie-breaker in the second, before losing 6-7 (8-10). Ricky Guadarrama lost the #3 singles match, 7-5, 4-6, 3-6.

In girls singles, Nora Fischer lost a tough #1 singles match, 7-5, 4-6, 5-7. Julie Remington won at #2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, and Laura Lothrop won #3 singles, 6-2, 6-2.

In girls doubles, Breanna White and Daryl Enriquez won #1 doubles, 7-6(7-2), 5-7, 6-1. Christina Gutierrez and Tara Brandenburg took the #2 match to three sets, losing 6-3, 1-6, 1-6.

In boys doubles, Jason Ward and Reed Borgholthaus played tough in #1, but lost in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 1-6.

"It was an exciting evening," said Tiger tennis Coach Tamzy House. "I was so proud of the team. They gave it their all -- just a little more consistency and luck in a couple of games in each of the matches would have thrown the Tigers into the win column."

Vallivue 12

Mountain Home 0

Mountain Home closed out its regular season tennis schedule at the airbase Thursday, losing to the Vallivue Falcons, 12-0.

"The Falcons are a very skilled and consistent tennis team," said Coach House. "Our players did not go down as easily as the scores may suggest. Our kids lost the consistency battle, but it took a lot more balls back and forth across the net this time before the Falcons won the point."

In girls singles, Nora Fischer dropped the first set at #1, 1-6, but battled back to force a tie-breaker in the second before losing 6-7 (3-7).

Julie Remington lost the #2 match, 1-6, 1-6, and Laura Lothrop dropped the #3 match, 2-6, 2-6.

Breanna White and Daryl Enriquez fought hard before losing the #1 girls doubles match, 4-6, 1-6.

All other matches were lost in straight sets by the Tigers against Vallivue.

The Tigers are at Vallivue and Caldwell today for the District III 4A tennis tournament. There are tournaments in girls singles, boys singles, girls and boys doubles, and mixed doubles.

"Our players will be placed in the draw for each of these tournaments based on their won/loss record," said Coach House.

"The Tiger team gets points from every win obtained in all the tournaments. Individually, the players will compete for one of the six qualifying spots in each of the five state-level tournaments."

The State 4A Tennis Tournament is May 19-20 at Vallivue and Caldwell.