EPHRATA — In a close loss, Ephrata's Mitch Morford and Avery Morris forced Selah's undefeated first doubles team into their first competitive set of Central Washington Athletic Conference play of the season.

On their home court Saturday, April 18, the two Tigers still fell to the Vikings' Luke Gates and Caleb Adams 6-4, 7-5, but the solid showing gave EHS coach Greg Becker confidence in what he views as a possible postseason doubles pairing.

From a team standpoint, the Ephrata boys went 1-2 during a busy week. They defeated Toppenish 4-1 at home Friday, sandwiching that win between losses to Selah and Quincy.

Against the same opponents, the Lady Tigers went 0-3. The fell 5-0 at Quincy, 4-1 to Toppenish, and 5-0 to Selah. Partners Kaitlyn Wolther and Milli Hope provided the EHS girls' lone match win, edging the Lady Wildcats at third doubles.

April 16, at Quincy

Ben McLain and Yael Hurtado produced the Ephrata boys' only win in a 4-1 team loss to the Jackrabbits, prevailing at third doubles in a marathon match, 6-4, 1-6, 10-8 super-tiebreak.

In first doubles, Morford and Morris won the first set 7-5 against Jackrabbits Alejandro Barajas and Ian Shin, but dropped the next two 2-6, 5-7. Quincy picked up match wins from Luis Gutierrez, who defeated Athen Gault 6-2, 6-1 at first singles; Francisco Sandoval topped Jeremiah Alvarez 6-3, 7-6 (5) at second singles; and Tigers Gavin Somes and Peter Sanchez fell 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles.

In girls competition, Ephrata's Jill Linehan retired with an injury at first singles after closely dropping the opening set 5-7 to Quincy's Maria Ortiz. The Lady Jackrabbits also picked wins from Mayah Gomez, who topped Kate Maedke 6-4, 6-2 at second singles. Allison Pedroza and Sciya Silva took first doubles 6-3, 6-1 from Maycee Black and Avery Gault while Ephrata teammates Lilly Brewer and Kara Davis fell 6-4, 6-3 at second doubles, and Wolther and Hope dropped third doubles 6-1, 6-2.

April 17, vs. Toppenish

In the Ephrata boys' 4-1 home win over Toppenish, Jeremiah Alvarez blanked Wildcat Javier Diaz 6-0, 6-0 at second singles. Morford and Morris took first doubles 7-5, 6-0 over Moises Gonzalez and Joseph Payette, Sanchez and Hurtado took second doubles 6-4, 6-1, and McLain and Daniel Kissler closed out third doubles 6-0, 6-4. Luis Godines handed the Tigers their lone loss, downing Gault 6-0, 6-1 at first singles.

Wolther and Hope took third doubles 6-1, 6-2 for the Lady Tigers' only team point. Wildcat Rylie Carter beat Linehan 6-1, 6-4 at first singles, Valeria Gonzalez defeated Maedke 6-3, 6-3 at second, and Kyra Hurley and Jaide Lopez took first doubles 6-4, 6-2 from Black and Gault. Davis and Brewer pushed second doubles to three sets, taking the middle 7-6 (4) before falling 1-6 in the third.

April 18, vs. Selah

Gates and Adams held off Morford and Morris 6-4, 7-5 at first doubles, the closest set scores of the CWAC season for the Vikings duo. Selah’s Yohann Doshi shut out Gault 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, and Dallas McGuire just edged Alvarez 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3 at second. Ephrata’s Hurtado and Sanchez fell 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles, and McLain and Kissler dropped third 6-0, 6-0.

Viking Sophie Brack beat Linehan 6-3, 6-4 at first singles, Mattie Dhane topped Maedke 6-0, 6-1 at second, and Lyla McLain and Juliet Moultray took down Black and Gault 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles. Davis and Brewer fell 6-0, 6-4 at second doubles, and Wolther and Hope dropped third 6-2, 6-1.

The three team losses drop the Tiger girls to 2-9 on the season and the boys to 3-9.

Ephrata hosts Othello this afternoon (April 21) at 4 p.m. The undefeated Lady Huskies come into the match at 11-0; the OHS boys are 8-3.