BOYS STATE TENNIS STORYLINES


CLASS 6A

At Riverside Tennis Complex, Wichita
 

STOLTE SEEKS SINGLES TITLE, FOURTH STRAIGHT TEAM CROWN FOR BLUE VALLEY WEST

For most players, reaching two state finals would define a career. For Blue Valley West senior Jonah Stolte, it has only fueled the pursuit of one final goal. 

After finishing as the Class 6A state runner-up his freshman and junior seasons — along with a third-place finish as a sophomore — Stolte goes to Wichita this weekend looking to finally climb to the top of the podium at the Class 6A state tennis tournament at Riverside Tennis Complex. 

The Blue Valley West senior enters the tournament with a 22-2 record and the No. 2 seed after winning a regional championship last weekend over teammate Aarya Anjankar. Stolte’s only loss to a Kansas player this season came against undefeated Free State senior Micah Ward, the tournament’s top seed and one of the favorites for the singles title. 

While Stolte’s resume already includes multiple state medals and three team championships, Blue Valley West coach Alec Bergeron said the biggest growth has come mentally. 

“He has been an irreplaceable leader and player for this team during his time, and it has been awesome to see him mature over these years,” Bergeron said. “Jonah has grown more in his mindset than just simply winning. He has elevated to the player that believes the real trophy in tennis is testing yourself and playing your best tennis. When you accept that, the wins just come naturally after.” 

That approach has helped Stolte elevate his game entering his final high school postseason. 

“This year, Jonah's mental ability is what has changed the game for him,” Bergeron said. “He sees the game smarter and therefore slows down the match in his mind. His ability to diagnose weakness is higher than every player I have seen.” 

Stolte is also trying to help Blue Valley West finish off another dominant team run. The Jaguars have won three straight Class 6A state championships and enter this weekend with another loaded lineup despite a different look from previous seasons. 

Defending state singles champion Anish Poojari has been sidelined the last several weeks due to an injury and will not compete at state. Bergeron said the Jaguars have embraced the opportunity for others to step into bigger roles. 

“Anish has chosen to sit out due to an injury he sustained before the season started,” Bergeron said. “Every time we lose a player, I get more excited because I know I have 3-4 more guys waiting that would kill for the opportunity to play top 6. It gives those guys a chance to shine, and more often than not they overcome and surpass expectations.” 

Anjankar, a member of last year’s state championship doubles team, has shifted into the No. 2 singles spot behind Stolte, while the doubles team of Ishaan Musti and Ganeth Srikanth enters state as the No. 1 seed after cruising to a regional title. Hayden Gansen and Marcus Sha round out the Jaguars’ lineup in doubles and will make their state tournament debut. 

“They are very excited,” Bergeron said. “For our seniors, this would complete the high school sweep, which would be an amazing accomplishment. Both players on my No. 2 doubles team are new to the top 6 this year, and they have been competing so hard for this opportunity.” 
 

CLASS 5A

At Andover District Tennis Complex
 

BISHOP CARROLL’S WEBER, DUGAN TAKE UNBEATEN MARK INTO STATE
 
Success for Bishop Carroll’s Gabe Weber and Braeden Dugan this season has really been as simple as one plus one equals two.
 
The math applies to their experience. After posting a 22-8 record and finishing fourth in Class 5A doubles last year in the first season of their partnership, Weber, a senior, and Dugan, a sophomore, are 27-0 in year two.
 
To describe how they’ve reached that point heading into Friday’s 5A state tournament at the Andover District Tennis Complex, the Golden Eagles also pull from that basic equation.
 
“We just worked a lot on our individual games and it’s translated into making us a better doubles team,” Dugan said.
 
After rolling through a season that included Wichita Collegiate Tournament of Champions, Greater Wichita Athletic League and regional titles, Weber and Dugan will try to become Carroll’s first doubles state champions in KSHSAA’s team championship era. They enter state as No. 1 seeds along with singles teammate Brandon Steven, who knocked off reigning 5A champion Evan Goates of Maize South in last week’s Andover Central regional.
 
Weber and Dugan yielded just seven games in four regional victories on Saturday, defeating Maize South’s Jacob Kurniadi and Tucker Lowe 6-2, 6-0 in the championship match.  
 
