ORIGINALLY WRITTEN
The second year in a row, Kyle Kroeker will be Hillsboro High School’s lone representative at the Class 3-2-1A state tennis tournament this Friday.
Kroeker earned a spot at state by finishing second at the regional tournament in Hillsboro on Monday.
The senior defeated Whitaker of Hutchinson Trinity, 6-0, 6-0, Johnson of Independent 6-4, 6-0, and Littler of Wichita Collegiate 6-0, 6-2, before losing the championship match to Norman of Wichita Independent, 0-6, 0-6.
Macy Fadenrecht, also competing in singles, won his opening match against Butz of Hutch Trinity, 6-2, 6-3, before losing to Harder of Hesston in the second round, 4-6, 0-6.
Both of Hillsboro’s doubles teams lost in the first round. Robert Jost and Peter Fast lost to Pruitt and Adrian of Elyria Christian, 6-2, 3-6, 1-6. Ric Johnson and Clay Shewey lost to Patton and Nieuwoudt of Independent.
Kroeker will move on to the state tournament in Hutchinson with a record of 23-7.
Hillsboro Invitational-Fueled by a sweep of the both singles titles, the Trojans won the team championship at their home tournament May 8.
The Hillsboro “White” (varsity) team and Hesston each scored 60 points, but the Trojans won the title with a better winning percentage of total games played.
Following those two teams were Wichita Collegiate with 58 points, Neodesha and Wichita Independent with 29, and Fairfield and Hillsboro “Red” with 21.
Kyle Kroeker and Macy Fadenrecht won the No. 1 and 2 singles titles, respectively, to pace Hillsboro White.
Kroeker received a bye in the first round, then defeated Roth of Hesston 8-2 in the semifinals and Anaya of Collegiate 8-0 in the finals.
Fadenrecht also received a bye in the first round, then defeated Fyfe of Neodesha 8-1 and Wheeler of Hesston 8-6 for the title.
Both White doubles teams placed third.
In the No.1 flite, Peter Fast and Robert Jost defeated Miller and Poole of Fairfield 8-4, lost to Elkouri and Isaac of Collegiate in the semifinals 4-8, then defeated Steinberger and Wilson of Independent 8-1.
In No. 2 doubles, Ric Johnson and Clay Shewey defeated Baker and Branscom of Fairfield 8-0, lost to Dyck and Dare of Hesston 6-8, then defeated Oris and Davis of Independent 8-0.
For the HHS Red team, Caleb Barkman placed fifth in No. 1 singles. He lost 0-8 to Davis, then defeated Kota of Independent 8-3 and Montford of Fairfield 8-3.
In No. 1 doubles, Matthew Brown and Mark Prieb placed sixth. They lost to Jansen and Leichty of Hesston, 0-8, defeated McDaniels and Katruska of Neodesha and lost to Miller and Poole 4-8.
The No. 2 doubles team of Nolan Dirks and Joe Fisher lost to Dyck and Dare 0-8, defeated Baker and Branscom, then beat McKeller and Holdsworth of Neodesha 8-1 for fifth place.
