BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Great Bend's No. 1 doubles Darcy Feist/Mac Lindberg (19-11) secured a 3-way tie for first place in Monday's Western Athletic Conference tennis tournament. The Panthers defeated co-champion Hays High, Liberal, Dodge City and lost to co-champion Garden City. Feist/Lindberg avenged a loss to Hays with a 8-2 victory over Feist/Lindberg def. Kaelin Maier/Alyse Zimmerman for a 3-way tie.
"It was a tough doubles draw, but the girls had a goal to avenge a loss to Hays and they beat them at WAC," said Great Bend coach Zachary Bartel. "The girls played their best tennis against Hays. When they attack at the net, it helps them a lot."
Bartel believes the Panthers doubles team should earn a top six seed at Saturday's 5A Salina regional tournament. The top six singles and doubles finishers quality for the 5A state tournament.
Garden City's No. 1 singles Danica Galia (26-7), No. 2 singles Quincy Nanninga (18-7) and No. 2 doubles Sofia Madilo/Kourtney Kneeland (17-7) captured WAC titles. The Buffaloes (14 points) defended their WAC title ahead of runners-up Great Bend (9) and Hays High (9).
Galia earned WAC Player of the Year honors by defeating Great Bend's Paige Stacey 8-2 in the championship match. Garden City's Logan Bevis earned WAC Coach of the Year honors.
Stacey (23-7) faces a rugged singles regional at Salina.
"Paige fought hard, and had a good day," Bartel said. "I was happy the way the girls competed."
Great Bend's No. 2 singles Clarise Snapp (13-17) tied for runner-up with a 2-2 record. No. 2 doubles Mackenzie LaViolette/Beth Hammeke (8-8) tied for third with a 1-3 record in 80-degree heat with winds from 10 to 20 mph.
WESTERN ATHLETIC
TEAM TOTALS—1—Garden City; 2—Great Bend 9; Hays High 9; 4—Liberal 4; 5—Dodge City 3
NO. 1 SINGLES—1ST—Danica Galia, GC def. Paige Stacey, GB, 8-2; Galia def. Ellie Bunkall, DC, 8-1; Galia def. Maycie Holdeman, Hays, 8-1; Galia def. Kaylee Velazquez, L, 8-1; Stacey def, Bunkall, 8-2; Stacey def. Holderman, 8-2; Stacey def. Valazquez, 8-2; Bunkall def. Holdeman, 8-4; Holdeman def. Velazquez, 8-4; Velazquez def. Bunkall, 8-5
NO. 2 SINGLES—1—Quincy Nanninga def. Clarise Snapp, GB, 8-2; Nanninga def. Valeria Reyes, DC, 8-2; Nanninga def. Isabelle Jones, Hays, 8-4; Nanninga def. Evelyn Tarango, L, 8-1; Snapp def. Tarango, 8-1; Snapp def. Reyes, 8-3; Jones def. Snapp, 8-7 (7-4); Tarango def. Reyes, 8-5; Tarango def. Jones, 8-3; Jones def. Reyes, 8-2
NO. 1 DOUBLES—Darcy Feist/Mac Lindberg def. Yaremy Macias/Katie Rouse, DC, 8-4; cFeist/Lindberg def. Kaelin Maier/Alyse Zimmerman, Hays, 8-2; Feist/Lindberg def. Lynette Alonso/Giselle Mesta, L, 8-2; Jocelyn Kennedy/Chloe Ptacek, GC, 20-8 def. Darcy Feist/Mac Lindberg, GB, 8-4; Kennedy/Ptacek def. Macias/Rouse, 8-4; Kennedy/Ptacek def. Alonso/Mesta, 8-1; Maier/Zimmerman def. Kennedy/Ptacek, 8-5; Maier/Zimmerman def. Macias/Rouse, 8-4; Maier/Zimmerman def. Alonso/Mesta, 8-1; Macias/Rouse def. alonso/Mesta, 8-3
NO. 2 DOUBLES—1ST—Sofia Madilo/Kourtney Kneeland, GC (17-7) def. Delia Dixon/Emersyn Sander, Hays, 8-3; Madilo/Kneeland def. Mackenzie LaViolette/Beth Hammeke, GB, 8-0; Madilo/Kneeland def. Marisol Banuelos/Zoe Rojas, DC, 8-0; Madilo/Kneeland def. Seare Uribe/Maliah Navarro, L, 8-2; Dixon/Sander def. LaViolette/Hammeke, 8-2; Dixon/Sander def. Banuelos/Rojas, 8-2, Dixon/Sander def. Uribe/Navarro, 8-6; LaViolette/Hammeke def. Uribe/Navarro, 8-2; Banuelos/Rojas def. LaViolette/Hammeke, 8-5; Uribe/Navarro def. Banuelos/Rojas, 8-6
