Sequim tennis sends 5 to state

Published 3:05 pm Friday, March 21, 2014

Sequim Gazette staff

Better late than not at all.

Three of Sequim’s entries in the West Central District 2A tennis tournament found themselves needing wins on the tourney’s final day on Saturday for a chance at advancing to state.

All three advanced.

On the boys’ side, singles player Mallory Maloney took fifth place and doubles duo Byron Boots and Michael Lee placed sixth while Sequim’s girls’ doubles pair of Katrina Chan and Stacy Hanson took fifth at the district tournament in Tacoma.

Each will play at the class 2A state tournament, slated for May 27-28 at the University of Washington’s Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle.

After topping Evergreen’s Michael Nguyen in the opening round, Maloney fell to eventual district champ Joe Kwiatkowski of Lindbergh in round two.

But Maloney rebounded to top Klahowya’s Jerry Landrum and, in the tourney finale, beat Interlake’s Tai Pham 6-1 and 6-2.

He’ll open the state tournament Friday against David Denenny of Cheney. It’s the fourth trip to state for Maloney and first as a singles player, after three state berths with doubles partner Reed Gunstone.

Boots and Lee went 3-1 at the district tourney, with all three wins coming against Olympic League teams.

They edged Sebastian Ford and Alex Olson of North Kitsap (6-4, 6-3) for the final state seed, and will play Friday against Kenny Saari and Cody Schultz of WF West.

It’s the first state appearance for Boots and Lee.

Chan and Hanson dropped their second round match before winning two, including a state berth-clincher against Laney Boyd and Lauren Corn of Port Angeles, 7-6 (7-5), and 6-2 on Saturday afternoon.

Chan and Hanson play Friday against Bella Hoyos and Megan Mullarky of Bellingham. It’s the second trip to state for the Sequim girls’ duo.