Western Athletic Conference
Tennis Tournament
Monday’s results
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Dodge City, 15; 2. Great Bend, 10; 3. Hays, 8; 4. Liberal, 5; 5. Garden City, 2
GBHS INDIVIDUALS
No. 1 singles — Brooke Tiemeyer (1-3), fourth place: Lost to Liberal, 8-0; lost to Hays, 8-5; lost to Dodge City, 8-3; defeated Garden City, 8-2.
No. 2 singles — Sophia McVay (3-1), second place: Defeated Liberal, 8-1; defeated Hays, 8-3; lost to Dodge City, 8-0; defeated Garden City, 8-0
No. 3 singles — Stephanie Langer (3-1), second place: defeated Liberal, 8-0; lost to Hays, 8-2, defeated Dodge City, 8-7 (7-5), defeated Garden City, 8-1
No. 1 doubles — Jami McVay & Brianna Schartz (3-1), second place: Defeated Liberal, 8-1; defeated Hays, 8-3, lost to Dodge City, 8-4, defeated Garden City, 8-6
No. 2 doubles — Abby Hammeke & Randi McAfee (3-1) second place: Defeated Liberal, 8-1; defeated Hays, 8-5; lost to Dodge City, 8-4; defeated Garden City, 8-4
Maybe playing second fiddle isn’t so bad after all.
Great Bend High School — the defending Western Athletic Conference tennis champion the last three years — took home second place during the WAC tournament at home on Monday.
The youthful Lady Panthers totaled 10 team points, finishing behind only WAC champion Dodge City’s 15 in the team standings.
Sophia McVay finished as the WAC runner-up in No. 2 singles, as did Jami McVay and Brianna Schartz in No. 1 doubles; Abby Hammeke & Randi McAfee in No. 2 doubles; and Stephanie Langer in No. 3 singles.
“After winning the WAC the past three years, we had to replace our top five players,” Great Bend head coach Shannon Schartz said. “We were happy to place second this year. We switched our doubles teams around for this meet and let our freshmen play No. 1 doubles. The freshmen played very well, placing second to Dodge City.
“The senior duo of Hammeke and McAfee also played well and placed second (in No. 2 doubles).”
Brooke Tiemeyer finished with a 1-3 record at No. 1 singles.
“Brooke had the tough assignment of playing No. 1 singles and she played hard all day,” Schartz said. “Sophia McVay did a great job at No. 2 singles and has shown a lot of improvement this past week. Stephanie Langer stepped up from junior varsity and played well for us at No. 3 singles.”
The Lady Panthers will be tuning up this week for a Class 5A regional at McPherson.
“I think all of our girls have improved a whole lot,” Shannon Schartz said. “All of them, with the exception of Sophia, who played No. 2 singles last year, hadn’t had any varsity experience before this season.
“Regionals is going to be really tough. Salina Central, which is ranked No. 2 and McPherson, which is ranked No. 3, will be there. Salina South is ranked either fifth or sixth.”