“I think we’ve just gotten more mature and figured things out,” said Weber, a Cowley Community College signee. “If something goes wrong, it’s been, ‘On to the next point. Get over it.’ Our mentality has been better. We’ve played with a lot more calm.”
 
It’s a trait that served Weber and Dugan well in their toughest test this spring, an 8-7 (3) victory in the Collegiate TOC final over Collegiate’s Charlie Gentile and Maddox Drumright. Gentile, last year’s Class 3-1A singles champion, and Drumright, a two-time state doubles winner with his older brother Carter, are 19-1 and the top seed in this weekend’s 3-1A state touranament at Prairie Village.
 
“I think that one really opened the door for the possibility of an undefeated season,” Dugan said. “It was kind of big morale booster.”
 
Carroll coach Darren Huslig didn’t downplay its significance.
 
“That was definitely big for them,” Huslig said. “To get a win over a team like that, obviously it’s good and it validates what’s going on. When you throw out that you’ve won over Gentile and Drumright, you can’t say too much negative on that. They are amazing players in their own right.”
 
Dugan said improvements in his serve have helped him develop more consistency in his game, while Weber pointed toward both players gaining strides as volleyers. Chemistry has also played a role.
 
“We’re definitely a lot closer on the court and off of it,” Weber said. “And we’re a just a lot better players than we were so it makes it a lot easier to play together.”
 
After helping Carroll finish second to Andover last year in 5A, Weber and Dugan will try to boost the Eagles to their first boys state team title this weekend. Carroll’s other doubles team of seniors Henry Husband and Brady Haight also qualified for state with a sixth-place regional finish.
 
Weber and Dugan are the state’s lone unbeaten duo in all classes.
 
“As good as both of them were last year, with the amount of work they put in, their individual tennis skills have improved a huge amount,” Huslig said. “They were good and they came back even better, and now being partnered with a year of experience, you can see it on the court.
 
“Even when teams get into a point with them, there’s still a lot they have to account for.”


CLASS 4A

At Kossover Tennis Center, Topeka
 

AFTER THREE RUNNER-UP FINISHES, PARSONS' SHULTZ AIMS FOR STATE CROWN

The echoes of three straight runner-up finishes could have lingered for Wyatt Shultz. Instead, the Parsons senior turned them into motivation. 

Now, after years of knocking on the door at the Class 4A state tennis tournament, Shultz heads into his final weekend at Kossover Tennis Center in Topeka chasing the one accomplishment that has eluded him — an individual state championship. 

“Winning state would be a huge accomplishment to him and his tennis family,” Parsons coach Jane Posch said. 

Shultz has already cemented himself as one of the most accomplished players in Parsons history. With a 113-25 career record and a 29-5 mark this season, he has been a steady force at the top of the Vikings lineup since stepping onto the court as a freshman. 

Last season, he helped Parsons achieve one of the program’s biggest milestones as the Vikings captured their first state championship in 23 years, sharing the Class 4A title with Winfield. Individually, though, Shultz again finished one step short of the singles crown, placing second at state for the third consecutive season after falling to Buhler’s Davian Spies in the championship match. 

Rather than letting the losses define him, Posch said Shultz embraced the challenge. 

“He loves to play good players win or lose,” Posch said. “He loves the competition. He doesn’t back down from good players. He uses it to get better. He knows how to win or lose graciously and that is why he is so well admired by everyone he plays.” 

That mindset has helped elevate his game entering his senior campaign. 

“This season his game has gone to a new level,” Posch said. “He is also a football player, so he is a tough competitor.” 

Shultz has dominated Southeast Kansas League competition throughout his career, winning four straight SEK singles championships while also claiming four consecutive regional titles. This spring, he rolled through league and regional play once again, including a 6-0, 6-0 victory in the regional finals. 

Posch said the coaching staff intentionally sought tougher competition over the last two seasons to prepare him for another run at state. 

“We added some tougher tournaments last year to give him more competition,” Posch said. “He is not your Country Club player. We don’t have indoor courts or a pro. He has his dad who was a state champion in singles.” 

