MISSOULA -- Most of the girls at the state Class B-C tennis tournament in Missoula are just thankful to still be playing on the final weekend of the season.

Townsend netter Becky Moudree is grateful she was able to pick up a racket at all this year, let alone make it this far. The senior doubles player and returning state champ is lucky to be alive.

Moudree nearly died following a freak sledding accident in January, and doctors figured her tennis career was over. She punctured a lung and a diaphragm, in addition to breaking ribs, and had to undergo a pair of major surgeries.

"She lost her swing and doctors thought it would be eight months before she could return to normal activity," Townsend tennis coach John O'Dell said. "But she worked her butt off to get back, and we're happy that she's here."

Moudree lifted her shirt Thursday, revealing a giant scar down the middle of her stomach and another on her left side. They're a painful reminder of what happened this past winter, but Moudree rehashes the story in positive spirits.

After crashing into the tree, she blacked out for 20 minutes and doesn't remember much, she says. But she's happy to be out at the University of Montana courts on a sunny May day, playing a game she loves, an activity apparently much less dangerous than sledding.

"That's why I always say my body loves tennis," she said with a smile.

Tennis has been good to Moudree and doubles partner Jessica Sagissor this season. The tandem was undefeated at 20-0 up until divisionals last weekend, when Sagissor got sick and the duo had to forfeit. Still, they've never lost a match they've played together, and that streak continued Thursday.

Moudree and Sagissor beat Jessica Bach and Tricia Christenson of Choteau, 6-1, 6-0, then dominated again against Missoula Loyola's Abby Mansch and Vanessa Grossman, winning 6-1, 6-1 to advance to today's quarterfinals.

"We've pretty much beaten up on everybody we've played this season," Moudree said. "So we're looking for some competition here."

Two-time defending state champion Townsend fared well Thursday, with six of the seven netters still in the hunt heading into today. Moudree and Sagissor, as well as No. 1 singles player Gaelyn Domino, are the only ones who can still win a championship, however.

Micah Weidman in singles, and Aya Ochi and Sophie Hegg in doubles, are working their way through the consolation bracket after suffering one loss in the double-elimination tourney. Logan Weidman was beaten in the third match of the day and is out of the tournament.

This season marked the most girls O'Dell's crew has ever qualified for state, and Baker was the only team with more, bringing all eight netters.

"Baker is very seasoned," O'Dell said. "They know what they're doing."

Jefferson High, however, had just one representative in Janyssa Overturf. The senior dropped her first match 6-4, 6-1 but still wore a smile afterwards. This was Overturf's first time making it to state and she said she didn't care if she placed or not.

Overturf, who played No. 1 singles for the Panthers throughout the year, said it was a little strange being the only one from her team competing, but the Panthers have always sent someone to state and it was her turn to go.

Domino lost just a handful of matches all season and was setting her sights a little higher after placing fourth at state last year.

Domino beat Cut Bank's Morgan McDivitt in a tough first-round draw, 6-2, 6-3, then followed up with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Brooke Sauro of Loyola to put her into the quarterfinals.

Domino wasn't nearly as nervous as her coach about playing a strong opponent early on.

"I think I'm going to die," said O'Dell, who is also the Bulldogs' wrestling coach. "In wrestling, the high-stress matches last six minutes. Here it's hours."

But Domino admitted she actually prefers the better competition.

"If I play somebody who isn't on my level of play I tend to kind of take it down a notch and I need to stop doing that," Domino said. "I need to be consistent and play my game. So I like to play hard hitters because it gives me more of a challenge."

Micah Weidman credited her coach with her first-round win over Troy's Cassidy Hand.

"She's pretty good at lobbing, make her play a groundstroke game," he told her between sets.

With the switch and her strong serves, Weidman pulled out the 6-2, 6-4 win. However, she dropped her second match of the day to Darbi Brady of Fairfield, 6-0, 6-1, to send her to the consolation bracket.

Micah's younger sister, Logan Weidman, had two of her matches go to three sets. Weidman, who was playing with pneumonia, dropped the first match then won her second, despite the occasional coughing fit and constant struggle to breathe.

