LOCAL SPORTS – “ATHLETE OF THE WEEK”

 

(UNDATED) – KSEN/K96 BOZEMAN TROPHY ATHLETE’S OF THE WEEK CAME UP BIG IN WEEKEND TRACK AND FIELD COMPETITION AND ON THE TENNIS COURTS WHERE A COUPLE OF YOUNG CHOTEAU TENNIS PLAYERS PULLED OFF A “FIRST” IN THE HISTORY OF CHOTEAU TENNIS.

SO, IN THE WORLD OF MONTANA TENNIS, ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL SCHOOLS HERE IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE, IT IS SO RARE, THAT FOR MANY IT MAY STILL NOT HAVE COMPLETELY SUNK IN.

WITH JUST TWO PLAYERS, JR. MICHAELA GUNDERSON AND FRESHMAN (ANOTHER RARITY) CHRISTINE FUNK, THE CHOTEAU LADY BULLDOGS WON CHOTEAU’S FIRST EVER STATE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP.   FOR THAT BOTH GUNDERSON AND FUNK ARE OUR CO-KSEN/K96—BOZEMAN TROPHY ATHLETE’S OF THE WEEK.

CHOTEAU TENNIS COACH CARLA MAY SAYS IN FACT, THE CHOTEAU GIRLS TEAM HAS NEVER HAD A PLAYER IN THE FINAL 4………THIS YEAR THEY HAD TWO.   GUNDERSON WAS EXCEPTIONAL THROUGHOUT  BUT FINALLY LOST TO DEFENDING STATE CHAMPION ELLIE BERRETH OF BIG FORK WHO MAY SAID WAS “FLAWLESS,”  6-2, 6-1.  IT WAS GUNDERSON’S ONLY LOSS ALL SEASON.

AS FOR THE FRESHMAN, MAY SAYS CHRISTINE FUNK JUST KEPT GETTING BETTER AND BETTER THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AND AS A FRESHMAN COACH MAY SAYS TO “MAKE IT TO THE SEMI-FINALS AND THEN FIGHT HER WAY BACK TO FINISH 4TH, IS PRETTY MUCH UNHEARD OF BECAUSE OF THE EXPERIENCE.”

THE SOMEWHAT COMPLEX SCORING SYSTEM GAVE CHOTEAU 26 POINTS WITH JUST THE TWO PLAYERS AND FOR EXAMPLE FAIRFIELD WITH 4 SINGLES PLAYERS AND A DOUBLES TEAM FINISHED SECOND WITH 24, TIED WITH BIG FORK.     AND THERE WAS ONE MORE CHALLENGE FOR THE CHOTEAU DUO AND THAT WAS THE WEATHER.   BATTLING RAIN AND COLD ALL DAY FRIDAY, THEY FINALLY GOT THEIR FINAL 1ST MATCHES IN BY ABOUT 8:30 AND THEN SWITCHED OVER TO INDOOR COURTS SATURDAY.

OUR MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK PICKED UP SOME BIG POINTS FOR THE FAIRFIELD EAGLES TRACK TEAM AND HELPED THEM TO A SECOND PLACE FINISH IN THE NORTHEASTERN B DIVISIONAL AT GREAT FALLS.   LEVI GIBSON, A JR. WHO HAS PILED UP POINTS FOR THE EAGLES ALL SEASON LONG WON THE HIGH JUMP AND THE POLE VAULT, HAD A SECOND IN THE JAVELIN BEHIND TEAMMATE DAWSON ALLEN AND GOT 2.5 MORE POINTS AS A MEMBER OF THE FAIRFIELD 1ST PLACE 1600-RELAY TEAM.  30.5 ALL TOGETHER, 3RD BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE AMONG ALL BOYS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR KSEN/K96—BOZEMAN TROPHY ATHLETE’S OF THE WEEK, JR. LEVI GIBSON OF FAIRFIELD AND CO-FEMALE ATHLETE’S OF THE WEEK, FR. CHRISTINE FUNK AND JR. MICHAELA GUNDERSON OF CHOTEAU.  THE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK IS SPONSORED LOCALLY BY McDONALD’S IN CUT BANK.   McDONALD’S HONORS OUR ATHLETE’S OF THE WEEK WITH TWO FREE VALUE MEALS EACH.

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