GARDEN CITY — Midway through the spring season, the Great Bend High School tennis team turned in another dominating performance, winning first place out of eight teams at the Garden City Invitational.
You get the sneaking suspicion that the best is yet to come.
The Panthers didn’t lose a match, one day after taking part in a Salina Central meet.
“The team played tough today,” Great Bend head coach Shannon Schartz said. “We got home at 9:30 (Friday night) from the meet at Salina South, and had to leave at 6:15 today for Garden City. We didn’t play our best tennis today and we still dominated the tournament. I thought we were a bit tired from yesterday.
“This is our third tournament championship and our second complete sweep of the competition. Both our No. 1 singles player (Nick Moyers) and doubles team (Chase Buntain and Austin Jacobs) played in tough tiebreaker wins over Garden City in the finals.”
The Panthers won their own invite earlier in the season, coming off a near-flawless Western Athletic Conference championship run last season, where they return virtually everyone, raising the expectations for a strong stretch run.

Moyers places third
at Salina Central
SALINA — The Panthers finished second to host Salina Central out of eight teams during a meet that was rescheduled on Friday.
Moyers finished third out of 16 players in No. 1 singles, including beating Preston Gapter of Salina Central, 8-1, and losing a tiebreaker to Umberto Rosetto of Salina Central, 8-7 (7-5).
Also in singles, Patrick McCluskey finished 1-3 for eighth place, including beating Manhattan’s Bryan Armbrust, 8-6.
In doubles play, Buntain and Jacobs finished second with a 3-1 record, including an 8-3 win over a Hays duo, and Adam Neeland and Grant Harris recorded a 2-2 mark for seventh place.
“Everyone played well,” Schartz said. “Nick lost in a tight tiebreaker (to Rosetto) or he would have advanced to the finals.
“Adam and Grant played together for the first time and lost to the eventual champions from Salina Central in a close match. Patrick played in his first single matches for Great Bend and really played well and picked up important team points.”

                                                            — Mack McClure

HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS

Garden City Invitational

At Garden City

Saturday

Great Bend results

No. 1 singles — Nick Moyers (4-0), first place

Pool play: defeated Liberal, 8-1; def. Colby, 8-4; def. Dodge City, 8-0.

Finals: Moyers def Garden City 8-7 (7-3).

No. 2 singles — Grant Harris (4-0), first 

Pool play: def. Liberal, 8-1; def. Colby, 8-1; def. Dodge City, 8-3.

Finals: Harris def. Garden City, 8-4.

No,. 1 doubles — Chase Buntain/Austin Jacobs (4-0), first

Pool play: def. Liberal 8-0, def. Colby, 8-1; defeated Dodge City, 8-1.Finals: Buntain/Jacobs def. Garden City, 8-7 (7-2).

No. 2 doubles — Adam Neeland/Patrick McCluskey (4-0), first

Pool play: def. Liberal, 8-1; def. Colby, 8-2; def. Dodge City, 8-1.

Finals: Neeland/McCluskey def. Meade, 8-3.