By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Cair Paravel Latin sophomore tennis standout Drew Fay, making his second straight Class 3A-1A state singles appearance, posted two straight victories on Friday at the Harmon Park Tennis Complex in Prairie Village, advancing to Saturday's state semifinals.
Cair Paravel sophomore singles player Drew Fay advanced to the Class 3A-1A state semifinals on Friday in Prairie Village. [File photo/TSN]
Fay (23-9) will square off against defending 3A-1A state singles champ Caleb Bartels of Kansas City Christian in the semifinal, a rematch of last week's regional final at Marysville. Bartels took a 6-1, 6-0 win in that match.
Bartels (31-0) is a two-time state champion, winning a 3A-1A doubles title as a sophomore in 2022 after finishing third in singles as a freshman in 2021.
Hayden's doubles team of senior Joseph Luke and junior Chase Blaser (21-10) will also compete on Saturday, putting themselves in position for a state medal with a 3-1 record on Friday.
Wildcat senior singles player Evan George went 1-2 on Friday and was eliminated from state competition.
CLASS 6A
Washburn Rural's doubles team of senior Lawsen Lobatos-Dick and sophomore Dylan Willingham advanced to Saturday's final day of the Class 6A state tournament at Wichita's Riverside Tennis Complex, going 1-1 on Friday.
Washburn Rural senior Lawsen Lobatos (left) and sophomore Dylan Willingham advanced to Saturday's final day of the 6A state tournament. [File photo/TSN]
Lobatos-Dick and Willingham, who won city, Centennial League and 6A regional doubles titles earlier this spring, will take a 26-5 record into Saturday's competition.
Lobatos-Dick and Willingham were the lone Junior Blues to advance to Saturday, with Washburn Rural's doubles team of sophomores Cale Deutscher and Brayden Kohls and senior singles player Dylan Dodge both going 1-2 on Friday while sophomore singles player Keegan Knudtson went 0-2.
Topeka High's doubles team of senior Tate Hodges and junior Alex Raymond also went 1-2 on Friday and was eliminated from the tournament.
CLASS 5A
Topeka West seniors Caden McGee, Caleb Weybrew and James Maag, who helped the Chargers win the Class 5A state title in 2023, put themselves in line for their second straight state medals with solid performances Friday at the Andover District Tennis Complex.
Returning Class 5A state placers Caden McGee (left) and Caleb Weybrew went 2-1 on Friday in 5A state tournament. [File photo/TSN]
Returning state singles medalist James Maag advanced to Saturday's final day of the Class 5A state tournament in Andover. [File photo/TSN]
McGee and Weybrew went 2-1 in doubles and Maag went 2-1 in singles as all three Topeka West standouts advanced to Saturday's final day of state competition.
McGee and Weybrew are now 35-7 on the season while Maag is 36-11.
Seaman senior singles player Gavin Dutton and the Shawnee Heights doubles team of seniors Roscoe Poyner and Alex Austin both went 0-2 on Friday and were eliminated by state competition.