Tennis has long been a family tradition for Shultz. His father, Chris, was the last singles player to win state at Parsons as he won the 4A title in 2001. Posch joked that one moment in particular signaled his rise. 

“He beat his dad two summers ago at our city tourney much to his dad’s dismay and pride,” Posch said. 

Beyond the accolades and wins, Shultz has also become the tone-setter for the Parsons program. 

“Wyatt is the player everyone looks up to on our team since he came in as a freshman,” Posch said. “All our guys want to be big hitters like Wyatt. He is also another coach on the court at practice.” 

Now the final chapter awaits. 

After helping deliver a team championship a year ago, Shultz returns to state with another opportunity to finish his high school career on top individually. And after three straight silver medals, few players in Class 4A may be more motivated for one last shot at gold. 

CLASS 3-1A

At Harmon Park Tennis Complex, Prairie Village

 

CAIR PARAVEL’S FAY LOOKING TO CLEAR COLLEGIATE HURDLE, CHALLENGE FOR 3-1A SINGLES TITLE
 
Drew Fay really had no idea what kind of high school tennis career he was going to have when he began his freshman year at Cair Paravel in 2022-23.
 
“When I started my freshman year, I didn’t envision this at all,” Fay said of a high school career that so far has produced two top-four finishes at the Class 3-1A State Tournament. “I had no clue how high school tennis was since (Cair Paravel) didn’t have a team until my freshman year. I really had no clue what to expect, so it’s been really fun.”
 
The festivities can continue in a big way this weekend at the Harmon Park Tennis Complex in Prairie Village as Fay concludes his successful career with his final state meet. The Lion senior goes into state as the No. 3 seed in the singles draw, boasting a 26-2 record this season.
 
He’s seeded only behind the Wichita Collegiate sophomore duo of Amir Khicha and G Farha, who finished 1-2 at their regional at home. Khicha was the Class 3-1A state singles runner-up a year ago to teammate Charlie Gentile and is 19-1 this season while Farha cracked the varsity lineup this year for the first time and holds a 26-6 record.
 
One of Farha’s wins came against Fay at the Hesston Invitational in late April. It’s a loss that really stung Fay and one he’s eager to atone if he and Farha can earn a rematch in the state semifinals this weekend.
 
While the final 8-5 score indicates Fay gave Farha everything he wanted in the match, it doesn’t quite speak to just how the match played out. Fay was completely in control of the semifinal clash, holding a 5-1 lead before Farha flipped the entire match to win seven straight points to stun Fay.
 
“I definitely know I can compete with him,” Fay said. “I was definitely in the driver’s seat and let it slip away. But he definitely elevated his level of play and hit some really, really good shots.
 
“I just have to bring my A game, keep the ball deep because he likes to step into his groundstrokes. I just can’t let him get too offensive or too comfortable. His forehand can be his biggest weapon, but he also has more errors on his forehand side than his backhand side. I need to stay away from giving him easy forehands, but I also don’t want to just hit it to his backhand because I can force more errors from his forehand. I just need to be aggressive because I ended up letting him dictate points in our first match and he’s really comfortable doing that.”
 
Fay rebounded from that semifinal loss at Hesston to beat Central Plains’ Camden Stiles in a tough 8-6 match. Stiles is also on Fay’s side of the bracket at state and as the No. 6 seed could be a quarterfinal opponent.
 
“He’s a good player,” Fay said. “I didn’t have a great match against him the first time so I’m excited to play him again.”
 
Fay’s opening match will come against either Perry-Lecompton’s Warren Wiedeman or Cair Paravel teammate Jonah Arnold, a freshman who stepped into the No. 2 singles spot for the Lions after starting the year paired at No. 1 doubles with Fay’s younger brother, Cole. Cole Fay broke his foot following the Lions’ first meet, sending Arnold to singles where he posted an 11-5 mark.
 
The move from doubles to singles is one Drew also made this year. Having played singles each of his first two seasons for the Lions, qualifying for state both years and taking fourth in 2024 as a sophomore, Drew spent last year playing doubles with foreign exchange student Eric Buchenau.
 
