Great Bend Post Sports
The change from warm weather to cold must mean it's time for regional tennis action. Teams around Kansas competed on Friday and Saturday with the top six singles players and doubles teams advancing to their respective state tournaments. In Salina, Great Bend came up one win shy of sending two players to state.
Class 5A in Salina
Playing as the No. 5 seed, Great Bend's Kaylin Wahlmeier just needed to do her part in the bracket to advance. She did just that, opening with a 6-1, 6-2 win against Valley Center. She secured her spot at state with a 1-6, 6-2, 10-7 win against the No. 4 seed from Salina South. After a loss to the top-seed and eventual champion from Emporia, Wahlmeier placed fourth in the bracket with a loss to the No. 6 seed from Valley Center.
As the No. 8 seed, Paige Stacey came up one win shy of state. She downed the No. 9 seed from Salina South 6-0, 6-4 before falling to the No. 1 seed from Emporia. Needing one win to advance to the fifth-place match, Stacey was defeated by the No. 4 seed from Salina South.
Great Bend's doubles teams failed to advance past the first round. Seniors Sam Mayers and Taylor Lashley have played as the No. 1 team most of the season. They entered the bracket Saturday as the No. 13 seed in a 6-2, 6-2 loss to the No. 4 seed from Buhler that went on to place fifth. Mac Lindberg and Darcy Feist entered as the No. 7 seed with a 6-2, 6-1 loss to the No. 7 seed from Valley Center that placed sixth to qualify for state.
Wahlmeier will return to Salina to play in the Class 5A State Tennis Championships on Friday.
Other area state qualifiers:
Class 3-1A at Hesston: Larned senior Abigail Holt entered the singles bracket as the No. 1 seed and carried that forward to the championship. Ellsworth senior Karli Haase placed fourth in the bracket to qualify, and Lady Bearcat sophomore Felis De La Cruz placed sixth to qualify. Ellsworth's doubles team of freshman Reygan Coonrod and Inarie Rippert placed second, and the team of junior Elena Jundt and freshman Hannah Vague finished fourth to qualify. Ellsworth scored 16 points to beat Hesston by three points for the regional team championship.
Class 3-1A at Phillipbsurg: Central Plains senior Lauren Oeser finished fourth in the singles bracket to punch her ticket to state. Lady Oiler juniors Grace Lamatsch and Ryann Metro finished third in the doubles bracket to qualify.
The Class 3-1A State Tennis Championships begin in Topeka on Friday.