Shannon Schartz has been excited about his Great Bend High School tennis teams before.
But this spring’s group has put an added spring to Schartz’s step.
The reason for Schartz’s excitement is the No. 1 doubles team, composed of juniors Nick Moyers and Chase Buntain, along with No. 1 singles player Austin Jacobs, also a junior.
“I think it’s one of the best doubles teams we’ve ever had at Great Bend High School,” Schartz said. “(Moyers and Buntain) are good friends and they don’t live far apart.
“Chase (who transferred to GBHS from Hoisington, where he qualified for the Class 3-1A state tournament last spring) goes over to Nick’s place all of the time to play tennis and they have played for the last year together. Chase sat out last semester, so he could be eligible in the spring.”
Schartz says the duo complement each other.
“They can hammer … both players are very solid in every aspect of the game, some of the best we’ve ever had,” Schartz said. “They both serve well, and their ground strokes are very solid.”
Jacobs, meanwhile, has moved into the top singles spot after playing at No. 1 doubles with Moyers last season.
“He has improved by leaps and bounds,” Schartz said of Jacobs. “He’s got a lot of power and hits his serve harder than anyone on the team.
“His ground strokes are very powerful. He can go for a winner from virtually any spot on the court.”
The No. 2 singles player for GBHS is freshman Grant Harris.
“He is the son of my assistant coach, Barbie Harris,” Schartz said of Grant Harris. “He’s a real solid player. He’s been playing for years and years, coming up in a tennis family.”
The last time the Panthers qualified a team for the Class 5A state tournament was the 2003 season.
“That was the last time we won WAC and went on to the state tournament,” Schartz said. “We took two singles players and a doubles team to state.
“Sam Wrinkle, who now runs his own tennis academy in Dallas, and Nathan Koch qualified for state in singles.”
Schartz said he also had a doubles team that qualified that season as all four Panthers were medalists in taking home seventh place in the team standings.
“This is exciting,” Schartz said of the upcoming season. “This is the first time that I have ever been excited about boys tennis before the season started.
“I can get excited after we get started, but this year, I was excited in a year in advance, knowing what’s coming up.”

Great Bend High School
Varsity/Junior Varsity Tennis

2012 Panthers
Daniel Banda                           Jr.
Marcos Barragan                    Sr.
Kiralynn Bunn                         So.
Chase Buntain                         Jr.
Ryan Clark                             So.
Leobardo Espino                    Sr.
Alexander Freund                   Sr.
Ramon Garcia                         Sr.
Michael Gauby II                    So.
David Harris                           Jr.
Grant Harris                            Fr.
Ky Heeke                               Jr.
Austin Jacobs                          Jr.
Jacob Kohlman                       Jr.
Justin Kohlman                       So.
Elena Lewis                            Sr.
Jermaine Lopez                      So.
Kalee Maneth                         So.
Daniel Marshall                       So.
Peter Marston                         Jr.
Patrick McCluskey                 Jr.
Nick Moyers                          Jr.
Adam Neeland                       Jr.
Noel Rodriguez                      Sr.

PANTHERS SCHEDULE
March 26 — at McPherson, 3 p.m.
March 27 — at Pratt (JV), 3 p.m.
March 31 — GREAT BEND INVITE, 9 a.m.
April 2 — at Garden City (JV), 9 a.m.
April 3 — at Sterling, 3:30 p.m.
April 9 — at Hays, 1 p.m.
April 16 — at Dodge City (JV), 3 p.m.
April 19 — at Dodge City, 3 p.m.
April 19  — at Hoisington (JV), 3 p.m.
April 21 — at Garden City, 9 a.m.
April 23 — GREAT BEND JV INVITE
April 24 — at Sterling, 2 p.m.
April 30 — WAC (AT GREAT BEND), 10 a.m.
May 4 — Class 5A regional meet, TBA
May 11-12 — Class 5A state meet, TBA