Moment of the Year: Undefeated Independent freshman takes tennis title
Varsity Kansas has introduced a new series, Moment of the Year. The series will highlight the top moment or performance from the 2017-18 high school sports season for each of the Wichita-area schools. And now, the Independent Panthers.
Bryson Toubassi has put Kansas on notice.
Toubassi, an Independent freshman, won the Class 3-2-1A boys tennis state championship in 2018. He has not lost in his high school career, finishing the season 24-0.
He beat Prairie Village freshman Owen Vander Ark 6-1, 6-1 – finishing his first state appearance with ease.
Toubassi went through Central Plains’ Lawson Oeser 6-0, 6-0; Seabury Academy’s Grayson Rader 6-0, 6-0; and Ellsworth’s Joey Oberle 6-2, 6-2 to get to the final.
With Toubassi’s top performance, Independent finished fifth in the 3-2-1A team standings with 22 points, just 10 behind Prairie Village for a state title.
With a league, regional and state championship, Toubassi was named to the Eagle’s inaugural All-Metro Boys Tennis Team. He was selected alongside fellow state champion and friend, Collegiate senior Wonjoon Cho.
Toubassi is No. 12 in the Missouri Valley’s boys 16-year-old division and No. 2 in Kansas. His future is bright, but a state championship and All-Metro selection is certainly a start.
He said handling expectations has been tough, but if 2018 is any indication, he has done well.
Other Key Moments
- Independent sophomore Miles Martin wins the Class 3A boys 400 meters at SECONDS at the Kansas high school track and field meet, coming from behind to beat Perry-Lecompton’s Shane Quinlan.
- Independent junior Madison Martin finishes third in the girls 200-yard individual medley at 2:17.28 and fourth in the 100 breaststroke at 1:08.91 at the 5-1A swimming and diving meet.
- Panther sophomore Aidan Scott comes third in the boys 100-yard butterfly at 51.86 seconds and fourth in the 50 free at 21.89 at the 5-1A swimming and diving meet.
- Sense Cadman, an Independent sophomore, comes fourth at the girls 3-2-1A tennis singles tournament.
- Panther seinor golfer Winnie Shaw comes fourth at the 3-2-1A girls golf tournament, shooting a +18, 90 – two strokes from a top three finish.
- Independent senior Zach Hole finishes fifth in the 1,600 meters at 4:40.13 and fifth in the 3,200 meters at 10:12.84.