Meanwhile, Overturf also found herself locked in a long battle with Wolf Point's Cassie Toavs. The two seniors didn't want to see their prep career end here. Toavs beat Overturf in the first set using a number of tough base-line shots, then came out and went up 4-1 on Overturf in the second. But just when Overturf looked like she was out of it, she proved she didn't have quit in her. The Panther rallied back to take the match 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

It was just the second time Overturf had played a three-set match all season.

The netters are back in action today at 8 a.m., and with solid play Townsend should prove successful.

But a little luck never hurts, either.

A superstitious O'Dell would start chewing on a plastic fork when one of his girls was down in a set, as was a frequent tradition of his all season.

"It helps them win," he said.

Whatever works.

Amber Kuehn: 447-4079 or amber.kuehn@helenair.com

GIRLS

at the Lindsey Tennis Center

Team scores: Baker 17, Townsend 15, Fort Benton 15, Chinook 12, Darby 9, Conrad 7, Cut Bank 6, Fairfield 5, Valley Christian 5, Choteau 4, Loyola Sacred Heart 4, Superior 3, Wolf Point 3, Chester 3, Eureka. 2, Jefferson 1, Whitehall 1.

Singles

First round n Sierra Gandy, Dar, def. Kelsey Buhmann, Chi, 6-0, 6-2; Kamiree Morris, Bak, def. Yasmine Elmenshawy, SI, 6-0, 6-0; Natalja Linke, FB, def. Cassie Toavs, WP, 6-1, 6-0; Jamie Ries, Con, def. Janyssa Overturf, JC, 6-4, 6-1; Shaleigh Straub, Bak, def. Sami Woodard, Sup, 6-4, 6-4; Alyssa Brown, Chi, def. Kelly Johns, Con, 6-3, 6-4; Gaelyn Domino, BC, def. Morgan McDivitt, CB, 6-2, 6-3; Brooke Sauro, LSH, def. Sandra Corliss, LC, 7-6 (2), 6-4; Darbi Brady, Fai, def. Miriam Bender, Dar, 6-3, 6-0; Micah Weidman, BC, def. Cassidy Hand, T, 6-2, 6-4; Rebecca Havens, Bak, def. Jane Makepeace, SI, 6-2, 6-0; Tabitha Wilson, FB, def. Logan Weidman, BC, 6-0, 1-6, 6-2; Kelsie Hansen, Chi, def. Michele Schahczenski, Whi, 7-6 (5), 6-0; Alex Conrow, Sup, def. Keli Gentilini, Bak, 7-6 (7), 6-3; Casey Armstrong, LC, def. Larissa Baird, Chi, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1; Kylee Peebles, Cho, def. Jessica Manuel, VC, 6-0, 6-4.

Second round n Gandy, Dar, def. Morris, Bak, 6-4, 6-2; Linke, FB, def. Ries, Con, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-1; Brown, Chi, def. Straub, Bak, 6-2, 7-6 (4); Domino, BC, def. Sauro, Loy, 6-1, 6-2; Brady, Fai, def. Weidman, BC, 6-0, 6-1; Wilson, FB, def. Havens, Bak, 6-2, 6-2; Hansen, Chi, def. Conrow, Sup, 7-5, 6-1; Peebles, Cho, def. Armstrong, LC, 7-5, 6-2.

