LYONS — The season-opening tennis matches for Great Bend High School found the Panthers taking their junior varsity to the Lyons varsity invitational.
The varsity team will make their debut next Thursday at the McPherson invite, starting at 3 p.m.
Although Great Bend finished fourth among the four teams competing on Thursday, it had some bright spots.
“Michaela Stephenson played the first matches of her lifetime today and she finished 1-2 and took third, playing at No. 2 singles,” GBHS head coach Shannon Schartz said. “We were very impressed with the way she played. She did real well.”
Kalee Maneth, serving as the No. 1 singles player for the Panthers, finished with a hard-luck 0-3 record.
Paola Ramirez and Estella Schumacher finished 0-3 in No. 1 doubles for fourth place, and Athena VanderMeer & Liz Wren finished 1-2 in No. 2 doubles.
“Our No. 2 doubles team ended up in a three-way tie for second,” Schartz said. “They did a good job.
“There was nobody that rolled over us.”

— Mack McClure

HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
Lyons Invitational
At Lyons
Thursday
Great Bend results
No. 1 singles — Kalee Maneth (0-3), fourth place; lost to Pratt, 6-1; lost to Chaparral, 6-2; lost to Lyons, 6-3.
No. 2 singles — Michaela Stephenson (1-2), third place; lost to Pratt, 6-4; lost to Chaparral, 6-4; defeated Lyons, 6-1.
No. 1 doubles — Paola Ramirez & Estella Schumacher (0-3), fourth place; lost to Pratt, 6-0; Chaparral, 6-1; lost to Lyons, 6-2.
No. 2 doubles — Athena VanderMeer & Liz Wren (1-2), tied for second; lost to Pratt, 6-1; Chaparral 6-3; defeated Lyons, 6-1.
Note — GBHS placed fourth out of four teams.