McPHERSON, Kan. — McPherson High School swept the singles and doubles championships at the Class 4A girls regional tennis tournament Friday, qualifying all four of its entries for the state tournament.
Sophomore Mayson Wiens captured the singles championship, while seniors Avery Unruh and Quinn Liebl teamed up to win the doubles title. McPherson also earned a fifth-place finish from senior McKenna Paul in singles, while senior Dragon Rodriguez and sophomore Lleyton Kuhn finished as the doubles runners-up.
The Bullpups will send two singles players and two doubles teams to the Class 4A state tournament Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16-17, at Kossover Tennis Center in Topeka.
Wiens put together a dominant run through the singles bracket, winning all four of her matches in straight sets.
She opened with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Goodland's Reagan James before defeating Wamego's Carys Donahue 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
Wiens continued her impressive performance with a 6-3, 6-0 semifinal victory over Chapman's Josie Baer before defeating Goodland's Ella Linn 6-0, 6-4 in the championship match.
Paul also secured a state berth with a fifth-place finish in singles.
Paul opened with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Smoky Valley's Noelle Crouch before falling to Linn 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.
She bounced back in consolation play, defeating Smoky Valley's Addison Riojas 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the fifth-place match. Paul then defeated Abilene's Bobbi Pekarek 6-0, 6-2 to secure fifth place.
Bullpups dominate doubles competition
McPherson's doubles teams combined for a championship and runner-up finish, with both advancing through their respective sides of the bracket to set up an all-McPherson final.
Unruh and Liebl opened tournament play with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Clay Center's Treya Pfizenmaier and Kate Larson.
They followed with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Chapman's Madison Gardner and Gretchen Jones before defeating Clay Center's Avery Kinderknecht and Taylor Green 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals.
On the other side of the bracket, Rodriguez and Kuhn began with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Smoky Valley's Kate Griffin and Layla Fleming.
They advanced with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Wamego's Amelliah Budreau and Isabel Elder before defeating Smoky Valley's Zora Carver and Macy Nyquist 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals.
In the championship match, Unruh and Liebl defeated their McPherson teammates 7-5, 6-3 to claim the regional title.
The result gave McPherson the top two doubles finishes and four total state qualifying entries.
Smoky Valley also earned a state berth in doubles, with Carver and Nyquist placing third after defeating Chapman's Cora Merritt and Addalynn Casey 6-2, 6-2 in the third-place match.
The top six finishers in singles and doubles qualified for the Class 4A state tournament, which begins Friday in Topeka.