PAOLA — Iola High’s Kyndal Bycroft and Harper Desmarteau ended the 2024 tennis regular season in style Monday.
The Mustangs’ No. 1 doubles team brought home a couple of hard-fought victories, defeating Averie Needham and Ruthi Gerken of host Paola, 8-3, and Addie Madl and Lily Breedlove of Baldwin, 8-4.
“They were the only ones from Iola to pull off a win while everyone played well getting close matches,” Mustang head coach Chris Belknap said.
In No. 1 singles play, Iola’s Bethany Miller dropped her matches 8-0 to Rachel Aistrup of Paola and 8-2 to Baldwin’s Emily Howarter.
Melanie Palmer, competing in No. 2 singles action, dropped an 8-0 decision to Audra Downum of Paola and an 8-2 setback to Ella Ward of Baldwin.
Maya Shaughnessy, the Mustangs’ No. 3 singles player, fell 8-0 to Lauran Wagelein of Paola and 8-0 to Alli Cramer of Baldwin.
Marlee Westhoff and Madelyn Ashworth competed in No. 2 doubles action. They dropped an 8-1 set to Bryn Sanders and Emma Bull of Paola and 8-2 to Lauren McCart and Maggie Todd of Baldwin.
Most of the varsity squad will travel to Parsons Saturday for the Class 4A Regional Tournament, with a bid to the state meet April 18-19 in Topeka on the line.
Shaughnessy, a senior who helped fill in on varsity matches, will not go to regionals, and has seen her high school tennis career come to an end.
Miller, a junior, also is done for the tennis season because of a schedule conflict with her responsibilities with the high school band.
