Defending AAA Champ Survives Tennis Scare

KENNEWICK - Defending Class AAA state champion Sonya Olejar of Bellarmine Prep rallied from a first-set loss before beating Mead's Karyn Charters 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 yesterday in the quarterfinals of Class AAA state tennis tournament at Kennewick's Tri-City Court Club.

Other top area players advanced easily to today's semifinal round.

Mercer Island's Erin Gowen beat Curtis' Jen Blackman and Columbia River's Heather Updike in straight sets. Gowen lost just six games in four sets.

Olejar beat Redmond's Jill Vander Kooi in straight sets in a first-round match.

Inglemoor's Mark Tomandl advanced to the semis with two straight-set victories. Tomandl beat Davis' Matt Kowalski and Decatur's Greg Wessenberg 6-1, 6-3.

Class AAA boys

Top team scores - Decatur 7, Mercer Island 6, Bellarmine 6, Eisenhower 3, Inglemoor 3, Kentwood 3, Redmond 3.

First-round singles - Greg Johnson (Decatur) d. Jeff Wright (Juanita) 6-1, 6-1; Rick Kovacevich (Auburn) d. Jason Chapman (Shadle Park) 6-1, 6-0; Lance Sappington (Walla Walla) d. Mike Pitzen (Puyallup) 6-3, 6-1; Tim Gottesman (Mercer Island) d. Tim Treubenbach (Bellarmine); Robert Franklin (Bellevue) d. Justin Ham (Shorecrest) 6-0, 6-2; Ray Akin (Kentwood) d. Josh Hempel (Mead) 6-1, 6-1; Greg Wessenberg (Decatur) d. Mike Lee (Columbia River) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0; Mark Tomandl (Inglemoor) d. Matt Kowalsky (Davis) 6-2, 6-2.

Second-round singles - Johnson (Decatur) d. Kovacevich (Auburn) 6-3, 6-2; Gottesman (Mercer Island) d. Sappington (Walla Walla) 6-4, 6-2; Akin (Kentwood) d. Franklin (Bellevue) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3; Tomandl (Inglemoor) d. Wessenberg (Decatur) 6-1, 6-3.

First-round doubles - Kurt Wessenberg-Andy Marshall (Decatur) d. Chris Kerkering-Reagan Cunningham (Lewis and Clark) 6-1, 6-0; Peter Raskind (Roosevelt) d. Matt Thomas-Gary Stearn (Port Angeles) 6-1, 6-4; Brent Chin-Jon Amundsen (Mercer Island) d. Ryan Weaver-Chad Jennings (Eisenhower) 6-2, 6-1; Tony Lim-Chris Holton (Fort Vancouver) d. Mike Kreidler-Jeff Brooks (North Thurston) 6-4, 7-5; Hiro Yoshikawa-Toan Than (Redmond) d. Mark Odegard-Kevin Martin (Lewis and Clark) 6-0, 6-3; Michael Chang-Garrick Lo (Interlake) d. Pat McNerthney-Jeff Snyder (Bellarmine) 6-4, 6-1; Peter Raskind-Peter Kim (Roosevelt) d. Matt Thomas-Gary Stearn (Port Angeles) 6-1, 6-4; Jonathan Wright-Jesse Walter (Eisenhower) d. Sean Macy-Jason Taylor (Kent-Meridian) 6-2, 6-4.

Second-round doubles - Wessenberg-Marshall (Decatur) d. Raskind-Kim (Roosevelt) 6-3, 6-3; Chin-Amundsen (Mercer Island) d. Lim-Holton (Fort Vancouver) 6-3, 6-1; Yoshikawa-Than (Redmond) d. Rodenberg-Egan (Puyallup) 6-2, 6-3; Wright-Walter (Eisenhower) d. Chang-Lo (Interlake) 6-2, 6-2.

Class AAA girls

First-round singles - Erin Gowen (Mercer Island) d. Jen Blackman (Curtis) 6-0, 6-1; Heather Updike (Columbia River) d. Molly Megraw (Kentwood) 6-3, 6-0; Jennifer Radford (Cascade) d. Wendy Chang (Bellevue) 6-1, 6-1; Kristin Larson (Eisenhower) d. Ann Phan (Kent-Meridian) 6-1, 6-0; Aurura Navarro (Kentwood) d. Dana Brommers (University) 6-2, 6-1; Melissa McNickle (Pasco) d. Dora Barrionuevo (Lake Washington) 6-3, 6-4; Karyn Charters (Mead) d. Kristine Sundt (Port Angeles) 4-6, 6-0, 6-3; Sonya Olejar (Bellarmine) d. Jill Vanderkooi (Redmond) 6-0, 6-1.

Second-round singles - Gowen (M. Island) d. Updike (Col. River) 6-2, 6-3; Radford (Cascade) d. Larson (Eisenhower) 7-6, 7-6; McNickle (Pasco) d. Navarro (Kentwood) 6-3, 6-1; Olejar (Bellarmine) d. Charters (Mead) 6-0, 6-0.

First-round doubles - Meggan Cadigan-Kellie Filbin (Woodinville) d. Lesa Higgins-Janet Johnson (Puyallup) 6-2, 6-2; Tracy Gilmore-Lindall McIntyre (Eisenhower) d. Julie Connelly-Sonya Funkhouser (Bellarmine) 6-3, 6-1; Stacey Kubler-Kim Muscatel (Mercer Island) d. Anika Olson-Erika Olmsted (Lewis and Clark) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4; Suzanne Jaeger-Christine Nuss (Oak Harbor) d. Minh Truong-Joanna Leuschen (North Thurston) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5; Karla Bridges-Michelle Bridges (University d. Kristyn Yost-Leah Morris (Puyallup) 6-4, 6-1; Heather Serley-Julie Dobrin (Roosevelt) d. Shawn Sin-Tricia Tymer (Fort Vancouver) 6-1, 6-1; Katie Huguenin-Megan Morrow (Bellevue) d. Tina Painton-Nicole Durant (Clover Park) 6-1, 6-1; Shaley Denler-Kristin Tellefson (Richland) d. Kara Bubenik-Rachel Sheppard (Bellarmine) 6-2, 6-0.

Second round doubles - Gilmore-McIntyre (Eisenhower) d. Cadigan-Filbin (Woodinville) 6-3, 6-3; Kubler-Muscatel (Mercer Island) d. Jaeger-Nuss (Oak Harbor) 6-1, 6-4; Serley-Dobrin (Roosevelt) d. Bridges-Bridges (University) 6-1, 6-3; Denler-Tellefson (Richland) d. Huguenin-Morrow (Bellevue) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.