The Shawnee Dispatch / Maranatha's Thomas in tennis state semifinals

Archive for Saturday, May 10, 2008

Dispatch Staff Report

May 10, 2008

Maranatha Academy sophomore Bryan Thomas will play in the singles semifinals on Saturday at the Class 3-2-1A state tournament, but Conway Springs is in the driver's seat to win the team championship.

Conway Springs brought a singles player and two doubles teams to the tournament, and all advanced to the semifinals. Meanwhile, Wichita Collegiate saw both of its doubles teams move on to the semifinals as well.

Maranatha got off to a good start at the tournament as Thomas earned a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Andrew Labenz of Trinity Catholic in the first round and Joel Petterson won his first singles match against Mike Jaderston of Sterling, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Both of Maranatha's doubles teams fell in the first round, however. Kyle Reighard and Seth Swank dropped a 6-3, 6-2 decision to Paul Abromeit and Wyatt Kesler of Collegiate, and David Kidd and Drew Swank fell 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 to Kody Koester and Andrew Devlin of Conway Springs.

Thomas won his quarterfinal match against Corban Aspegren, of Wichita Independent, 6-2, 6-0, but Petterson lost to Mitchell Kibbe of Conway Springs, 6-3, 6-0.

Talking points

Do you think Veterans Day should be a prominent holiday?

Absolutely. We wouldn’t be able to sit here and eat lunch like this if it weren’t for the veterans. We’ve got millions of people that fought and died to save this country; it should be more than a bank holiday.

— Byron Arthur

More responses