CLASS 6A BOYS TENNIS PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2026
 

AARYA ANJANKAR, BLUE VALLEY WEST

Blue Valley West has been a mainstay atop the Class 6A tennis scene, and Aarya Anjankar has been right in the middle of that success. The Jaguars’ standout doubles player has established himself as one of the state’s top players over the last two seasons. A year ago, Anjankar teamed with Francisco Landeras to cap a dominant run with a Class 6A state championship, finishing the season undefeated. The duo showed its resilience in the title match, bouncing back after dropping the first set to defeat Shawnee Mission East’s Jake Hanson and Christopher Long, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0. That championship performance came on the heels of another deep postseason run. Two years ago, Anjankar finished as the state runner-up in doubles alongside Anish Poojari — who went on to win the Class 6A singles title the following year — further cementing his place among the state’s best. 
 

BRYAN BRANSTROM AND AIDAN MESSERLY, OLATHE NORTHWEST

Experience, chemistry and a shared history have made Branstrom and Messerly one of the more consistent doubles teams in Class 6A — and they return for one final run with even bigger goals in sight. Outside of just eight matches over their careers, Branstrom and Messerly have been side-by-side since day one, compiling an impressive 77-28 record over three seasons. Their rise began as freshmen when they entered regionals as the No. 9 seed but battled their way to a state berth, becoming the only all-freshman doubles team in a loaded 2023 field. Since then, the progression has been steady. The duo placed fifth at the Sunflower League meet and fourth at regionals as sophomores before finishing ninth at state. Last fall, they took another step forward — fourth in league, regional champions after a grueling 3.5-hour, three-set win over their teammates, and an eighth-place state finish. Already the program’s all-time wins leader for a doubles team, Branstrom and Messerly enter their senior season within reach of another milestone: the 100-win mark. 
 

CHRISTIAN CLOUGH, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

Clough returns as one of the Lancers’ most versatile and accomplished players, bringing 44 career wins into the spring and experience on both sides of the lineup. After competing in singles as a freshman, Clough made a seamless transition to doubles last season, teaming with Aiden Bush to earn a fifth-place finish at the Class 6A state tournament. The pair also took runner-up honors at the Sunflower League and KC Invitational, while finishing third at regionals. They also helped the Lancers to a 6A state runner-up team finish. With Bush no longer in the lineup, Clough’s adaptability will again be a key asset for East. His resume already includes an eighth-place state medal in singles as a freshman, along with a regional runner-up and third-place league finish, proving he can compete at a high level in any role.
 

 

 
CALE DEUTSCHER AND DYLAN WILLINGHAM, WASHBURN RURAL
 
After placing sixth at the Class 6A state meet in 2024 with doubles partner Lawson Lobatos-Dick, Willingham was looking for a new partner last year with Lobatos-Dick graduating. In stepped Deutcher, who also had competed at state last with partner Brayden Kohls and went 1-2. The duo clicked well, putting together a 20-1 record ahead of state, capturing the Centennial League title as well as a Class 6A regional title to earn the No. 7 seed in the state draw. After fighting off Olathe Northwest’s William Stewart ad Mitchell Terhune in their first match at state in a 3-6, 6-4, 14-12 marathon, they fell 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals to Shawnee Mission East’s Jake Hanson and Christopher Long. They bounced back to reach the consolation semifinals and wound up finishing seventh.
 

NOLAN FOSHA, OLATHE SOUTH

Fosha returns as one of the top singles players in Class 6A after a breakout 2025 campaign. Fosha put together a 31-6 record a year ago, highlighted by his second straight Olathe District title, a Sunflower League runner-up finish — the highest returning placement in the league — and a regional championship. At the state tournament, Fosha proved he could compete with the best in Kansas, advancing to the semifinals before falling to eventual champion Anish Poojari of Blue Valley West. He eventually finished fourth overall for a career-best ending.
 

