Weiser tennis opens season with win over Vale

The Weiser High School varsity tennis team opened the season with a decisive 10-2 win at home against the Vale Vikings last Thursday.

 Despite limited outdoor practice on the courts due to recent inclement weather, Weiser’s No. 1 singles and doubles teams looked to be in fine form for the start of the season.  

 The Wolverines swept the Vikings in boys singles and in boys and girls doubles. 

 In boys singles, Eli To’omalatai prevailed in two competitive sets against Vale’s Marco Ramirez. To’omalatai won the first set by tiebreaker 7-6 (6) and the second set 6-3 to take the match.

 Playing in the No. 2 boys singles spot, Weiser’s Issac To’omalatai didn’t have much trouble putting away Vale’s Jake Maxwell by the score of 6-0, 6-1. 

 To’omalatai, a junior and brother to Eli, breezed to victory in two straight sets and only gave up one game in the match.

 In the No. 3 boys singles spot, Nate Lattin picked up another win for Weiser by beating Kaden Ruckman of Vale in straight sets and didn’t lose a single game. The score was 6-0, 6-0.

 In girls singles, Andrea Bouvia, a junior, played in the No. 1 spot for Weiser and got the win in a tough match that went to three sets. Bouvia won the first set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (3), but lost the second set to Vale’s Maycee Delong 2-6. Bouvia rebounded big time to win the third set 6-0 and the match.

 In the No. 2 girls singles spot, Weiser’s Danielle Hoopes dropped her match to Flavia Bruton of Vale in straight sets 6-1, 6-1. In the No. 3 singles position, Weiser’s Kristy Bake battled Vale’s Morgan Bruton in the first set but lost the match 6-4, 6-2.

 The Wolverines also dominated in doubles action against the Vikings. Vale was short a full roster of varsity boys, which forced some players to compete in more than one event.

 In mixed doubles, Grace Soulen and Bryce Bake played in the No. 1 spot for Weiser against Rachel Wolfe and Marco Ramirez of Vale. The Weiser duo gave up four games in the first set but shut out their opponents in the second set to win the match 6-4, 6-0.

 Bentley Weldon and Karson Brush teamed up in the No. 2 mixed doubles spot for Weiser. They won their match against Vale’s Payton Kelso and Kailey McGourty by default in a shortened match.

 The No. 1 girls double team of Brooke Anderson and Sienna McClellan got another win for Weiser in a highly competitive match that went three sets against the Vale duo of Rachel Wolfe and Kailey McGourty. 

 The Weiser girls dropped the first set 2-6 to their Vale opponents. The second set was a tough one, but Anderson and McClellan were able to dig deep for the 6-4 win. The third set and the match went to the Weiser team 6-2.

 The No. 2 girls doubles team of Denica McClellan and Emma Tolman had an easier go of it against Vale’s Alexis Schaffield and Riley Kesey. The Weiser girls won in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.

 The two Weiser varsity boys doubles teams also won their matches against the Bulldogs.

 In the No. 1 boys doubles spot, Matthew Westover and Kelvin Price teamed up to defeat Payton Kelso and Ricky Leyva of Vale in a match that went three sets. After dropping the first set 4-6, the Weiser team regrouped and didn’t give up many games, winning the second set 6-1 and the third set 6-2.

 The No. 2 Weiser boys doubles team of Pedro Ixta and Layton Tolman cruised to victory in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 against Justin Buhrig and Jared Hally of Vale.

 The Wolverines’ JV squad played Grangeville, at home, on Saturday. 

 On Monday, the varsity team traveled to Baker City, Ore., to make up a match that was canceled last week due to a late winter snowstorm.  

 Weiser will host Nyssa in nonconference action at home on April 1.