‘It was Reagan’s turn’: Kapaun’s Boleski wins long-awaited girls tennis state title
Reagan Boleski had waited her turn.
For the last two seasons, the only girls tennis player in Class 5A superior to her was the one she went up against every day in practice — who just so happened to be one of four players in Kansas history to win four straight state championships.
After finishing runner-up to Clara Whitaker at the state tournament the last two years, Saturday was expected to be a coronation for Boleski in her senior season.
But the thing about waiting your turn is that the wait is only worth it if you’re ready to grab what you’re chasing when the time comes, something Boleski had to remind herself of after she lost the first set in the Class 5A singles championship match to Bishop Carroll’s Brynn Steven in Winfield on Saturday.
“I had to remember that even with Clara gone now, it’s not like it’s going to be easy,” Boleski said. “I still have go play my best tennis and be focused 100% to win.”
With her season (and legacy) on the line, Boleski stayed calm and delivered some of the best tennis of her career. After losing 6-4 in the first set, Boleski rebounded to win 6-4 and 6-2 to claim a third-set victory over Steven and capture her long-awaited state championship.
Boleski also helped Kapaun come away with a third-place team trophy, as sophomore Jackie Ackerman (10th) also placed in the singles field and the doubles team of seniors Emma Bezdek and Elizabeth Orme took 12th.
“If Reagan had been on any other team, she would have been the top dog her whole entire career,” Kapaun coach Kathy Schulte said. “She’s such a great player, that’s hard to take when you have to wait your turn for that long. But she has such great character. It was Reagan’s turn and she stepped up to the moment.”
Dropping the first set to Steven, a star sophomore, could have been particularly nerve-wracking because Steven handed Boleski just her second loss of the season just a week ago in the regional final.
But the nerves never reached Boleski, who has made it a staple in her year-round training to improve her mental game with the help of her trainers.
“I was even calling my coach who moved back to England and they all told me the same thing,” Boleski said. “They said to just worry about myself and not think about anything I can’t control because that will only drag me down. If I waste my time and energy focusing on that, then it’s not going to help my game.”
So when Steven came out and played a superb first set to take the lead, Boleski did not dwell on the loss. She felt like she had played well and if she continued hitting her shots, then she had confidence winning would take care of itself.
There were no major adjustments the second set. Boleski never panicked. In fact, Schulte said she thought the first-set loss helped clear Boleski’s head.
“There was so much pressure on Reagan and emotion in the situation,” Schulte said. “I think once Reagan was able to clear her head and quit thinking about every shot and just play, everything just clicked. She stopped worrying about losing and started playing to win. And that’s a lot easier said than done when you have so much riding on it.”
Few in the state can match the firepower of Boleski, who is used to overpowering her opponents with winners from the base line. Steven is one of the few with the athleticism and anticipation to chase down Boleski’s missiles, but that task grew too difficult as the match wore on.
Boleski is unforgiving to opponents and she was maybe her most ruthless after winning the second set on Saturday. Schulte has seen a lot of Boleski’s best play and the third set, which she won 6-2, was perhaps the finest of her career.
“We really felt that if she was able to win that second set, then she was going to take it,” Schulte said. “And I told her that, but I didn’t need to tell her that because I could already see it in her eyes. She had that calm confidence, like the weight of the world was finally off her shoulders.”
“I told (coach) after the second set that I felt like I could finally breathe and just play my game,” Boleski said. “I was actually having fun out on the court and just enjoying it. I didn’t feel any stress or pressure anymore. It was just fun.”
But all of that poise disappeared after winning the championship and locking eyes with her mother, Kris, who was already in tears. It was a bittersweet moment for the Boleski family, who were overcome by happiness to see Reagan finally celebrate her crowning achievement but were also overcome by sadness that Steve, Reagan’s father, was not there to witness it.
Steve Boleski died of COVID-19 in February.
“I feel like everything I’ve worked for my entire life has really paid off,” Reagan said. “I remember my dad would always drag me out of bed at five in the morning and say, ‘State champions do this’ and I would be like, ‘Oh my God, dad.’ It would make me so mad, but I’m really glad he did that.
“There’s a lot of mixed emotions, but I’m just really glad I could pull that one off. I know he would be proud of me.”
