Three athletes head to state for Bronco tennis

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague tennis team has three individuals who have earned the right to compete at the state tournament this weekend.

Tracy Melville, Alex Wheeler and Kyle Canaday are all heading to Yakima on Friday and Saturday to compete for a state title.

Melville continued her undefeated season and her success in the No. 1 singles competition, which led to the LRS team technically tying for the regional championship. Melville heads to the state tournament as the top finishing singles player in the region in the singles tournament.

Melville began the Regional Tournament facing Chewelah’s No. 1 singles player and defeated her 6-0, 6-1. The win lined her up against league rival, Darby Pierce, from St. George’s.

The match lasted three sets and fell in favor of Melville, who defeated Pierce 6-1, 6-7, 6-1. Head coach Liz Melville said Pierce had played very well, and it was a solid win for T. Melville.

Melville played an exchange student from Riverside in the final match of the tournament to earn the top ranked trip to state. Melville earned the win handily, defeating the Riverside athlete 6-0, 6-1.

The doubles team of Wheeler and Canaday had a hard fought road to state, but finished the tournament as the fourth seed from the region.

The team started out strong, winning the first match against Lakeside’s No. 2 doubles team, after initially dropping the first set. Melville said the boys did an excellent job of regrouping to win the critical match.

The win moved the LRS doubles team into a match against Lakeside’s No. 1 team in the semifinals. Wheeler and Canaday lost the match, which dropped them into a loser-out, winner to state match against St. George’s No. 2 doubles team.

The LRS team had defeated the St. George’s duo in three sets during the district tournament, but it proved to be a tough match up. The Broncos dropped the first four games, but rallied from behind to eventually win the match, 6-4, 6-2.

With the guarantee of earning a state berth, the Broncos faced Chewelah’s No. 1 team for placement of third or fourth going into the state tournament.

Wheeler and Canaday battled, but lost 6-7, 3-6 in the state-qualifying match, and placed them as the fourth seed.

The three Broncos athletes make the trip to West Valley High School in Yakima this week, and compete on Friday and Saturday in the state tournament.