Baker sends four to state tennis

Back and forth.

Smash and volley.

Lob after lob after lob.

That was how Baker’s Courtney Petry and Ontario’s Sara Bond sepnt more than two hours Friday playing in the girls singles championship at the Special District 5 tennis tournament at Ash Grove courts.

Petry ended up dropping the title match 6-3, 6-4, but still advances to the Class 4A/3A/2A/1A state tournament Thursday through Saturday at Eugene.

The title match was highlighted by several long rallies, at least one of which was estimated to include more than 89 strokes.

Petry fell behind 4-1 in the second set before rallying to knot the match at 4-4. Then, trailing 5-4, Petry earned the serve. Again she fell behind facing match point. She again rallied to pull back even at deuce.

Bond then forced a second match point. Petry then double faulted on her serve to end the match.

“Courtney has been playing real well lately,” said Baker coach George Keister.

Trio of Baker boys advance

Three Baker boys will join Petry at the state tournament.

Robert Schmeits advances as the fourth-place district qualifier. Schmeits lost 6-4, 6-2 to eventual champion Russell Seals of Vale in the semifinals. Schmeits then lost 6-2, 6-4 to La Grande’s Nate Oveson in the third-place match.

Dan Sizer and Gus Hansen advance as the district’s third-place doubles team after winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Baker placed second in the district girls team standings, and third in the boys.

The state tournament will be Thursday through Saturday and the Eugene Swim and Tennis Club.

Special District 5 Tournament

Girls

Team scores — Ontario 30, Baker 12.5, Vale 9, La Grande 8.5, Burns 4, Nyssa 2.

Singles — Petry def. Tucker (O) 6-0, 6-0; Bond (O) def. Petry 6-3, 6-4 (title)

Boys

Team scores — Vale 27, La Grande 12.5, Baker 10, Ontario 9.5, Burns 3, Nyssa 2.

Singles

Eiselein def. Diaz (N) 6-1, 6-3

Seals (V) def. Eiselein 6-0, 6-0

Schmeits def. Mielke (L) 4-6, 6-0, 6-3

Schmeits def. Hickey (O) 6-4, 6-2

Seals (V) def. Schemits 6-4, 6-2

Oveson (L) def. Schmeits 6-2, 6-4

Schireman (L) def. Zunino 6-1, 6-1

Zunino def. Doman (O) 8-6

Winters (V) def. Zunino 8-6

Doubles

Speer/Hartley (N) def. Brooks/Peterson 6-4, 6-0

Brooks/Peterson def. Martin/Buhrig (V) 8-7

Owens/Becerril (O) def. Brooks/Peterson 8-1

Sizer/Hansen def. Eyler/Fredrickson (V) 6-4, 6-1

Sizer/Hansen def. Heninger/Plaza (O) 6-2, 6-0

Nelson/Marvin (V) def. Sizer/Hansen 6-2, 6-0

Sizer/Hansen def. Fenton/Larsen (BU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

Howard/Curtis def. Kameshige/Hytrek (O) 6-2, 7-6

Nelson/Marvin (V) def. Howard/Curtis 6-3, 6-4