Everyone knows about the juggernaut that is the Central Plains girls basketball team. 

The Oilers captured their eighth straight state championship last season and have lost just five times since 2014. 

Kyla Metro was a starter on last year’s team as a junior and cherished being a part of the program’s historic run. 

But Metro takes just as much pride in helping the Oilers’ tennis program continue a strong tradition that might be somewhat overlooked. 

Despite being one of the smallest schools in Kansas, the Oilers have consistently enjoyed sustained tennis success at the state level. 

Metro has helped keep that tradition going. She is a three-time state placer in tennis and owns a 21-1 singles record this season as a senior.  

“We definitely need more people out (for tennis),” Metro said. “Showing that it’s possible for somebody to be good at it, and showing the love for the sport, is big.”

Metro, who is the Capitol Federal® True Blue® Student of the Week, initially teamed with Brynna Hammeke to form a strong doubles team, placing fifth at state as freshmen and third as sophomores. 

The duo was primed for a big junior season last year, but Hammeke suffered a midseason back injury that kept her out for the rest of the season, forcing Metro to play singles.

“I could have never imagined not playing with her, so it was just hard to think that I was going to be all by myself on the court and not be able to celebrate with her when we had a good point,” Metro said. “It was really hard.”

However, Metro adjusted well enough to earn a berth to the state tournament in singles, placing seventh. 

“It takes some adjusting, doing all the work instead of half of the work,” Metro said. “I felt pretty comfortable with it, and was having a lot of fun with it, so that made it easier, too.”

Metro, who has two brothers and one sister, said tennis is big in her family. She started playing when she was in the first grade. Her mom, Amy Metro, coaches the girls team. 

Metro's only loss in singles this season came against Smoky Valley's Lena Rauchholz, but Metro later avenged the 8-6 setback with an 8-4 win. 

After practice, Metro comes back to the courts and hits with Central Plains junior Peyton Ryan, who placed second in the state in the Class 3-2-1A boys state tournament last spring. 

She also flourishes off the court, currently holding a 4.0 grade-point average while being heavily involved in school activities. 

She is the senior class secretary, and is a member of FCCLA (Family Career Community Leaders of America), STUCO, National Honor Society and the Oilers Athletic Club.

“Her leadership and work ethic in both the classroom and on the tennis courts have been inspiring to fellow students and the community,” Central Plains atheltic director and girls basketball coach Pat Stiles said.  

In her leadership class, Central Plains students take on several community projects. 

“I really enjoy the leadership class,” Metro said. “The group is just really fun to be around. We love helping, going to elementary students and reading them books or playing with them on recess.

“We do ‘Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat' for our religion class. We go around setting bags on people’s porches at night, and then we pick up the food the next week, so that’s a lot of fun.”

Metro has played on the Oiler basketball team the last three years. She came up huge in the Class 1A Division II state final against Golden Plains last year, scoring 15 points. 

She will look to take an even bigger leadership role as a senior for the basketball team, which will return several key players including leading-scorer Hammeke, but will also have to replace graduated standouts Kassidy Nixon and Madison McGuire. 

"She is a quiet leader who leads by example," Stiles said of Metro. 

Metro is hoping for an opportunity to play tennis in college. She is considering pursuing a career as an elementary school teacher. 

Metro said she’s enjoyed growing up in a small town and tight-knit community like Claflin. 

“I love the small school, the small town,” Metro said. “There’s not as many people so you can get connected with people easier.”