GREAT FALLS — For the third time in the past four seasons — including now going back-to-back — the Great Falls CMR boys tennis team sits atop Class AA.
This past Saturday in Bozeman, the Rustlers won the team state championship to become the first-team in 26 years at the school to repeat.
"It's just such an incredible thing to be a part of," senior Brady Pike said at the CMR Fieldhouse during Tuesday's championship celebration. "Getting one state championship is more than enough, I mean getting two is just over the top."
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"This tennis team is the best," junior Eli Crist said. "We have a program that has shown how hard work and determination really can show, and how that will pay off. Three out of four years is ridiculous."
"Back-to-back and winning it by a lot, too," sophomore Howard Daniel said. "It was obviously pretty close with some teams but we started to pull out in the end, which is super good. And yeah, we earned it."
This team is also the first group to win three titles in four years in CMR history.
Coach Byron Boyd said he couldn't ask for a better group of athletes to have play for him.
"They put in the work in the offseason," Boyd said. "They buy in to the program, it's unbelievable.
"I told them the first day of practice this was the goal."
Pike and Crist are doubles partners, as the duo finished second overall. Regardless of that outcome, they said they are still relishing in this run the Rustlers are on.
"We all knew it could happen," Pike said. "I met with coach before the season because I honestly wasn't sure if I was playing or not at the beginning of the season. And I met with him, and we sat down and he told me what our chances were, and I said I'm all in."
"Those points (to get to the championship match) right there allowed us to completely wipe out Billings West of the draw for us in team scores," Crist said.
Daniel placed third overall in singles at the state meet.
"Awesome that our tennis team is able to go above and beyond in getting us titles," Daniel said.
All three said they think CMR's success isn't going anywhere.
"We're graduating only a couple kids including myself, so the run is just going to continue I think," Pike said.
"Three is very possible," Crist said. "I am telling all the guys right now — as that's going to be my senior year — it's that we can do it.
"I sincerely believe it, and I know that with the kids that we have and the team that we have we are going to do it."
"I think three and four could be very possible," Daniel said. "So I hope we can get it."
