By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The 2023 season is a new beginning for Washburn Rural boys tennis and Junior Blues coach Brad Johnston.
Perennial city, Centennial League and Class 6A power Rural is in the process of reloading after graduating five of its top six players from last year's team while former Topeka West and Washburn University standout Johnston is in his first year guiding the Junior Blues, taking over for Hall of Fame coach Kevin Hedberg, who retired last spring.
Washburn Rural senior No. 1 singles player Mason Casebeer went 3-0 in Wednesday's Seaman quadrangular at Kossover Tennis Center. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
So far it's been a smooth changing of the guard for Rural, which is undefeated to start the year, including 4-0 sweeps over Topeka West, Lawrence and Seaman in Wednesday's Seaman quadrangular at Kossover Tennis Center. Topeka West played a split squad in Wednesday's quad.
"I love the fact that we have such a young group,'' Johnston said. "They're very talented and it's just building around the ones that came back that didn't have as much of an opportunity to play varsity last year with that big group (of seniors) that was here.
"But I also think me being new they get to feel how the coaching's going to go. We're all starting together.''
Senior Mason Casebeer, the Junior Blues' lone top-six returner, went a perfect 3-0 in No. 1 singles Wednesday, while Lawson Lobatos was 3-0 in No. 2 singles and the teams of Keegan Knudtson and Dylan Dodge and Dylan Willingham and Duestscher went undefeated in No. 1 and No. 2 doubles.
Johnston said he's been very pleased with how the Junior Blues have bought in to what he's trying to do.
"I think they trust that I've been in their position and they understand that what happens happens, but we can talk about it and go forward with it,'' Johnston said.
Casebeer, a two-time state qualifier and former state placer in doubles, agreed that the transition to a new coach is going well.
"I think everyone's enjoying him,'' Casebeer said of Johnston. "Honestly, he's a lot like Hedberg in his reaction sometimes, and all in all I think he's doing a great job.''
Lawrence went 2-1 in Wednesday's quad, posting 4-0 win over Seaman and Topeka West, while Seaman and West played to a 2-2 tie.
Seaman's Gavin Dutton posted an 8-4 win over Topeka West in No. 1 singles and Mason Pfeifer took an 8-7 (7-0) win for the Vikings in No. 2 singles.
Topeka West's No. 1 doubles team of Josiah Bidwell and Mason Rutledge took an 8-5 win over Seaman while the Chargers' No. 2 doubles team of Cori Bidwell and Alex Engel took an 8-4 victory.
SEAMAN TENNIS QUADRANGULAR
WASHBURN RURAL 4, TOPEKA WEST 0
No. 1 singles -- Casebeer, Washburn Rural, def. Cianciarulo, Topeka West, 8-1; No. 2 singles -- Lobatos, Washburn Rural, def. Collette, Topeka West, 8-1; No. 1 doubles -- Knudtson/Dodge, Washburn Rural, def. Bidwell/Rutledge, Topeka West, 8-1; No. 2 doubles -- Duestscher/Willingham, Washburn Rural, def. Bidwell/Engel, Topeka West, 8-4.
WASHBURN RURAL 4, LAWRENCE 0
No. 1 singles -- Casebeer, Washburn Rural, def. Bauch, Lawrence, 8-5; No. 2 singles -- Lobatos, Washburn Rural, def. Rubenstein, Lawrence, 8-7 (7-3); No. 1 doubles -- Knudtson/Dodge, Washburn Rural, def. Sikes/Daniels, Lawrence, 8-1; No. 2 doubles -- Duestcher/Willingham, Washburn Rural, def. Adams/Roman, Lawrence, 8-6.
WASHBURN RURAL 4, SEAMAN 0
No. 1 singles -- Casebeer, Washburn Rural, def. Dutton, Seaman, 8-0; No. 2 singles -- Lobatos, Washburn Rural, def. Pfeifer, Seaman, 8-0; No. 1 doubles -- Knudtson/Dodge, Washburn Rural, def. Townsend/Winters, Seaman, 8-1; No. 2 doubles -- Duestscher/Willingham, Washburn Rural, def. Scheier/Andrews, Seaman, 8-4.
LAWRENCE 4, SEAMAN 0
No. 1 singles -- Bauch, Lawrence, def. Dutton, Seaman, 8-0; No. 2 singles -- Rubenstein, Lawrence, def. Pfeifer, Seaman, 8-3; No. 1 doubles -- Sikes/Daniels, Lawrence, def. Townsend/Winters, Seaman, 8-7 (7-4); No. 2 doubles -- Adams/Roman, Lawrence, def. Scheier/Andrews, Seaman, 8-2.
SEAMAN 2, TOPEKA WEST 2
No. 1 singles -- Dutton, Seaman, def. Cianciarulo, Topeka West, 8-4; No. 2 singles -- Pfeifer, Seaman, def. Collette, Topeka West, 8-7 (7-0); No. 1 doubles -- Bidwell/Rutledge, Topeka West, def. Townsend/Winters, Seaman, 8-5; No. 2 doubles -- Bidwell/Engel, Topeka West, def. Scheier/Andrews, Seaman, 8-4.
LAWRENCE 4, TOPEKA WEST 0
No. 1 singles -- Bauch, Lawrence, def. Cianciarulo, Topeka West, 8-3; No.. 2 singles -- Sikes, Lawrence, def. Collette, Topeka West, 8-1; No. 1 doubles -- Adams/Roman, Lawrence, def. Bidwell/Rutledge, Topeka West, 8-2; No. 2 doubles -- Daniels/Bricker, Lawrence, def. Bidwell /Engel, Topeka West, 8-4.
Hayden's Gus Glotzbach (left) and Joseph Luke posted a perfect record in No. 1 doubles in Wednesday's Hayden All-Catholic Tournament. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Wildcat doubles go 3-0 in All-Catholic Tournament
Hayden's No. 1 doubles team of Gus Glotzbach and Joseph Luke and the No. 2 doubles team of Eli Wahlmeier and Daxton Ham went undefeated in Wednesday's All-Catholic Tournament at Hayden, going a perfect 3-0 on the day.
Glotzbach, second in 4A doubles the past two seasons, and Luke, who placed seventh at state a year ago, took an 8-3 decision over St. James Academy's Brandon Rickert and Jonathan Brazil to open their day.
Glotzbach took an 8-4 win over Bishop Miege's Nate Hayward and Grant Beelmeer and wrapped up their day with an 8-4 win over St. Thomas Aquinas' Will Felski and Will Maher.
Hayden's Wahlmeier and Ham took an 8-2 win over St. James' Will Book and Brady Hanley, an 8-2 win over Miege's Adrian Villegas and Matt Randant and an 8-3 win over Aquinas' Ian Orrick and Camden Mohr.
Hayden's Chris Hayes went 1-2 in No. 1 singles, posting an 8-2 win over St. James' Ricky Nosworthy while Evan George went 2-1 for the Wildcats in No. 2 doubles, taking an 8-2 win over St. James' Reese Childress and an 8-5 win over Aquinas' Brett Seal.
