McPherson Tennis Sweeps Regional Championship, Sends All Six Players to State
Bullpups dominate 4A Regional with 25 points as Sandbo and Liebl/Unruh capture individual titles
The McPherson High School tennis team achieved its season-long goal Friday, qualifying all six players for the state tournament while capturing the 4A Regional championship with 25 points. Chapman finished second with 16 points, followed by Hesston (10), Scott City (4), Abilene (2), and Goodland (1).
Senior Maryn Sandbo led the way with a perfect 4-0 record to claim the singles championship, while the doubles team of Quinn Liebl and Avery Unruh also went undefeated at 4-0 to win their bracket. Freshman Mayson Wiens turned in a breakout performance, winning 36 of her first 39 games before falling to teammate Sandbo in the singles final to place second. The doubles pairing of Dragon Rodriguez and Lleyton Kuhn rounded out the state qualifiers with a third-place finish.
The tournament featured several dramatic moments, particularly in the quarterfinals where both McPherson doubles teams faced elimination in super-tiebreakers. Liebl and Unruh rallied against Chapman while Rodriguez and Kuhn outlasted Hesston, setting up an all-McPherson semifinal that Liebl and Unruh won before cruising to the championship.
"I was completely drained by the end of the day, but what an incredible day it was," said the McPherson coach, who praised the team's mental toughness throughout the competition. The coach specifically highlighted Wiens' poise beyond her years and Sandbo's unwavering composure and leadership.
The victory came against a strong field that included traditional powers Hesston and Chapman. McPherson's depth proved decisive, with all six players contributing crucial points to the team total.
The Bullpups will compete at the 4A State Tournament next week in Prairie Village, where they'll look to continue their remarkable season that has seen consistent improvement and adaptability from the entire roster.
Greg Loving
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