Doubles

First round n Aya Ochi/Sophie Hegg, BC, drew bye; Beth Grubb/Emily Weisgram, Con, def. Cami Stacy/Elizabeth Houser, LC, 6-4, 6-0; Jessica Stuart/Alyssa Keil, Con, drew bye; Kelsey Hadley/Jamie Nielsen, Bak, def. Hayley Finks/Latisha Smith, Dar, 6-1, 6-2; Megan Lindy/Casey Naeseth, FB, drew bye; Dionne Zoanni/Ashley Nelson, WP, def. Catie Goodpasture/Cary Chamberlain, Sup, 7-5, 6-1; Meaghan Moore/Heidi Cross, VC, drew bye; Kylie Richter/Kylinn Walston, CJI, def. Ande Hawkins/Liz Smith, T, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1; Anna Fehrs/Sara Bowers, SI, drew bye; Tara Sullivan/Natalie Krosch, Dar, def. Sam Friesz/Kelly Wanner, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1; Abby Mansch/Vanessa Grossman, LSH, drew bye; Jessica Sagissor/Megan McLean, BC, def. Jessica Bach/Tricia Christenson, Cho, 6-1, 6-0; Jennifer Kary/Kaileigh Morris, Bak, drew bye; Emily Harshman/Sarah Finley, Chi, def. Serina Hoyt/Lexi Bremer, Fai, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2; Marla Rice/Brianna Bauer, CB, drew bye; Kara Spaabeck/Samantha Shinaberger, FB, def. Tara Duzan/Jackie Pepiot, T, 6-1, 6-3.

Second round n Grubb/Weisgram, Con, def. Ochi/Heff, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; Haydley/Nielsen, Bak, def. Stuart/Keil, Con, 6-3, 6-4; Lundy/Naeseth def. Zoanni/Nelson, WP, 7-6 (4), 6-3; Moore/Cross, VC, def. Richter/Walston, CJI, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2; Sullivan/Krosch, Dar, def. Fehrs/Bowers, SI, 6-1, 6-1; Sagissor/Moudree, BC, def. Mansch/Grossman, 6-1, 6-1; Kary/Morris, Bak, def. Harshman/Finley, Chi, 6-2, 6-3; Rice/Bauer, CB, def. Spaabeck/Shinaberger, FB, 6-3, 7-5.

BOYS

at Playfair Park

Team scores: Conrad 22, Cut Bank 21, Loyola Sacred Heat 13, Valley Christian 11, St. Ignatius 10, Troy 7.

Singles

First round n Colter Knox, Con, def. Donnie Nurse, VC, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2; Brandon Rebo, T, won by forfeit; Nate Norberg, VC, def. Michael Tarbert, LSH, 6-0, 6-0; Creede Garcia, T, def. Dylan Johnston, CB, 6-1, 6-2; Cade Cross, LSH, def. Charles Cooper, CB, 6-0, 6-0; Clayton Makepeace, SI, def. Geoffrey Glidewell, VC, 6-4, 6-1; Erich Dieziger, LSH, def. Pat Hickman, T, 6-3, 6-2; Spencer Ahlborn, SI, def. Stefan Sommer, Con, 6-1, 6-2.

Second round n Michael Breza, LSH, def. Knox, 6-2, 6-1; Carl Matt, CB, def. Rebo, 6-0, 6-0; Wyatt McCullum, SI, def. Norberg, 6-0, 6-1; Calen King, Con, def. Garcia, 6-1, 6-0; Cross def. Jake Higgins, T, 6-1, 6-0; Jaren VanDyke, Con, def. Makepeace, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1; Shane Kauffman, VC, def. Dieziger, 6-0, 6-3; Josh Paulson, CB, def. Ahlborn, 6-1, 6-0.

Quarterfinals n Matt def. Breza, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6); King def. McCollum, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4; VanDyke def. Cross, 6-4, 6-2; Paulson def. Kauffman, 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles

First round n Gregg Kalbas/Garet Sullivan, Con, def. Kyle Doyle/Tobin Blome, LSH, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5; Spencer Lewis/Jace Kimmet, CB, def. Bryan Schock/Trail Bundy, SI, 6-0, 6-1; Nate Kavanagh/Jordan Hoof, CB, def. Robb Higgins/Kody Hoffman, T, 6-0, 6-2; Kurtis Janzen/Johnny Schlosser, Con, def. Jordan Potter/Matthew Bohlken, 6-3, 6-1.

Quarterfinals n Morgan Parsons/Josiah Peterson, VC, def. Kalbas/Sullivan, 7-5, 6-4; Lewis/Kimmet def. Jesse day/Shadi Garrett, T, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; Kavanagh/Hoof def. Tyrell McCollum/Marius Eck, 6-2, 6-1; Janzen/Schlosser def. Paul Heffernan/Jonathan Finch, LSH, 7-5, 6-4.