BY JIM MISUNAS
CLAFLIN – Central Plains Oiler Peyton Ryan, like three siblings, has led a charmed life until the state tennis championship match.
Barton Community College signee Ryan (134-3) has lost three high school tennis matches, all to state champions.
Peyton has plenty of company in the family.
The Ryan family has compiled a 2-9 in state championship matches.
# Janae Ryan teamed with Keeley Hipp for state doubles titles in 2015-2016.
# Devin Ryan (2016-2019) is a 3-time state doubles runner-up.
# Emily Ryan (2017-2019) owns three runner-up singles medals.
# Oiler coach Michael Ryan (2014-2016) is a state doubles runner-up.
Peyton Ryan he’s confident he’ll perform his best at Prairie Village.
“I know I’m going to give it my best,” Peyton said. “I’ll be happy with the result. If the other dude is better, I’ll congratulate him.”
Only three “dudes” have been better – Rossville’s Alex Sherer, Wichita Collegiate’s Nichols Grabon and KC Christian’s Caleb Bartels.
He’s proud of his effort hitting tennis balls after a cross country workout or when the weather cooperates.
“It’s been a lot of evenings and weekends on the court,” he said. “I appreciate having hitting partners like Kyla Metro or Camden Stiles, who have helped. I’ve seen the work pay off.”
When Peyton was younger, basketball ranked ahead of tennis. But he’s grown to love the personal work ethic with tennis.
“I like the calmness of tennis,” he said. “To me, there’s not as much pressure in tennis. I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors.”
Peyton is smart to rely on his older brother Michael for advice.
“Michael helps me to focus on each shot and have a game plan,” he said. “I want to know what I’m doing with each ball. It helps a little to play someone because you develop a game plan for that player. When you’ve played someone, you know how to return and when to hit harder.”
Peyton has improved all phases, particularly expanding his service game.
“I’ve built up my volleys and serves,” he said. “Now, I’ve got some kick serves with go with harder serves. My volleys are better because of repetition.”
Coach Ryan said Peyton is a student of the game.
“Peyton’s best strength is he doesn’t show negative emotion and doesn’t react to a missed shot,” Michael said. “He’s the same person from start-to-finish.”
Peyton’s work ethic has paid off.
“Peyton never takes shortcuts and is willing to sacrifice his time,” Michael said. “Peyton doesn’t give away points. You’ve got to beta him.”
Coach Ryan believes the Oilers have a shot of contending for a top three state trophy.
“We’ve put ourselves in a good spot,” coach Ryan said. “The guys deserve it. They’ve put in the work.”
RYAN FAMILY STATE LEGACY
