BOZEMAN — The state tournament for Class AA tennis commenced on Thursday, with athletes from the state competing at both Bozeman Gallatin and Bozeman High.
The singles matches for both the boys and girls are highlighted by two-time defending champions looking to three-peat with an individual title. Top-seeded Gallatin's Mason McCarty beat Leo Ma from Missoula Hellgate in the first round in two sets (6-0, 6-0). He then defeated Great Falls CMR's Howard Daniel in two sets (6-0, 6-1) in the second round.
He will face the West's top seed, Jack Currie-Welch from Hellgate on Friday in the semifinal. The top seed from the East, Ty Graham of Billings West, will face the second seed from the South, Bozeman's Harrison Rotar, in the semifinals, as well.
The girls reigning back-to-back individual champion and top seed from the West, Elliotte Banziger from Hellgate, had a perfect day on the court. She beat Carys Habel from CMR in straight sets (6-0, 6-0) in the first round and Jenner Mathison from West in the same fashion in the second round.
Banziger faces the South's second seed, Miranda Isenberg of Bozeman, in the semifinals on Friday. The top seed from the South, Raena Wilson of Gallatin, will face East top seed Bella Rogge of Billings Senior in the other semifinal.
The four boys doubles teams that advanced to the semifinals are the East top seed, Dallin Abrams and Andersen Hurt of Billings West; the South top seed out of Bozeman, Collin Gross and Oliver Ward; the West top seed from Hellgate, Andrew Duman and Sam Ender; and CMR's Eli Crist and Brady Pike, who are the top seed out of the North.
The four girls doubles teams to advance to the semifinals are the East's top-seeded duo of Piper Abrams and Cambry Magone from West; Gallatin's Alex and Olivia Mansour, who are the second seed from the South; the West top seed, Kendall Adler and Wesley Banziger from Hellgate; and the South top-seeded duo of Izabel Barr and Sara Sanford from Bozeman.
For highlights from Thursday's action, click the video above. The championship matches will follow the semifinals on Friday at Bozeman High.
