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Photo by Sam Harrel

FAIRBANKS — Even in a bizarre version of a Lathrop-West Valley tennis meet, the result is still 4-3.

On Wednesday night, the Wolfpack prevailed in weather that shifted from sunny and warm to chilly showers and back — and with both teams lacking five players due to illness.

Perhaps the most glaring oddity was that players were asked to skip the traditional post-match handshake because of swine flu concerns. Some shook hands anyway.

But those circumstances led to a familiar ending.

It was the seventh consecutive time the crosstown rivalry has been decided by one match.

West Valley’s victory came from a sweep of the doubles matches and Caitlin Deutsch’s 6-0, 6-0 win over Annelise Bachelder in girls No. 2 singlesh. Deutsch said defeating the reigning Region VI champions was a good omen for the season.

“That’s exciting because last year was a little bit of a rebuilding year for us,” she said, though the Wolfpack finished 2008 strongly to earn fourth place at the state championships.

Nick Raugust and Joe Sample secured the meet for West Valley in the final match of the evening, a 6-3, 6-0 boys doubles win over Connor Hajdukovich and Tyler Loud.

“The first set, we were pretty nervous, but then we calmed down,” Raugust said.

“Once we got our rhythm going,” Sample added.

The Wolfpack’s Loni Ellsworth and Jeremy Weaver also had to overcome a rough patch in their 6-3, 6-3 mixed doubles win over Zach Fitzgerald and Kayla Parson. Ellsworth and Weaver stumbled in the beginning of the second set with a rash of unforced errors, but quickly regrouped.

“Jeremy kept me confident,” Ellsworth said. “... Every time the ball would come to me, he’d be like ‘You got it. You got it.’”

West Valley sophomore Jill Phillips got a victory in her first varsity match, as she and Jenna Powers took a 6-2, 6-3 decision over Breanne Meath and Trina Marok.

Lathrop dominated singles play to lead 3-2 when the final two doubles matches were all that remained.

Drew Lanning defeated Logan Little 6-3, 6-1 in boys No. 1 singles, Kade Fitzgerald topped Chris Irwin 6-1, 6-2 in boys No. 2 singles and Jessa Boertje won 6-0, 6-1 over Amanda Holyfield in girls No. 1 singles.

Illness kept 10 players off the court, but it didn’t stop everyone.

Several players weren’t feeling so hot during Wednesday’s match, as loud coughs occasionally joined the sounds of volleys.

“I only went to school today just so I could play tennis,” said Lanning, who had been ill since Friday with flu-like symptoms.

During his first set, Lanning was breathing heavily and questioned whether he would continue.

“I guess it makes the match that much better, knowing you can win when you’re sick,” he said.

Hutch prevails

The Hutchison Hawks earned a 3-2 victory over the Monroe Catholic Rams, thanks to a couple of default wins in the girls singles matches.

Only three matches were actually contested — Monroe won both boys singles events, but Hutchison took the boys doubles match.

Hutch’s Nico Wehner and Ben Leslie combined for the doubles win against Jim Winfree and Nathan Bowder, 6-4, 6-2.

Lynnette Thompson and Andrea Wharton took the default wins for Hutch in the girls singles matches.

Monroe Catholic swept the boys singles matches.

Eric Ringstad notched a 6-1, 6-0 victory against Dylan Edwards, and Dan Bunten downed Skyler Evans, 6-5, 6-3.

Girls doubles and mixed doubles matches were not played.