PRATT, Kan. – Buhler tennis captured third place at this past weekend’s 4A State Tournament held in Pratt. The Crusaders finished just six points behind second-place Parsons. Independence won the event.
In singles play, both Davian Spies and Amos Harder played well in advancing to the semifinals. Spies, the defending 4A Champion, made quick work of his first two opponents, setting up a matchup with Parsons freshman Wyatt Shultz in the semis. Shultz won what proved to be a great contest, 6-4, 6-2.
Harder drew last year’s runner-up, Kale Groff of Independence, in his semifinal match, falling to this year’s eventual state champion, 6-3, 6-1.
That placed the two teammates on the opposite side of the net in the tournament’s third-place match, with Spies winning for the second time this year over Harder, 6-4, 6-1.
On the doubles side, after winning their first contest of the event, Brock Hilger and Von Woleslagel fell in the quarterfinals to Jackson Davis and Adam Everett of Winfield. In an evenly matched draw, Davis and Everett came from behind to outlast Hilger and Woleslagel, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. The Buhler duo went on to finish seventh.
After dropping their opening match, 6-2, 6-3, to Winfield’s Matthew Norton and Jackson Palmer, Elijah Biggs and Marick Manns would go 1-1 on the backside.
The future looks as bright as ever for the Crusaders. With only one senior graduating from the program in Brock Hilger, look for Buhler to compete near the top of 4A again next season.
