Making a Racket: Down the stretch

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Skyview probably isn’t going to be caught atop the 4A Greater St. Helens League girls tennis standings, however, with four matches to play, the Storm haven’t officially clinched yet.

The Storm are 8-0 in league, 11-0 overall (according to 4AGSHL.com). Union is two wins behind at 6-2, and Camas and Mountain View are tied for third at 5-3.

Hey, it’s sports … things can happen. Case in point … Mountain View threw a wrench into Camas’ hopes of reaching the top with a 4-2 win at Camas on Monday. The key for the Thunder that day was a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win by No. 1 doubles team Amila Gogalija and Emillie Kuo. (It earned them a Star of the Day honor in the prep roundup.)

Gogalija, a junior, has been playing No. 1 singles for the Thunder the majority of the season. Combined with Kuo, they make a formidable team. Gogalija was also a state qualifier in doubles last season at 3A for Mountain View.

Back in March, Kuo lost tough three setter at Thomas Jefferson as the No. 2 singles player, falling 14-12 in a third-set tiebreaker.

Flash forward to Monday and another three-set match, but this time at No. 1 doubles. A comeback was needed but no tiebreaker. Gogalija and Kuo won at No. 1 doubles against Camas 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

They continued their run on Wednesday against Battle Ground with a 6-0, 6-0 victory. They were hitting the angles, drop shots and serves. In other words, they were on their game.

Playing No. 1 for Mountain View on Wednesday was Megan Waller, who also had solid victory (6-1, 6-0) over an up-and-coming player in Battle Ground freshman Andrea Besara.

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All things being equal, Skyview has a clear path to an inevitable league-clinching situation. But still, Tuesday (May 5) against Union could be the decider. The first time these teams met went to the Storm 5-1 on April 2.

And Ridgefield continues its undefeated run in 2A GSHL. They were the only match to report on an otherwise washed out Tuesday of tennis in Southwest Washington. So good for them getting their match in because it got really wet, really fast Tuesday afternoon.

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Some three-set comebacks of note since last posting:

• Avery Honaker of Hudson’s Bay won at No. 1 singles against Evergreen 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 on April 22.
• Prairie’s No. 2 doubles team of Shaniah Chapman and Olivia McConnell won against Battle Ground 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 on April 22.
• In a No. 3 singles match, Prairie’s Cynthia Longchamp won against Fort Vancouver 5-7, 7-5, 6-0 on Wednesday.
• In that same dual match, Fort Vancouver’s No. 1 doubles team Emma Nellor and Selorm Tamakloe posted a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win.

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From the how-close-was-that department: Wednesday’s 2A GSHL match between Washougal and Hudson’s Bay was 3-3 in varsity (won by Washougal 7-6 in a sets-won tiebreaker), and 3-3 in junior varsity.

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Of note, the 4A GSHL district tournament is May 22-23 at Vancouver Tennis Center. Only the top two placers in singles and doubles will advance to state. No bi-district tournament this season for 4A GSHL players.