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MISSOULA- Spring sports is quickly coming to a close in Montana and this week we head to the tennis courts to catch up with some of the recent State Class A tennis champions who are out athletes of the week.

The third time was just as sweet for Bridger Walczynski. The Corvallis star won doubles titles in 2010 and 2011 with two different partners and this year he paired up with DJ Pekoc to claim his third straight championship, a straight sets win over Cole Noctor and Derek Ralph of Butte Central.

"Nervous going in, cause we knew they were a solid team. But through the middle of the match, just knew we were on a roll, and had to keep it going. Super excited about this," Walczynski recalled.

He also had a hand in another three-peat as the Corvallis boys won the team title for a third straight year, as well. But Pekoc gave all the credit to his happy pants.

"I would probably just be freezing out there without them. And I kind of want to see if it's a state record to play a full match in these. They intimidate my opponents," Pekoc said.

A Hamilton pair won doubles gold over on the girls court. Erica Huppert and Meg Maclean first teamed up as freshman and their experience playing together paid off as juniors.

"Since we started playing tennis, it's brought us both way closer. And it's helped with our chemistry on the court, cause we know, we kind of read each other's minds...if that makes sense," Huppert told us.

"We knew that we'd do good, and we were told that we would do good. But you know, it always can change out on the court. And we were just, it was incredible. It's like a dream," Maclean added.

Huppert and Maclean beat Polson's Mollybeth Hendrix and Kenzie Clay in the finals. But the Pirates got the last laugh as Polson edged out Hamilton by a single point to win their first team title in five years.

Over the last few weeks several championships have been handed out to Western Montana teams. Hellgate, Florence, Darby and Charlo all brought another championship back to the trophy case while Polson and Loyola each won a pair. Topping it all off, the mighty Corvallis Blue Devils just finished spring with a trio of titles.

Contact Derek Buerkle