By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West's boys tennis team had its string of three straight tournament team championships halted in Tuesday's 10-school Topeka West Invitational.
But Charger coach Kurt Davids still saw some growth out of his team in a second-place finish to Blue Valley West at Kossover Tennis Center.
Topeka West seniors Miles Cusick (left) and Ian Cusick finished second in doubles in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational, helping the host Chargers finish second as a team. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka West senior Carter Cool finished third in singles in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational tennis tournament. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka West juniors Caden McGee and Caleb Weybrew finished fifth in Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational as West finished second as a team. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I think we're moving up in trajectory from a team perspective,'' said Davids, whose team was the Class 5A state runnerup a year ago.. "Tournaments so far this year I'm not sure we've really capitalized on everything but today was a better day.
"Tough competition, but we fought in every match.''
The West doubles team of senior twin brothers Ian and Miles Cusick, the defending Class 5A state doubles champions, suffered a tough 8-6 loss to Blue Valley West in Tuesday's championship match while senior singles player Carter Cool posted a third-place singles finish, rallying for an 8-7 (7-5 tiebreaker) win over Washburn Rural senior Mason Casebeer in the third-place match.
The Chargers also got a fifth-place finish from the junior doubles team of Caden McGee and Caleb Weybrew while junior James Maag finished sixth in singles.
McGee and Weybrew ended their day with an 8-4 win over Washburn Rural senior Kiefer Von Lintel and freshman Dylan Willingham while Maag dropped an 8-4 decision to Blue Valley West's Ethan Kumar in the fifth-place singles match.
Topeka West will compete Friday in Emporia and Saturday in Salina, with the city tournament on April 27 starting a flurry of big late-season tournaments, and Davids said it's time for the Chargers to step up their game moving forward.
"There's always things to improve on,'' Davids said. "The kids do a nice job in practice every day and meets. We take a lot of pride in what we do and in improving.''
Washburn Rural finished fourth as a team with 62 points while Shawnee Heights was seventh with 38 points and Hayden ninth with 22 points.
TOPEKA WEST INVITATIONAL
Team scores
Blue Valley West 91, Topeka West 82, Kansas City Christian 69, Washburn Rural 62, Lawrence 52, Olathe South 39, Shawnee Heights 38, Salina South 32, Hayden 22, Salina Central 15.
Individual results
Singles
Championship -- Stolte, Blue Valley West, def. Bartels, Kansas City Christian, 8-7 (7-5).
Third place -- Cool, Topeka West, def. Casebeer, Washburn Rural, 8-7 (7-5).
Fifth place -- Kumar, Blue Valley West, def. Maag, Topeka West, 8-4.
Doubles
Championship -- Poojari/Han, Blue Valley West, def. I. Cusick/M. Cusick, Topeka West, 8-6.
Third place -- Anjankar/Kessens, Blue Valley West, def. VanderArk/Newman, Kansas City Christian, 8-0.
Fifth place -- McGee/Weybrew, Topeka West, def. Von Lintel/Willingham, Washburn Rural, 8-4.