Andover sends all four to semis en route to 5A team title
It’s a strange feeling to clinch a team championship after the first day of the state competition.
But that’s exactly what Andover was able to accomplish in Emporia on Friday after all four of its entries reached the Class 5A state semifinals. After finishing third and fourth in singles and doubles, the Trojans scored 46 team points in a runaway team victory for the program’s first title since 2015.
“I think the biggest thing it did was take a lot of the pressure off the girls for Saturday,” Andover coach Steve Alexander said. “We had a lot of people saying all year that we should win the state title and that’s a lot of pressure to put on high schoolers. To know that they had already locked it up after the first day, we were able to enjoy dinner that night and then focus on playing our best tennis and finishing strong.”
It was an impressive first day from both singles players, as senior Sarah Sinclair and freshman Molly Gaddis both had to win three matches and defeat regional champions in order to reach the semifinals. Although both fell in the semifinals on Saturday, Sinclair bounced back with one of her most impressive matches of the season with a 6-1, 6-1 win over her teammate.
The same was true for Andover’s doubles team, as well. The No. 1 doubles team of sophomores Brooke Walker and Anna Jittawait and the No. 2 doubles team of senior Annabelle Tantemsomboon and sophomore Hannah Pappademos both had to win three matches and upend No. 1 seeds to force their way to the semifinals. They both met in the third-place match and went to a third set with Walker and Jittawait prevailing 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.
“I was so proud of all of my girls because they’ve been through some ups and downs this season and they learned that every point matters,” Alexander said. “They really took that to heart and by the end, they were coaching themselves. I had all of the confidence in them, but it was a little bit of a surprise to get all four in. We were expecting two, three would be awesome, then when all four made it that was just so awesome.”
Other area 5A singles medalists included Goddard Eisenhower junior Rachel Davis (ninth) and Maize South sophomore Annabelle Aldrete (12th).
The Andover Central duo of junior Maya Chon and freshman Bryer Geoffroy reached the doubles championship match, but fell to the undefeated Topeka Seaman team of Grace Unruh and Lauren Sweeney in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.
Other area doubles medalists were Carroll’s duo of seniors Lexi Steven and Brynna Gormley (sixth) and the Andover Central duo of juniors McKinnley Evans and Grace Schaefer (eighth).
Wichita Collegiate sweeps Class 3-1A championships
It was business as usual for the Collegiate girls tennis team on Saturday, claiming its 13th straight team state championship by winning the singles and doubles titles at the Class 3-1A tournament hosted at Maize South.
The senior doubles team of Lily Conrad and Ella Graham won their second consecutive doubles title, defeating the Conway Springs duo of Loren May and Haylee Osner in straight sets in the finals, 6-3, 6-1. Conrad and Graham have been a rarity in the Dave Hawley era in that they were able to play essentially the entire season together, compiling a 30-2 record in the process.
“I’m kind of infamous among our kids for trying out different units to see who plays best together,” Hawley said. “This was one of those rare times that we just knew they were going to be our number one doubles team. On that one, I was completely sure.”
After falling short in the 4A singles championship match last season, there was no denying that Collegiate junior Emma Mantovani was in a class of her own against the 3-1A field this past weekend. Mantovani only dropped a total of seven games in four matches all won in dominant fashion, capped by a 6-2, 6-0 win over Ellsworth senior Nicole Haase in the finals. Mantovani finished the season with a 28-4 record with all four losses coming to players who reached state finals in their respective classes.
“There was just nobody like her in the singles draw,” Hawley said. “She just kind of dominated the field and there were some really nice players there and she just was on a level by herself. She just crushes the ball. She was hitting winner after winner. It was a clinic. I thought she played very brave, very bold and very aggressive.”
Collegiate finished with 44 team points, including a fifth-place finish in the singles field from freshman Laney Conrad.
Smoky Valley finished runner-up in the team standings on the strength of both doubles teams coming away with a medal with the duo of senior Riley Ahlstedt and junior Lena Rachholz (sixth) and the duo of juniors Karee Adam and Campbell Gaskill (eighth).
Independent captured the third-place trophy, as both of its singles players were medalists in senior Lilly Meier (third) and senior Karolina Kadeckova (11th).
