GIRLS TENNIS: Friday, Oct. 16, 2020
The final goal for both Sage Riggs and Brooke Ptacek was to be playing on Saturday, Day 2, at the 2020 Class 6A state tennis tournament.
But that objective came up short for both of the Garden City High School Lady Buffs singles players as they each fell in their respective two matches on Friday at the Olathe-College Boulevard Activity Center.
Riggs, who less than two weeks ago captured the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors, fought gallantly in her first match of the day, coming up short in a 6-4, 6-1 setback to Sheridan Wichman of Topeka-Washburn Rural, the No. 3 seed from her regional. In her consolation bracket match, Riggs fell to Bridget Epstein, the No. 4 seed from the Mill Valley regional, of Shawnee Mission East, 9-2.
Ptacek, meanwhile, was blanked in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0 by Kayla Lei of Manhattan, the No. 2 seed from the Washburn Rural regional before being ousted by Sophie Lecuru of Mill Valley, 9-1.
Riggs finished her junior year with a 30-5 record while Ptacek ended her sophomore campaign at 27-10.
“Both Sage and Brooke competed well today, but came up short,” first-year head coach Logan Bevis said. “Sage’s first match was really competitive. In the end, we ran into some really strong KC area players on the backside and just didn’t quite have enough to get by them.”
Despite not making it to Saturday’s final rounds, Bevis said his top two players made great strides during the season.
“Overall, I’m proud of the development these two have had throughout the year,” Bevis said. “Singles is challenging – a sports equivalent of being stranded on an island – and I think the girls improved a lot on the mental aspect of singles throughout the year.”
Garden City High School 