Kamiakin doubles team tries to defend state title

Ali Welch and Demie Warner have been playing tennis together since the fifth grade. Now juniors at Kamiakin High, the doubles partners know when they are off their game and what it takes to get back on track.

After finishing second at the CBBN district meet two weeks ago, and fighting back through the 4A regional consolation bracket last week to earn a berth to state, last year's 3A state champions believe they have their act together to make a run at the 4A doubles title this weekend.

"At district, we had an off week and we both had an off day," said Welch, who is battling a sinus infection. "The competition is different moving from 3A to 4A. We didn't see those teams last year."

The 4A state tournament will be played Friday and Saturday at Kamiakin and Tri-City Court Club. All doubles matches will be played at Kamiakin, while the singles matches will be at TCCC. All finals will be played at TCCC on Saturday.

At regionals, Welch and Warner lost a semifinal match (6-3, 6-4) to Gonzaga-bound Britta and Katijene Stime of Mead, then had to win two loser-out matches to advance to state.

"We had never seen the Stime girls before," Welch said. "Britta is really good, but we should have been able to beat them. Our game is offensive. When we play defensive and careful, things don't go our way."

Kamiakin coach Sarah Miller was happy to see that her players were challenged at regionals.

"I'm glad they got pushed," Miller said. "It's a great plus for them going into state, not just coasting in unbeaten. Our girls played good tennis and when push came to shove, they got the job done."

Welch and Warner will open play Friday morning against Kaylyn Brown and Emily Sullivan of Puyallup, and hope to make good use of home-court advantage.

"The schools in the Seattle area play indoors a lot," Warner said. "And other schools don't have as much wind. Plus, we will have a crowd here cheering for us, not just mom and dad. I don't think there is a team in the bracket we shouldn't be able to beat."

Welch and Warner are in the opposite side of the bracket from the Stime sisters, and wouldn't meet up with Wenatchee's Amy Scheumann and Tatiana Wood -- the team that beat the Braves duo in the district final -- until the semifinals.

"Those are some fine teams," Miller said. "I think we have three of the toughest teams in the state here this weekend. It will be enjoyable tennis."

Welch and Warner are the lone Kamiakin entrants at state. The only other Tri-City area school with 4A state qualifiers is Richland, with Troy Zuroske in singles and the doubles team of Chris Shallman and Taylor Dickey.

In the 3A tournament at the Vancouver Tennis Complex, Hanford's Luke Thompson will compete in singles, while Jake Knox and Curtis Lan will play doubles. In the girls bracket, Sam Merry will play singles, while Cassandra Dicken and Becky Sharpe will compete in doubles.

All of the Hanford players, except for Merry, won regional titles.