Other area 3A singles medalists were Hesston senior Gracie Dawes (eighth) and Classical freshman Greer Kice (12th). The other doubles medalist was the Hesston duo of junior Cassie Albin and sophomore Kori Kramer (ninth).
McPherson wins 4A title in record-setting fashion
Not only was McPherson able to qualify all four of its entries to the Class 4A state tournament, but all four came away with medals at the state meet in Winfield.
Add it all up and McPherson delivered a dominant performance to win the 4A team championship with 44 points, the most the program has ever scored at the state meet. It was the third team title in program history.
The highlight of the weekend came in doubles play, where McPherson was able to send both of its senior-laden doubles teams to the finals. In the championship match, Patty Huerta and Perrin Schneider prevailed over teammates Maddie Dobson and Sydney Achilles in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.
Both of McPherson’s singles entries also played one another in the consolation bracket, as sophomore Riggs Kuhn placed seventh and senior Taylor Berger placed ninth.
Wellington finished with a runner-up team trophy with 25 points, thanks to all three of its entries finishing eighth place or better. Junior Kami Reichenberger placed eighth in the singles field, while the No. 1 doubles team of junior Jensen and sophomore Lyric Cornejo reached the semifinals and settled for a fourth-place finish with the other doubles team of junior Ashlyn Gerten and freshman Kadynce Aufdengarten took eighth.
Other area 4A singles medalists included Circle senior Alejandra Gaitan Lleo (fourth), and Buhler senior Kacey Lehl (sixth). Other doubles medalist teams were the Wichita Trinity Academy duo of junior Darcy Dunne and sophomore Sophia Majors (third), the Buhler duo of juniors Olivia Frederick and Kayla Babcock (sixth), the Buhler duo of sophomores Taegan Nickel and Kayleigh Hamby and the Winfield duo of juniors Rozlynn Richert and Claire Norton.
Kansas high school girls tennis state results
Class 6A (in Wichita)
Teams—SM East 49, BV North 31, BV Northwest 23, Olathe Northwest 21, Manhattan 18, Blue Valley 17, BV West 14, Lawrence Free State 14, Washburn Rural 13, SM South 7, Olathe South 7, Garden City 3, Hutchinson 2, Wichita Northwest 1, Topeka 1, Olathe West 1.
Singles—1. Harkin, Manhattan, def. Chiasson, BV Northwest, 6-4, 6-4; 3. Novion, Olathe Northwest, def. Epstein, SM East, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5; 5. Smith, BV North, def. Yan, BV North, 9-3; 7. Murphy, SM East, def. Gary, Olathe South, 9-4; 9. Wichman, Washburn Rural, def. Andriola, SM South, 9-3; 11. Evans, Lawrence Free State, def. Goli, BV West, 9-0.
Doubles—1. Langford-Stechschulte, SM East, def. Long-Schmidt, SM East, 6-4, 6-4; 3. Mylavarapu-Stone, Blue Valley, def. Mestad-Tewell, BV West, 6-4, 7-5; 5. Lee-Steadman, Lawrence Free State, def. Wambi-Peng, BV Northwest, 9-2; 7. Crossland-Trysla, BV North, def. Carney-Terhune, Olathe Northwest, 9-2; 9. Fritz-Kucera, Washburn Rural, def. Bajich-Stone, Blue Valley, 9-4; 11. Di Palo-Razi, BV North, def. Riggs-Nanninga, Garden City, 9-2.
Class 5A (in Emporia)
Teams—Andover 46, Salina Central 27, Kapaun Mt. Carmel 24, Bishop Carroll 23, Topeka Seaman 22, Andover Central 21, St. James Academy 16, Salina South 10, BV Southwest 9, Mill Valley 7, Goddard Eisenhower 6, Maize South 5, St. Thomas Aquinas 3, Emporia 2, Maize 2, Bonner Springs 2, Spring Hill 1, Newton 1, De Soto 1.
