By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time best teams in 21 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. The project continues with boys tennis and readers will have the opportunity to vote for teams in that sport through August 3, with the top teams in all categories announced in late July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on https://take.quiz-maker.com/poll4878079xb26e4657-151 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
--------------------------------------------------------
Shawnee County has produced 11 boys state championship tennis teams, beginning with Washburn Rural's Class 5A championship team in 1988 and continuing through Topeka West's 5A title earlier this spring.
But while readers have plenty of worthy candidates to choose from, picking the team that will be at the top of the list promises to be a tricky task.
Kevin Hedberg's 2005 Washburn Rural boys tennis team swept the Class 6A singles, doubles and team championships, the Junior Blues' third straight team title. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Tommy and Blake Hunter went one-two in singles as Hayden captured the Class 4A team championship in 2014. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
The list of possibles includes any of Kevin Hedberg's three Washburrn Rural teams that put together a 6A three-peat from 2003-2005, capped by a sweep of the singles, doubles and team championships in '05 as Drew Hanson was crowned the singles champ and Sumeet Patel and Trevor Hedberg won the doubles title.
Also ranking high on the list of candidates has to be James Sandstom's 2014 Hayden team, with brothers Tommy and Blake Hunter posting a one-two singles finish to lead the way as the Wildcats earned a 39-34 win over McPherson in the 4A team race.
Topeka West won its first-ever boys state tennis team championship this past spring, with two-time state doubles champs Ian and Miles Cusick leading the way. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
And you can't overlook the county's most recent championship team, with Kurt Davids' Topeka West team riding a second straight doubles championship from twin brothers Ian and Miles Cusick to the Chargers' first boys state team title in school history. All six West players earned state medals as the Chargers topped Blue Valley Southwest by a 34-28 margin in the 5A team standings.
Topeka High captured the Class 6A boys tennis championship in 1989. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
State singles champion Powel Crosley led Washburn Rural to its '88 6A title in a tiebreaker over Salina Central while brothers Jason and Junior Brown finished second in 6A doubles to lead Topeka HIgh to its '89 crown.
In addition to the '14 title, Sandstrom coached Hayden to 4A championships in '04, '05 and '19, with Sean McManus leading the Wildcats to the '05 title and coach's son Sean Sandstom winning the '19 singles title. McManus also finished second in singles for the '04 team.
Hedberg picked up its fourth title at Rural in '07, with the Junior Blues winning on a tiebreaker over Blue Valley North.
Vote for your favorite team at https://take.quiz-maker.com/poll4878079xb26e4657-151 while readers also have the option of writing in a candidate.
Vote as many times as you wish. Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes in boys tennis will be accepted through August 3 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in late July and August.
NEXT UP: Girls track and field (ballot will be published on TopSports.news on Frdiay).