# Michael Ryan (2014-2016)—state doubles runner-up; 3RD—Alex Kartsonis/Jackson Vanderark, KC Christian def. Ryan/Layne Bieberle, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4); 1ST—Kartonis/Vanderark def. Ryan/Bieberle, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1; 3RD—Ryan def. Kyler Comley, Sterling, 6-3, 6-3
# Janae Ryan/Keeley Hipp (2015-2016); 2-time doubles champions—1ST—Ryan/Hipp def. Olivia Brubacher/Katelynn Hageman, Hesston, 6-1, 6-4; 1ST—Ryan/Keeley Hipp def. Olivia Riedmiller/Winnie Shaw, Wichita Independent, 6-2, 6-2
# Devin Ryan (2016-2019)—3-time state doubles runner-up; 1ST—Grant Dahlsten/Garrett Roth def. Ryan/Brady Rugan, 6-3, 6-1; 1ST—Dan Siemers/Aaron Bowlin, Shawnee Maranatha def. Ryan/Paxton Hammeke, 6-2, 6-1; 1ST—Max Wheeler/Luke Swan, Wichita Collegiate def. Ryan/Brett Liebl, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 7-5
# Emily Ryan (2017-2019)—3-time singles runner-up; 1ST—Lilly McNeil, KC Christian def. Ryan, 6-2, 6-0; 1ST—McNeill def. Ryan, 6-4, 6-3; 1ST—McNeill def. Ryan, 6-0, 6-1
# Peyton Ryan (2022-2023)—2-time singles runner-up; 1ST—Nichols Grabon, Wichita Collegiate def. Ryan, 7-5, 6-0; 1ST—Caleb Bartels, KC Christian def. Ryan def. 6-1, 6-2
3-1A STATE, PRAIRIE VILLAGE
TEAM SCORES—Wichita Collegiate 28; Central Plains 20; Hesston 14; KC Christian 11; Wichita Classical 11; Topeka Cair Paravel 11, Smoky Valley 9; Conway Springs 7; Ellinwood 4; Topeka Hayden 3; Lawrence Seabury 3; South Barber 3; Sterling 3; Ellsworth 3; Wichita Trinity 1; Meade 1; Cimarron 1, Phillipsburg 1
SINGLES
SEMIFINALS—Caleb Bartels, KC Christian (31-0) vs. Drew Fay (23-9); Peyton Ryan, CP (30-0) vs. Charlie Gentile, Wichita Collegiate (24-3)
QUARTERFINALS—Bartels def. Omar Al-Tabbal, Wichita Collegiate, 6-0, 6-0 Fay def. Jace Darnauer, Sterling, 6-1, 6-0; Ryan def. Keaton Leiker, SV, 6-1, 6-0; Gentile def. Will White, Hesston, 6-0, 6-2
FIRST ROUND—Ryan def. George, Topeka Hayden, 6-0, 6-1; Gentile def. Cole Ringwald, Ellinwood (21-12), 6-, 6-0; White def. Camden Stiles, Central Plains, 7-6, 1-6 (10-8)
CONSOLATION—Stiles (26-8) vs. Darnauer; Stiles def. Elliott, SV, 8-0; Stiles def. Levi Mies, Conway Springs, 8-1; Zander Myers, South Barber def. Ringwald, 8-5
PLAY-IN—Ringwald def. Nate Fischer, Phillipsburg, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-5)
DOUBLES
SEMIFINALS—Carter Drumright/Maddox Drumright, Wichita Collegiate (26-2) vs. Titus Wassom/Blake Spicer, Marysville (34-4); Charlie Graham/Isaac Yourdon, Wichita Classical (28-6) vs. Braiden Liechty/Asher Deutschendorf, Hesston (23-2)
QUARTERFINALS—Drumright/Drumright def. Isaac Winter/Layne Whitney, Conway Springs, 6-0, 6-0; Wassom/Spicer def. Nethan Cauthon/Alden Metro, CP, 6-2, 6-2; Liechty/Deutschendorf def. Baker/Baker, SV, 6-0, 6-0; Graham/Yourdon def. Paxton Dody/Peyton Dody, CP, 6-3, 6-2
FIRST ROUND—Cauthon/Metro def. Per Nelson/Nathan Nyqust, SV, 7-6 (7-5), 2-6 (10-7); Wassom/Spicer, Marysville def. Ty Hammeke/Evan Ringwald, Ellinwood, 6-3, 6-4; Dody/Dody def. Preston Sebits/Alex Hobson, Wichita Trinity, 6-3, 3-6 (10-5)
PLAY-IN—Cauthon/Metro def. Collin Branam/Blane Farney, Wichita Classical, 7-6 (7-5), 2-6 (10-3); Hammeke/Ringwald def. Brady Peterson/Devin Boice, Haven, 6-4, 6-4; Orvin Dyck/Sam Lynn, Meade def. Mead/Thompson, 6-0, 6-0
CONSOLATION—Dody/Dody vs. Sky Fujinuma/Rahul Madhaven, Wichita Collegiate; Cauthon/Metro vs. Sebastian Borjas/Cole Shumaker, Lawrence Seabury; Joe Luke/Chase Blaser, Topeka Hayden def. Mead/Thompson, 8-0
