There wasn’t much doubt as to the outcome of the 2A district tennis singles final.
Yet, Columbia River teammates Faith Grisham and Piper Rylander took the court at Vancouver Tennis Center on Friday with the goal to have some fun.
Grisham, a senior, did win her third 6-0, 6-0 match in a row at the tournament to capture the title over her teammate, but there wasn’t much pressure on either player as they both had already clinched a berth to the 2A state tournament next weekend in Seattle.
“Just here to have fun and it was really fun,” Rylander, a sophomore, said of her first district finals experience. “We had some good points here and there.”
Added Grisham: “We had some really good rallies. I needed to step my game up.”
This will be Grisham’s fourth trip to state, third at the 2A level as Columbia River was a 3A school her freshman year when she qualified. She placed third at state last year, fourth in 2017.
So what advice can she give her teammate, who is making her first state appearance?
“Just be ready to play to play a lot of good players,” Grisham said.
Rylander set a goal at the beginning of the season to qualify for state as well as earn a state placing.
“Top 10 hopefully,” she said.
Washougal seniors Paige Wilson and Beyonce Bea booked their place at state by placing third in doubles.
Needing to win twice on Friday, Wilson and Bea held off Emma Dietel and Lauren Coons 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, and then beat teammates Emily Johnson and Elise Moore 6-1, 6-1 for the clincher.
Columbia River won its second straight team title with Washougal placing second.
3A bi-district — Mountain View junior Shreya Bhatra earned her second consecutive trip to state by reaching the semifinals at Sprinker Tennis Center in Tacoma. The 3A district champion won her quarterfinal 6-1, 6-1.
The top five placers in singles and doubles advance to state.
Both Mountain View doubles teams have reached state by making the semifinals. District champs Anna Lu and Grace Garmire, and teammates Elin Bertheau and Caroline Johnson both won quarterfinal matches in straight sets.
