10 CLASS 3-2-1A BOYS TENNIS PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2024
 

CALEB BARTELS, KC CHRISTIAN

After placing third in singles at the Class 3-2-1A state tournament as a freshman in 2021, Bartels made a late-season switch to doubles in 2022 and it paid off with a state title as he teamed with James Vander Ark to go 12-0 in their brief time together. With both returning last year, they could have opted to go after a repeat championship. Instead, Bartels returned to singles and once again the decision paid off with a state championship. Bartels dropped just eight games total at the 2023 state tournament and he capped a 33-3 season with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Central Plains’ Peyton Ryan in the championship match. Bartels also helped lead the Panthers to their first team state championship since 2018, dethroning perennial champion Wichita Collegiate. Bartels is 76-10 in his high school singles career.
 

ASHER DEUTSCHENDORF, HESSTON
 
Deutschendorf enters his junior season as a key building block for new coach Daniel Jantz. He teamed with now-graduated Micah Dahlsten to win the Class 3-2-1A doubles title last spring, defeating Kansas City Christian’s James Vander Ark and Jackson Newman in a final cut short by Newman’s cramping. After finishing third at state in 2022 in the first year of their partnership, Deutschendorf and Dahlsten finished first or second in all but one tournament last season to cap a 60-9 two-year run. Deutschendorf is one of four state returnees for the Swathers, who finished third a year ago.

 

CARTER DRUMRIGHT, WICHITA COLLEGIATE
 
Drumright, a junior, continued to flourish pulling double duty in tennis and baseball last spring for the Spartans. After finishing third in Class 3-2-1A singles as a freshman, Drumright took fifth a year ago. His path through the winners’ bracket was once again blocked by Central Plains’ Peyton Ryan, who defeated Drumright in the state quarters. But he rebounded to cap a 19-6 season that included a regional runner-up finish to teammate Charlie Gentile, and an Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail III-IV No. 1 singles title that Drumright won on the same day he helped the Spartans secure the AVCTL IV baseball crown.

 

CHARLIE GENTILE, WICHITA COLLEGIATE
 
After Collegiate graduated an undefeated state singles champion in Nick Grabon in 2022, Gentile helped the Spartans reload last season. He posted a 28-5 record as a freshman that included a Conway Springs regional title and third-place finish in Class 3-2-1A. Gentile lost in the state semifinals 6-4, 6-1 to eventual champion Caleb Bartels of Kansas City Christian, but took down Bartels’ teammate, Ian Garis, in the season finale. Gentile topped teammate Carter Drumright for the regional title, and both are back as the Spartans look to regain the 3-2-1A team title they conceded to KC Christian.

 

CHARLIE GRAHAM AND ISAAC YOURDON, WICHITA CLASSICAL
 
Classical coach Julie Kice paired Graham and Yourdon last season after Graham started the spring hobbled by an ankle injury. Turns out the Saints found something pretty good. The duo posted a 26-7 record, winning the Conway Springs regional and finishing second in the Central Plains League tournament. Now Graham, a senior, and Yourdon, a junior, are back as Class 3-2-1A’s top returning duo. Graham qualified for state in singles as a sophomore, splitting four matches to cap a 26-11 season.
 

AVRY NOLL, SCOTT CITY

Noll has been a versatile player throughout his career for the Beavers. After winning a regional title in singles as a sophomore, Noll teamed with Sage Stoecklein to capture a doubles title at regionals last year. Noll finished with a 30-6 overall record last year, playing primarily doubles with Stoecklein. The duo took eighth place at the 3-2-1A state tournament as juniors. Noll, who has a career overall record of 82-25, could play singles or doubles this year for the Beavers. If he doesn’t play with Stoecklein, Houston Frank could be a potential doubles partner. Classifications had not yet been determined at the time of the players to watch selections for each class, but Scott City will move up to 4A this year.
 

 

PEYTON RYAN, CENTRAL PLAINS

The only thing missing from Ryan’s tremendous high school career is a state championship. Ryan is 106-3 in his high school career with all three losses coming at state to the state champion. He’s been runner-up in 3-2-1A in each of the last two seasons after taking fifth as a freshman. He lost to Kansas City Christian’s Caleb Bartels, 6-1, 6-2, in the title match. Ryan plans to play singles again this year. He is a three-sport standout who received all-state honors in basketball and made state twice in cross country.

 

BLAKE SPICER, MARYSVILLE
 
Spicer teamed with Simeon Wassom a year ago to qualify for the state tournament for the second straight year. After finishing 11^th in 2022 with a 27-8 record, they improved that record and state placing in 2023, going 30-7 and finishing ninth at the Class 3-2-1A state tournament. Spicer and Wassom were regional runners-up to Kansas City Christian’s James Vander Ark and Jackson Newman and captured the North Central Kansas League, helping Marysville end Abilene’s 14-year league reign. Wassom has graduated, but Spicer could stay in the family with a new doubles partner, Titus Wassom, stepping in to replace his older brother after being a state qualifier in singles last spring. Spicer also could return to singles where he played as a freshman, going 20-12 and missing out on qualifying for state by one match.
 

SAGE STOECKLEIN, SCOTT CITY