It was a highly successful season as the duo posted a 29-2 mark, their only two losses coming to eventual state champions Carter and Maddox Drumright of Wichita Collegiate, the second of those an epic 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-0 three-set match in the state finals.
 
With Buchenau returning to Germany this year, Fay was more than happy to return to singles where he’d posted a combined 44-23 mark his first two seasons.
 
“It’s been a lot of fun getting back to singles,” he said. “It’s a much different game, different challenges, different strategies. I enjoy both a lot, but I’m definitely glad to be back playing singles. I probably would have missed it if I’d stayed at doubles this year.”
 
That was never really an option, even with the potential of partnering with Cole this season. 
 
Fay said the year spent playing doubles and having Buchenau around to face in singles settings during practice has helped him make the huge leap from a win-loss standpoint that he’s enjoyed this season.
 
“It really helped different parts of my game,” Fay said of playing doubles. “Volleys, reactions, returning – a lot of things I didn’t really work on as much in singles. So it helped carrying over that to singles. My net game is definitely far better, but pretty much everything has gotten better.
 
“I think I’m quite a bit better than I was (as a sophomore). Practices were a lot more competitive having Eric there and I’ve worked a lot since then to improve quite a bit of things.”
 
Aside from his loss to Farha, Fay’s only other defeat was an 8-4 loss to Northeast Kansas Homeschool’s Caleb Holloway, that coming just two days ahead of last week’s regional meet. Fay had beaten Holloway 8-3 earlier in the season and said the match was somewhat of a wake-up call ahead of the postseason.
 
“He’s a really good player and I didn’t have my best that day,” he said. “I felt like I came a little bit unfocused. It definitely motivated me a little more to keep that focus and keep working.”
 
Though Fay joked that it would take “a miracle” for him to conclude his career with a state title given Khicha’s dominance this season at the 3-1A level – the Spartans’ only loss coming to Class 5A Brandon Steven of Bishop Carroll – he’s certainly capable of earning a shot at the Spartan sophomore.
 
“I think the rallies could be long if we met, but winning each point would be tough because he’s such a well-polished player,” Fay said. “I think I could be right in it if I could find an edge to win points.”
 

 

MEADE’S LYNN LOOKS TO BUILD OFF MOMENTUM FOLLOWING REGIONAL TITLE

If Meade’s Samuel Lynn can continue on the same trajectory he’s been on throughout his senior season, he’ll have a chance to put a satisfying finish on his tennis career.

“Since the start of the year, I keep getting more consistent every time,” Lynn said. “It’s really showing late in the season, going into state.

“I feel really confident.”

Lynn, one of the top singles players in western Kansas, will look to make noise at the Class 3-1A state tournament at Harmon Park Tennis Complex in Prairie Village and come away with a state medal for the second straight season.

Lynn feels he’s peaking at the right time, as evidenced by an eight-match winning streak he’ll take into the state meet. He’s coming off a dominant regional performance, winning all three of his matches in straight sets, including a 6-1, 6-1 win over Conway Springs’ Grayson Allen in the final.

“I constantly kept hitting the ball hard and low to the net, and hitting drop shots,” Lynn said. “And I just kept pressuring and not letting them play offense and make them play defense most of the time. I also had strong serves.”

He’s 26-6 on the season, hitting the 100-career-win milestone during the regional tourney. All of his losses have come to quality opponents, including Hoisington’s Jasper Pawlowski, Central Plains’ Camden Stiles and Sterling’s Jace Darnauer.

“Just playing them helped me get better,” said Lynn, who is also playing golf this spring.

Lynn made a successful move to singles last year, earning an 11th-place medal at state after qualifying for state in doubles as a freshman and sophomore.

“At the start of my junior year when I started doing singles, I could definitely tell there was a lot more running around, relying on yourself and having a better mental game,” Lynn said. “Early on, I liked doubles more.

“But now that I’m coming to the end, I like singles more. It’s more rewarding, in my opinion.”

Lynn is the No. 7 seed in the singles bracket. He’ll face the winner of Neodesha’s Jackson Delong and Cimarron’s Evan Tatro in his opening match.

“I just need to stay in it mentally and focus on what I’m able to do,” Lynn said.