For the first time since 2017, a representative from the Iola Mustang tennis team is headed to the state tournament.
Doubles partners Bret Plumlee, senior, and Elijah Fawson, junior, punched their tickets to the 4A State Tournament in Pratt this weekend after a fifth-place finish at the regional tournament in Chanute on Saturday.
As a team, the Mustangs finished fifth with Independence winning the overall team title.
Plumlee and Fawson came into the tournament as the fourth seed and had a first-round bye before facing Fort Scotts Nick Patton and Allen Santana. They won the first match 6-4 before falling 6-2 in the second and losing the tie-breaker 11-9.
They dropped down to the consolation bracket where they faced Chanutes Owen Burchette and Noah Crapson in an elimination match. Plumlee and Fawson won 6-4 and 6-2 to advance on to the fifth-place match versus Chanutes Kaidan Frederick and Hayden Newton.
They won 6-3 and 6-1, giving them fifth overall. The top six finishers advanced to state.
The duo becomes the first Mustangs to compete at state since Elijahs older brother Isaiah competed back in 2017.
Senior Jon Miller and junior Eason Cheung competed in the singles bracket but did not make it out of the first round. Miller, the nine-seed, lost to Parsons Carlos Collins 6-1, 6-1. Cheung, the 11th seed, lost to Labettes Luke Falkenstein 6-2, 6-1.
We will miss Jon, said head coach Dan Berg. Hes been a great person to coach and be around.
Plumlee and Fawson will now head on to state at Pratt High School starting and Friday and going on into Saturday if they advance. Seeding for the tournament will be decided prior to the tournament starting on Friday.
