Troy netters ready to compete in state tourney

Players on the Lady Trojan’s tennis team tried to fight their way into the state tournament at the Western B Divisional tournament in Bigfork on Friday and Saturday. 

Head coach Milo Rogers said all of the girls played with a lot of heart and three will be making their way to the state tournament in Great Falls on Wednesday, with matches starting on Thursday.

Doubles team Azure Stever and Taylor Brown and singles netter Allie Brown will represent Troy at state.

“I’m excited to see Allie go to state for her first time and it will be the first time for Azure and Taylor also,” Rogers said. “I’m glad to see the senior girls pull it out and be able to go.”

With only 9 B-C boys’ teams and 20-plus girls teams, the girls have to qualify for the state tournament and the boys receive automatic births. “It’s a big deal to go to state for girls, they have to work really hard and do their best,” Rogers said.

The Trojan’s boys’ team competed at the Best of the West tournament in St. Ignatius on Saturday for their last competition before the state tournament. The top eight that will be going to state on the boys’ side are singles’ players Dominic Chiaverini, Ben Haggerty, Craig Helmrick, CJ Beard, and doubles’ teams Alex Day and Brennan Olds and AJ Faur and Brylee Freund.

“I just want them to perform as we have seen them in the past,” Rogers said of his expectations for his players in the state tournament. “We’re up against some good competition. It will be fun to go over and see how we do.”