By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Picking the top spot on TopSports.news Best of the Best Top 10 has been a tough task in most every sport.
But thanks to a dominant three-year run by Washburn Rural, picking No. 1 for boys tennis was relatively easy.
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]
Hall of Fame coach Kevin Hedberg's Junior Blues captured three straight Class 6A state team championships from 2003 through 2005, capped by a sweep of the singles, doubles and team titles in '05.
Washburn Rural claimed the team championship by a decisive 38-26 margin over Blue Valley Northwest as senior Drew Hanson won the state singles title while seniors Trevor Hedberg and Sumeet Patel claimed the state doubles crown.
Tommy and Blake Hunter went one-two in singles in the 2014 Class 4A state tournament, leading the Wildcats to the team title. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Ian and Miles Cusick won a second straight Class 5A state doubles title, powering Topeka West to its first boys state team championship. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Hayden's 2014 Class 4A state championship team, led by singles stars Tommy and Blake Hunter, is ranked No. 2 on the Best of the Best Top 10, followed by Topeka West's 5A state championship team this past spring at No. 3.
Brothers Tommy and Blake Hunter finished one-two in singles to lead the way as James Sandstrom's Wildcats won the '14 4A team championship by a 39-34 margin over McPherson while Kurt Davids' '23 Chargers won West's first-ever boys tennis team title as Ian and Miles Cusick won their second straight 5A doubles title and all six Chargers earned state medals.
Hayden's '05 4A title team and Washburn Rural's '88 5A state winners round out the top five on the Best of the Best list and Topeka High's '89 6A championship game is No. 6, followed by Washburn Rural's '03 and '04, Hayden's '19 and '04 teams and Washburn Rural's most recent state champ in '07.
Topeka West's '23 team was a runaway winner in the Reader's Choice balloting, followed by Topeka High's '89 team, Hayden's '19 squad, Rural's '04 team and a tie for the fifth position between Hayden's '14 and Rural's '04 team..
TSN TOP 10 BEST OF THE BEST BOYS TENNIS TEAMS
1. Washburn Rural (2005) -- Kevin Hedberg's Washburn Rural team rolled to its third straight Class 6A state team championship by a 38-26 margin over Blue Valley Northwest. Senior Drew Hanson won the state singles title while senior Trevor Hedberg and Sumeet Patel claimed the state doubles crown.
2. Hayden (2014) -- Brothers Tommy and Blake Hunter finished one-two in singles to lead the way as James Sandstrom's Wildcats won the Class 4A team championship by a 39-34 margin over McPherson. Tommy Hunter went on to win four 4A state titles while Blake Hunter became an All-American at Washburn.
3. Topeka West (2023) -- Kurt Davids' Chargers garnered the first boys state tennis title in team history, winning by a 34-28 margin over Blue Valley Southwest. Twin brothers Ian and Miles Cusick won their second straight Class 5A doubles state championship while all six members of the West team earned state medals.
4. Hayden (2005) -- Sean McManus captured the state singles championship as James Sandstrom's Wildcats captured the team title by a 29-26 margin over perennial state contender Wichita Collegiate.
5. Washburn Rural (1988) -- Washburn Rural won the Class 5A team title on a tiebreaker over Salina Central as the Junior Blues' Powel Crosley won the state singles title.
6. Topeka High (1989) -- Topeka High won the Class 6A team title by a 25-23 margin over Shawnee Mission East after a strong record of indvidual success at High before KSHSAA began hosting state team championships in 1986. Jason and Junior Brown took second in doubles in '89 and David Schaffer placed fourth in singles.
7. Washburn Rural (2003) -- The Junior Blues won the first of their three straight Class 6A team titles in 2003, taking a 31-30 nail-biter over Blue Valley as Jeff Milberger and Sumeet Patel finished second in doubles.
8. Washburn Rural (2004) -- Kevin Hedberg's Junior Blues won their second straight team championship in 2004, taking a 33-30 win over Blue Valley as Matt Hansen placed fourth in singles and Trevor Hedberg and Sumeet Patel finished third in doubles..
9. Hayden (2019) -- Sean Sandstrom earned the Class 4A singles championship as James Sandstrom's Wildcats won the team title by a 39-35 margin over Wichita Trinity. Ronan Boyle added a fourth-place singles finish for Hayden.
10. (tie) Hayden (2004) -- Hayden won its first of five Class 4A team titles on a 33-33 tiebreaker over Andover as Sean McManus and Justin Sheehy posted second and third-place singles finishes.
10. (tie) Washburn Rural (2007) -- Kevin Hedberg's Junior Blues captured their most recent of five state boys team titles on a 29-29 tiebreaker over Blue Valley North. Twins Ben and Zach Newell finished third and Bronson Brassel and Jason Lepse fourth in doubles.
READER'S CHOICE BOYS TENNIS AWARDS
1. Topeka West (2023) -- No. 3 boys on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
2. Topeka High (1989) -- No. 6 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
3. Hayden (2019) -- No. 9 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
4. Washburn Rural (2005) -- No. 1 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
5. (tie) Hayden (2014) -- No. 2 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above). 5. (tie) Washburn Rural (2004) -- No. 8 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).7. Washburn Rural (1988) -- No. 5 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).8. (tie) Washburn Rural (1996) -- Washburn Rural finished third as a team in Class 6A.
8. (tie) Washburn Rural (2003) -- No. 3 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
Next up: Girls track and field Best of the Best Top 10 teams and Reader's Choice awards.
