McPHERSON, Kan. – The McPherson High School Boys Tennis team held their annual Doug Gayer Classic at McPherson High School Saturday, April 19.
McPherson held two teams, Red & White, and faced nine other schools in the competitive tournament. The Red team finished 3rd overall, thanks to terrific Doubles performances by Alex Berger / Bryson Archer and Mason Eisenbarth / Jonas Emery. Both duos finished with three wins, with the former finishing in 2nd and the latter in 7th. The Singles tournament participants had a great day as well as Cooper Bohme finished in 10th and Rogan Jones in 14th.
The White team finished in 9th place against competitive groups from around the area. Owen Neighbors finished 9th and Manny Morales placed 12th in the Singles tournament. In the Doubles tourney, Kepple Butcher / Jack Boese finished 15th and Grayson Koenig / Hayden Siemens placed 20th.
Manhattan finished on top with 45 total points, just five points above Buhler. McPherson’s Red team just narrowly squeaked past Maize, Derby, and Wichita Classical to finish in the top six.
Regardless of the results, the meet always holds dear for head tennis coach Tyler Brown. “The Doug Gayer Classic holds a special place in our hearts, not only as our premier home tournament of the season but also as a tribute to Coach Doug Gayer, an exceptional mentor and individual whom I had the privilege to play for and coach alongside,” Brown said.
The Doug Gayer Classic is a tournament that honors former McPherson Middle and High School Tennis Coach Doug Gayer, who coached for nearly 30 years until he retired in 2013. Gayer was also a retired teacher and is immortalized in the McPherson High School Wall of Fame and was also inducted to the McPherson College Sports Hall of Fame. Gayer passed away in 2018 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
The varsity team will have a busy week with the Buhler Invitational Tuesday, April 22, the Maize Invitational Thursday, April 24, and the Valley Center Invitational Saturday, April 26. “Looking ahead, we face a demanding week,” Brown said. “As we enter this rigorous phase of our season, it’s imperative for our players to rest, recover, and prepare for the challenges ahead.”
