BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

WICHITA – The third time still wasn't the charm for Central Plains Oiler No. 1 seeded Peyton Ryan at Saturday's 3-1A state tennis championship. 

Kansas City Christian's Caleb Bartels overpowered Ryan, 6-1, 6-2 to earn a singles championship a year after winning a doubles title. KC Christian (41) edged perennial state champion Wichita Collegiate (36) for the 3-1A team title.

"I knew I had to keep the ball deep and move him around," Bartels said. "I made sure I was dictating the point and playing offense."

Ryan (107-3 career) also lost to state champions in 2022 to Wichita Collegiate's Nicholas Grabon 6-4, 6-0 and 2021 to Rossville's Alex Sherer 6-1, 6-0.

"I'm proud of what I accomplished. I'm happy about a great season," Ryan said. "I hit a lot of good shots, but Caleb was really good at getting them back. He's on another level. He's the best player. I couldn't get ahead of him. He dictated the points."

Ryan broke Bartels' service three times and missed a fourth opportunity in the first set. Bartels won four of seven service games and outscored Ryan 26-24 on his service points.

"I could see his serve pretty well and could return it," Ryan said.

Bartels executed a precise return game against Ryan's service. Ryan lost eight consecutive service games and was outscored 32-7 when serving. Bartels (33-3) showed off superior control and used an effective cross-court forehand shot to consistently win points.

"Caleb's cross-court forehand was lethal," Ryan said.

Ryan (37-1) cruised through three matches to earn a championship showdown after beating KC Christian’s Ian Gariss in Saturday’s 3-1A semifinals. Ryan won 6-3, 6-3 over Collegiate’s Carter Drumright, who finished third in singles last year. Gariss knocked off regional champion Max Bieker of Smoky Valley in the quarters.

Peyton Ryan was the fifth Ryan sibling to contend for a state tennis championship. Ryan’s sister Janae Ryan teamed with Keeley Hipp for two doubles state title. Michael Ryan and Devin Ryan each placed as state runner-up in doubles, Emily Ryan was a 3-time state singles runner-up. 

Bartels downed Wichita Collegiate's No. 3 seeded Charlie Gentile 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinals at the Wichita Riverside Tennis Complex.

Central Plains Oilers’ doubles teams Peyton Dody/Eli Hurley and Paxton Dody/Nethan Cauthon both lost two matches Friday.

Kansas City Christian broke Wichita Collegiate’s three-season grip on the Class 3-2-1A title by advancing two singles entries and the top-seeded doubles team into the semifinals. KC Christian needs more one victory Saturday to clinch the team championship.

Singles players Caleb Bartels and Ian Gariss reached the final four in singles, while James Vander Ark – who won the state doubles title last season with Bartels – advanced with senior partner Jackson Newman in doubles. The Panthers are the only team with multiple semifinalists in the winners bracket.

Bartels, who joined Vander Ark for their state doubles run late last season, improved his singles record to 31-3 this season. He will face Collegiate freshman Charlie Gentile (27-4) – the Spartans’ lone remaining title contender – in Saturday’s semifinals. 

Vander Ark and Newman improved to 29-4 and will next face Hutchinson Trinity seniors Anthony Clennan and Garrett Hageman (24-6). Hesston’s Micah Dahlsten and Asher Deutschendorf (26-5) advanced on the other side of the bracket along with Wichita Classical’s Charlie Graham and Isaac Yourdon (25-6). Both duos were regional champions.

 3-1A STATE TENNIS

WICHITA RIVERSIDE

TEAM TOTALS—1—KC Christian 41; 2—Wichita Collegiate 36; 3—Hesston 22; 4—Wichita Classical 18; 5—Wichita Trinity 17; 6—Smoky Valley 16; 7—Scott City 15; 8—Central Plains 14; 9—Hutchinson Trinity 11; 10—Salina Sacred Heart 8

SINGLES 

1—Caleb Bartels, KC Christian (33-3) def.  Peyton Ryan, Central Plains (37-1), 6-1, 6-2

3—Charlie Gentile, Wichita Collegiate (28-5) def. Ian Garis, KC Christian (27-10), 6-4, 6-2

5—Carter Drumright, Collegiate def. J.J. Henderson, Wichita Trinity, 9-4

7—Jace Douglas, Salina Sacred Heart def. Max Bieker, Smoky Valley, 9-7

9—Noah Doom, Wichita Classical def. Will White, Hesston, 9-0

11—Keaton Leiker, Smoky Valley def. Houston Frank, Scott City, 9-2

Ryan def. Drew Fay, Topeka Cair Paravel, 6-1, 6-0; Ryan def. Carter Drumright, Collegiate, 6-2, 6-0; Ryan def. Garis, 6-2, 6-2

DOUBLES 

1—Micah Dahlsten/Asher Deutschendorf, Hesston (28-5) def. James Vander Ark/Jackson Newman, KC Christian (30-5), 6-4, 4-4 (retired) 

3—Charlie Graham/Isaac Yourdon, Wichita Classical (26-6) def. Anthony Clennan/Garrett Hageman, Hutchinson Trinity (24-8), 7-5, 6-4

5—Jude Cunningham/Sky Fujinuma, Collegiate def. Brendan Anderson/Chase Bourbon, Ellsworth, 9-5 

7—Preston Sebits/Drew Bryant, Wichita Trinity def. Avry Noll/Sage Stoecklein, Scott City, 9-5

9—Simeon Wassom/Blake Spicer, Marysville def. Dylan Duff/Dante Franco, Scott City, 9-3

11—Rahul Madhavan/ Rob Rasberry, Collegiate def. Gabriel Baker/Zeke Baker, SV, 9-7

Anderson/Bourbon, Ellsworth def. Peyton Dody/Eli Hurley, Central Plains, 6-0, 6-2; Preston Sebits/Drew Bryant, Wichita Trinity def. Peyton Dody/Eli Hurley, 9-8 (7-2)

Per Nelson/Nathan Nyquist, Smoky Valley def. Paxton Dody/Nethan Cauthon, Central Plains, 6-2, 6-4; Madhavan/Rasberry, Collegiate def. Paxton Dody/Nethan Cauthon, 9-6