ARKANSAS CITY — It was a prosperous journey to Arkansas City for the two doubles teams from Great Bend High School’s girls’ tennis team.
Both teams returned with a medal from the Class 5A state tournament on Sunday.
Macy Moyers and Morgan Francis finished in fourth place, and Brianna Schartz and Jami McVay placed seventh.
“Everybody lived up to expectations,” GBHS head coach Shannon Schartz said. “Our goal coming into the state tournament was for everybody to medal, and we did that.”
As a team, the Lady Panthers finished tied for fifth place with Emporia at 21 points. It is the third-highest finish for a girls’ tennis team in school history.
“We finished ahead of Salina Central,” Shannon Schartz said. “There were a couple of regional champs that we finished ahead of, so that was nice to see.”
Moyers and Francis received a first-round bye, and won their first two matches, finishing 2-0 on Saturday.
The duo fell in both of their matches on Sunday for a fourth-place 2-2 finish.
“They didn’t play quite as well (on Sunday),” Shannon Schartz said, “but they were also playing better teams.
“Saturday, they had a tremendous win over a team from Salina Central. They were regional champs, and so that was an upset. That first set against Salina Central was their best set of the season.”
For seniors Brianna Schartz and McVay, it was their final chance at a state medal. Finishing well inside the top 12 in seventh place, the pair did just that.
“It is very exciting,” Shannon Schartz said. “They were really happy to finish their final match of their four-year career with a win. That was very exciting.”

                                    — Kevin Price

HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
Class 5A State Tournament

Saturday-Sunday

At Arkansas City

Team scores
1. Andover, 40; 2. Bishop Carroll, 38; 3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 30; 4. Arkansas City, 29; 5. Emporia, 21; 5. Great Bend, 21; 7. Maize South, 12; 8. Salina South, 11; 9. Salina Central, 10; 10. Blue Valley Southwest, 8; 11. Shawnee Heights, 7; 11. St. James Academy, 7; 11. Valley Center, 7; 14. Leavenworth, 4; 15. Newton, 2; 15. Pittsburg, 2; 15. Wichita West, 2; 18. Goddard, 1; 18. Lansing, 1; 18. St. Thomas Aquinas, 1; 21. Hays, 0; 21. Topeka Seman, 0; 21. Topeka West, 0

Great Bend results
Doubles — Macy Moyers & Morgan Francis (fourth place) def. Cole & Roskam, Goddard, 6-0, 6-0; def. Morris & Hauserman, Salina Central, 6-0, 6-4; lost to Burr & Gonzales, Arkansas City, 6-1, 6-4; lost to Lubber & Lubbers, Bishop Carroll, 6-0, 6-2
Doubles — Brianna Schartz & Jami McVay (seventh place) def. Yingling/Knight, Topeka Seaman, 6-3, 6-2; def. Fangman & Smith, St. James Academy, 6-1, 3-6, 10-4; lost to Burr & Gonzales, Arkansas City, 6-1, 6-1; def. Lundy & Brucker, Leavenworth, 9-3; lost to Morris & Hauserman, Salina Central, 9-4; def. Steven& Garcia, Bishop Carroll