RYDER HEAVEN AND CARSON MOWER, SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH

Shawnee Mission South’s doubles team of Heaven and Mower return with experience, chemistry and unfinished business. Heaven, a senior, and Mower, a junior, put together an impressive 2025 campaign that culminated in a third-place finish at the Class 6A state tournament. The duo bounced back from a semifinal loss to the eventual champions from Blue Valley West with a gritty 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Blue Valley Northwest’s Krrish Shanjanwala and Srinivasa Vel in the third-place match. Along the way, they placed third in the Sunflower League and fifth at regionals before peaking at state. Both players bring strong individual résumés to the partnership. Heaven enters his final season with a 76-33 career varsity record and prior state experience, including a 10th-place doubles finish in 2024. Mower, meanwhile, owns a 55-18 mark over two seasons and qualified for state in singles as a freshman before transitioning into a high-level doubles role. 
 

 
JAMES HOKE, MANHATTAN
 
Hoke enjoyed a stellar debut season at No. 1 singles for the Indians a year ago as a freshman, finishing with a 33-6 overall record. After placing seventh at the prestigious KC Invitational early in the season, Hoke suffered only a handful of losses the rest of the way. He captured the singles title at both the Centennial League meet and Manhattan’s Class 6A regional, earning the No. 10 seed for the state meet. Hoke won his first two matches, knocking off No. 7 seed Blake Brellenthin of Blue Valley in the second round before suffering a three-set loss to Blue Valley Northwest’s Luke Pennington in the quarterfinals. Hoke rebounded to finish seventh.
 

AIDAN LASHLEY, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

With a year of experience at the state level, Lashley enters the spring poised to take another step in the Class 6A singles field. Lashley, who already owns 40 career victories, was a consistent presence for the Lancers a season ago. He placed sixth at both the Sunflower League and regional tournaments before medaling 10th at the Class 6A state meet, gaining valuable postseason experience against some of the state’s best. His efforts also played a key role in helping Shawnee Mission East secure a state runner-up team finish. Now a junior, Lashley returns as one of the Lancers’ top options in singles and will look to turn that experience into a postseason run. 

CHRISTOPHER LONG, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

Long enters the spring as one of the Sunflower League’s most accomplished returners, bringing 56 career varsity wins and a proven track record on the state stage. Competing in singles as a freshman, Long broke through with a sixth-place finish at the Class 6A state tournament and added top-five finishes at both regionals and league. Last season, Long made a seamless transition to doubles alongside Jake Hanson, and the duo quickly became one of the state’s top tandems. The pair captured the Sunflower League title, finished as regional runner-up and capped the year with a second-place finish at the 6A state tournament, helping lead the Lancers to a team runner-up finish. 
 

ISHAAN MUSTI, BLUE VALLEY WEST

Blue Valley West’s depth has been a driving force behind its recent state title run, and Musti played a key role in that success a season ago. Musti, teaming with Ethan Kumar in doubles, worked his way onto the Class 6A state medal stand with a sixth-place finish. The Jaguar duo battled through a competitive bracket before falling in the fifth-place match to Shawnee Mission East’s Aiden Bush and Christian Clough, capping off a strong postseason showing. His contributions helped fuel Blue Valley West to its third consecutive team championship, showcasing the program’s balance and strength across the lineup and will look to try and get a fourth straight this year. 
 

LUCA OSPINO, BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST

Ospino is back on the court with some unfinished business for the Huskies.  A two-time state medalist, Ospino missed all of last season due to injury, but is back healthy for one final run with the Huskies. His resume already speaks to his ability on the state level. As a freshman, he teamed with Luke Pennington to finish third in doubles at the Class 6A state tournament, and followed that up with a fifth-place individual finish in singles as a sophomore. Now, in his senior season, Ospino will focus solely on singles as he looks to reestablish himself among the state’s top contenders. 
 

DALTON PARDE, MILL VALLEY

Parde made an immediate impact as a freshman, and the Jaguars’ sophomore standout looks poised for an even bigger jump this spring. Parde put together a strong debut campaign that featured three quad wins and a pair of tournament titles, including victories at the Mill Valley Jaguar Invitational and the Olathe South Statewide Invitational. He proved he could compete with the Sunflower League’s best, finishing as the league runner-up, and carried that momentum into the postseason. At the Class 6A state tournament, Parde battled his way to an eighth-place finish, narrowly missing seventh in a tight 8-6 match against Manhattan’s James Hoke. 
 