Singles—1. Boleski, Kapaun, def. Steven, Carroll, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2; 3. Sinclair, Andover, def. Gaddis, Andover, 6-1, 6-1; 5. Montoya, Salina Central, def. Gibbs, BV Southwest, 9-5; 7. Rupe, Salina Central, def. Ward, St. James, 9-6; 9. Davis, Goddard Eisenhower, def. Ackerman, Kapaun, 9-6; 11. Del-Zio, Topeka Seaman, def. Aldrete, Maize South, 9-2.
Doubles—1. Unruh-Sweeney, Topeka Seaman, def. Chon-Geoffroy, Andover Central, 6-2, 6-1; 3. Walker-Jittawait, Andover, def. Tantemsomboon-Pappademos, Andover, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2; 5. Ambrust-Daily, Salina South, def. Steven-Gormley, Carroll, 9-6; 7. Nutter-Renfro, Salina Central, def. Evans-Schaefer, Andover Central, 9-7; 9. Butler-Shanker, Mill Valley, def. Kurland-Calcara, St. James, 9-7; 11. Staley-Book, St. James, def. Bezdek-Orme, Kapaun, 9-6.
Class 4A (in Winfield)
Teams—McPherson 44, Topeka Hayden 25, Wellington 25, Buhler 22, Independence 22, Bishop Miege 16, Circle 14, Wichita Trinity 14, Chapman 12, Clay Center 11, Chanute 5, Wamego 5, Winfield 4, Concordia 3, Parsons 2, Pratt 2, Augusta 1.
Singles—1. Zuletta, Hayden, def. Quigley, Miege, 6-2, 6-0; 3. Frieze, Chapman, def. Gaitan Lleo, Circle, 6-4, 6-1; 5. Stratton, Clay Center, def. Lehl, Buhler, 9-3; 7. Kuhn, McPherson, def. Reichenberger, Wellington; 9. Berger, McPherson, def. Jones, Wamego, 9-2; 11. Schlorholtz, Independence, def. McMillan, Concordia, 9-4.
Doubles—1. Huerta-Schneider, McPherson, def. Dobson-Achilles, McPherson, 6-3, 6-1; 3. Dunne-Majors, Trinity, def. Lynnes-Cornejo, Wellington, 6-3, 6-1; 5. Smith-Veile, Independence, def. Frederick-Babcock, Buhler, 9-3; 7. Sandstrom-Sheetz, Hayden, def. Gerten-Aufdengarten, Wellington, 9-4; 9. Bertie-Kippenberger, Independence, def. Bogle-Thompson, Chanute, 9-4; 11. Nickel-Hamby, Buhler, def. Norton-Richert, Winfield, 9-4.
Class 3A (in Wichita)
Teams—Wichita Collegiate 44, Smoky Valley 18, Wichita Independent 16, Conway Springs 16, Scott City 14, Ellsworth 14, Hesston 13, Norton 12, Sterling 11, Colby 11, Salina Sacred Heart 10, WaKeeney-Trego 9, Central Plains 8, Marysville 7, Rossville 6, Ashland 4, Wichita Classical 4, Larned 3, Beloit 3, Hoisington 2, Osborne 2, Phillipsburg 1.
Singles—1. Mantovani, Collegiate, def. Haase, Ellsworth, 6-2, 6-0; 3. Meier, Independent, def. Bellamy, Colby; 5. Conrad, Collegiate, def. Brungardt, WaKeeney-Trego; 7. Metro, Central Plains, def. Dawes, Hesston, 9-1; 9. Sherer, Rossville, def. Kramer, Marysville, 9-8 (2); 11. Kadeckova, Independent, def. Kice, Classical.
Doubles—1. Conrad-Graham, Collegiate, def. May-Osner, Conway Springs, 6-3, 6-1; 3. Hawks-Hanlon, Norton, def. Rowland-Wilson, Sterling, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5; 5. Matteucci-Weiss, Sacred Heart, def. Ahlstedt-Rauchholz, Smoky Valley, 9-5; 7. Gutierrez-Myers-Hermosillo, Scott City, def. Adam-Gaskill, Smoky Valley, 9-7; 9. Albin-Kramer, Hesston, def. Westergard-Stoppel, Scott City, 9-5; 11. Amaya-Milburn, Ashland, def. Tietjens-Peters-Knight, Beloit, 9-8 (18).
This story was originally published October 18, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
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