Qualifying both doubles teams to the state tournament, the Parsons Vikings claimed fourth place at the KSHSAA 4A Regional Tournament in Forest Park on Saturday.
“We wanted to get four kids to state and the only way to do that was in doubles,” Parsons head coach Jane Posch said. “We wanted to take as many kids as we could to state. It’s a tough bracket at regionals and a tougher one at state. Earlier in the year, I saw what Heidi (Shultz) and Laila (Haviland) could do and they did well. I’m glad it worked out.”
Independence won the team crown at regionals with 19 points. Chanute was runner-up with 16, followed by Fort Scott (12), Parsons (10) and Labette County (1). Coffeyville and Iola went winless.
In the doubles bracket, Parsons’ Manaye Ryan and Kadence Ball finished third. The two defeated Iola, 6-0, 6-0 and Fort Scott, 6-1, 6-3, before losing a thriller to chanute’s Rylee Smith and Jacqueline Smoot, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
“I thought they got better every match they played. It was unfortunate they didn’t pull it out in the third set against Chanute,” Posch said. “We won the first set and didn’t finish it in the second set. I thought they played beyond my expectations, though. They’ve got to work on finishing matches.”
Haviland and Shultz took fourth place, defeating Coffeyville, 6-0, 6-0, and Independence’s No. 2 team, 6-4, 6-6 (4) before losing to Independence’s top team, 6-0, 6-0. The pairing then lost to teammates Ball and Ryan in the third palace match, 6-2, 6-4.
“That win over Independence’s No. 2 team was big,” Posch said. “That was very impressive from a freshman in Heidi and Laila, who’s learned how to play this past summer. They also have some indirect wins over people at the state tournament.”
In singles, Parsons’ Bailey Siu got within one win of earning a state tournament bid. She defeated Labette County’s Bethany Merrick, 6-1, 3-6 (3) before losing to eventual champion Ava Morris of Independence, 6-0, 6-0, and Sarah Veile of Independence, 6-1, 6-0.
“She played her heart out and she’s a beginner,” Posch said. “Her first day of tennis was the first day of practice. What’s she’s accomplished is astronomical. If she works during the offseason, she’ll be in a better situation.”
Parsons’ Lexi Jones lost in the opening round to Fort Scott’s Bryleigh Hymer, 6-3, 6-1.
Up next
Parsons’ doubles teams will compete at the KSHSAA 4A Girls Tennis Championships in Topeka starting on Friday.
“I looked over some of the matches and I think we can get Kadynce and Manaye, as well as Heidi and Laila, a medal,” Posch said. “That’s a high possibility.”
