Valley tennis players qualify for state

WASILLA — Prep tennis is growing in the Mat-Su Valley.

Last season, Colony High boasted the Valley’s first full high school tennis team. Palmer also had a single player on the tennis court. This year, three Valley schools — Colony, Palmer and Wasilla — sport teams. And all three will be represented in the state meet when the ASAA/First National Bank State Tennis Championships start today at Alaska Club East in Anchorage.

Wasilla’s Sumie Hirobe qualified for state in the girls’ singles. Palmer’s Johnie Burton will represent the Moose in state in the boys’ singles for the second straight year. Colony’s Brennan Easley and Logan Crawford advanced to state in the boys’ doubles. All four athletes were named first-team all-region following the Region III Championships in Anchorage last week. Colony’s Lauren Leadbetter also earned first-team honors.

Last year, Burton became the first Valley tennis player to ever win a match at the state tournament. This year, Burton opens his state tourney play against Wolf Dostal of Juneau-Douglas in a boys’ singles match this morning at 8 a.m.

In girls’ singles, Hirobe drew North Pole’s Roslyn Stapp, and will play at 9 a.m.

In boys’ doubles, Easley and Crawford East Anchorage’s David Columbus and Nicolas Rupf this morning. Columbus and Rupf are the No. 2 seed in the bracket.