Libby's Beagle grabs bronze medal at state tennis

It wasn’t the medal he wanted, but Libby sophomore Ryan Beagle still brought hardware home from the Montana Class A State Tennis Championships last weekend in Missoula.

Beagle placed third and claimed a bronze medal for the second straight season.

Junior teammate Tyler Andersen finished 1-2. Both players shared something in common - falling to champion Andy Purcell of Hamilton.

"Ryan did an excellent job representing Logger Nation and the community of Libby," head coach Kyle Hannah said. "He fought his tail off and never quit. If you are going to lose, it's best to lose to the state champion."

Hannah said it was the second year in a row Beagle lost to the state champion in the semifinals.

"It's just the unfortunate way the blind draw bracket fell this year," Hannah said. "The player Ryan beat at divisionals had a much easier path to the finals. Ryan and I talked...to be the best, you gotta beat the best...no matter where you see them in the tournament. It just wasn't his year. But let me tell you this, you will see an even more determined and focused player next year. He's going to put in the time. He's going to work on the part of his game that needs some attention.

"He's going to become a better tennis player because he wasn't happy with bronze. He wants gold, and nothing is going to stop him from going out next year and taking it!"

Beagle opened the tournament with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Hamilton’s Colin Hanley, then dropped Custer County’s Ryder Lee, 6-4, 6-3, to reach the semifinals.

There, Purcell won the first set, 6-2, before Beagle rallied to take the second, 6-4. Purcell reached the finals with a 6-1 win in the third. He ended up beating Polson’s Torrin Ellis in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, for the championship.

Beagle still had work to repeat his 2022 finish and he did it in straight sets over his final two opponents. Beagle faced Hanley again and won 6-1, 6-4. Hanley ended up placing fifth. In the third-place match, Beagle rolled past Hardin’s Jameson Noteboom, 6-1, 6-2.

For Andersen, he opened with Purcell and fell 6-2, 6-1. He rebounded with a hard-fought win in the first round of consolations over Park’s Caleb Jergenson, 7-6 (10-8), 6-2. He bowed out of the tourney after a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Custer County’s Jake Larson.

"I'm not only proud of Ryan and Tyler, but all 40 student athletes that competed and played tennis for Libby High School," Hannah said. "It was another senior class that I'll never forget and I'll miss dearly. They are just a great bunch of kiddos and I want to wish them the best of luck in their endeavors."