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Lady Panthers capture first at McPherson
Prep Tennis
GBHS doubles 2
Great Bend doubles team Brianna Schartz, left, and Jami McVay took third place at McPherson on Saturday afternoon. - photo by COURTESY PHOTO

McPHERSON — The Great Bend High School girls’ tennis team accomplished something that head coach Shannon Schartz hasn’t seen in his 36 years.
The Lady Panthers finished first at the McPherson tournament with 89 points.
“I’d say we had one of the best days of the year,” Shannon Schartz said. “We’ve been going to McPherson for 35 years, and we’ve never won before.
“To put that in perspective, in 1998 when we won the (Class) 5A state championship, we took second at McPherson. So the greatest team in school history didn’t even win this tournament. We finished second to McPherson that year.”
Doubles team Brianna Schartz and Jami McVay finished third to lead Great Bend, edging a doubles duo from McPherson in a tiebreaker, 7-5.
In a third-place match, the pair beat a team from Newton 8-1.
“I was really with Brianna and Jami,” Shannon Schartz said. “The wins against McPherson and Newton were great.
“I was really proud of how all the girls played.”
Morgan Francis finished fourth in the singles competition, and Macy Moyers finished seventh.
Stephanie Langer and Paola Ramirez combined to seize 12th in the doubles competition.
Great Bend travels to Garden City on Monday for a Western Athletic Conference Tournament, starting at 10 a.m.

                                                                                 — Kevin Price

PREP TENNIS
Great Bend High School

Saturday

At McPherson

Team standings
1. Great Bend, 89; 2. Derby, 82; 3. Arkansas City, 75; 3. Salina South, 75; 5. McPherson, 74; 6. Hutchinson, 66; 7. Larned, 62;  8. Newton, 60; 9. Garden City, 50; 9. Hays, 50; 11. Wichita Campus, 34; 12. Liberal, 31; 13. McPherson JV, 24.

Great Bend results
Singles — Morgan Francis (fourth place) def. Richardson, Derby, 8-0; def. Johnson, Larned, 8-0; lost to Klaassen, Arkansas City, 8-3; lost to Hughs, Derby, 8-5.
Singles — Macy Moyers (seventh place) def. Queal, Hutchinson, 8-1; def. Dinkel, Hays, 8-4; lost to Mitchell, Salina South, 8-1; lost to Ivers, McPherson, 8-6; def. Schmidt, Garden City, 8-5.
Doubles — Brianna Schartz & Jami McVay (third place) def. Fee & Fee, Hutchinson, 8-1; def. Holle & Ediger, McPherson, 8-7 (7-5); lost to Vurr & Gonzalez, Arkansas City, 8-3; def. Calgren & Sailors, Newton, 8-1.
Doubles — Stephanie Langer & Paola Ramirez (12th place) def. Zazala & Baylosis, Wichita Campus, 8-4; lost to Holle & Ediger, McPherson, 8-2; def. Fee & Fee, Hutchinson, 8-6; lost to Schartz & Lessard, Larned, 8-3; def. Qune & Watkins, Derby, 8-2.