ANISH POOJARI, BLUE VALLEY WEST

Poojari has already built an impressive postseason résumé heading into his junior campaign, and he’ll be a central figure once again for the defending Class 6A state champions. Poojari played a pivotal role in the Jaguars’ team title run last spring, capping his sophomore season with a dominant performance in singles. He captured the Class 6A state championship by defeating teammate Jonah Stolte in the finals, showcasing the depth that powered West to the top. On his path to the title, Poojari was equally impressive, earning a straight-sets victory over Olathe South’s Nolan Fosha in the semifinals. His success at the state level didn’t start there. As a freshman, Poojari finished as the Class 6A state runner-up in doubles alongside Aarya Anjankar.
 

 
CHRISTIAN SINK, TOPEKA HIGH
 
Entering his fourth year on Topeka High’s varsity roster, Sink is coming off a Class 6A state appearance a year ago in doubles. Teaming with Alex Raymond, the duo posted a 21-13 record and went 3-4 at the state meet. After winning their first match, Sink and Raymond fell in the second round. But they bounced back with a pair of tough wins, an 8-5 victory voer Manhattan’s Zach Morgan and Holden Arthaud-Day and 8-6 win over Free State’s Jacob Wang and Connor Coons to earn a state medal. They lost their final three matches to finish 12th. Sink will return to doubles this season with a new partner, fellow senior Victor Arriaga, and is a team captain.
 

JONAH STOLTE, BLUE VALLEY WEST

For Stolte, the state tournament has become familiar territory — especially when it comes to playing deep into the final day. Stolte has been a consistent presence near the top of the singles bracket throughout his high school career. As a freshman, he burst onto the scene with a runner-up finish, and followed that with a third-place medal as a sophomore. Last fall, he once again found himself on championship court, finishing as the state runner-up after falling in straight sets to teammate Anish Poojari. Stolte played a key role in helping the Jaguars capture the Class 6A team title last season, showcasing the depth of the Blue Valley West program. Now a senior, Stolte enters his final campaign as he hopes to take that final step and close his career atop the podium. 
 

ZANE STORER, GARDEN CITY

Storer put together a solid sophomore season at singles for the Buffaloes last year. He placed second at the Western Athletic Conference meet with a 3-1 record and went on to place third at regionals to qualify for state, where he went 1-2. A season highlight for Storer was winning the Campus tournament. He closed his season with a 21-11 record. Storer will remain at singles for the Buffaloes under new coach David Snodgrass, who previously coached at Dodge City. 

MITCHELL TERHUNE, OLATHE NORTHWEST

After a record-setting debut, Olathe Northwest’s Mitchell Terhune returns with even bigger expectations for his sophomore season. Terhune wasted little time making his mark as a freshman, teaming with William Stewart to set a school season doubles record with 31 wins. The duo proved to be one of the Ravens’ most consistent tandems, finishing fifth at the Sunflower League tournament and advancing to the regional finals. There, Terhune and Stewart pushed teammates Bryan Branstrom and Aidan Messerly to the limit in a 3.5-hour, three-set marathon before finishing as runner-up. They later capped the season with a 10th-place finish at the Class 6A state tournament. Now entering year two, Terhune is expected to open the season splitting time between singles and doubles, including a potential pairing with Zaid Ashkar, last year’s No. 1 singles player for the Ravens. 
 

SRINIVASA VEL, BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST

Vel enters the spring as one of the more experienced doubles players in Class 6A, bringing with him a pair of state medals and a track record of postseason success. Last season, Vel teamed with Krrish Sanjanwala to earn a fourth-place finish at the state tournament, closing out another strong run after falling in a three-set battle to Shawnee Mission South’s Ryder Heaven and Carson Mower in the third-place match. The duo also helped lead the Huskies to a third-place state finish in the team standings. In 2024, the pair broke through with a seventh-place state medal, establishing themselves as a consistent presence on the podium. Now, with Sanjanwala graduated, Vel steps into a new chapter. Whether adjusting to a new partner or potentially shifting roles, he’ll look to carry over that experience and consistency as he chases a third consecutive state medal.