Falcon pair win bi-district title, qualify for state / Tennis

South Whidbey’s Mary Zisette and Alison Papritz qualified for the state tennis tournament by winning the bi-district doubles title Friday, May 18, at the Amy Yee Tennis Center in Seattle.

“I don’t know when we last had a bi-district champion,” co-coach Jenny Gochanour said. “The girls played amazing tennis today.”

Zisette and Papritz, who also won the District 1 championship, opened bi-district with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Annie Hines and Hanae Uyeda from Forest Ridge in the semifinals.

The Falcons then whipped Mina Baghai and McKenna Ragen of University Prep 7-6(7) 6-2 in the title match.

Bagai and Ragen started their trip to the finals with a 6-1, 6-1 quarterfinal win over South Whidbey’s Farris Jokinen and Ainsley Nelson.

The Falcons’ Ashley Ricketts lost a singles play-in match to bi-district 6-2, 6-3 to University Prep’s Sophia Lee Wednesday.

Zisette and Papritz start the state tournament Friday, May 25, at the Yakima Tennis Center facing Elle Rothlisberger and Bella Gatzemeier of Chelan.