Works makes it back to state tournament

When Iola High’s Colby Works and Bryan Mueller made it to the Class 4A State Tennis Tournament as a doubles team last year, there was a certain amount of pressure to do well. Works was only a sophomore, but Mueller was a senior, and it would be the duo’s last opportunity to compete.
“We felt pressure last year because it was Bryan’s only chance at it,” Works said. “This year, if I don’t make it [to Saturday], I know I had a good season.”
Even though Mueller graduated, Works still had two more seasons ahead of him.
“I still give him a hard time for having to graduate two years early,” Works joked of his former teammate.
Now a junior, Works made the choice to switch to singles. It was a decision that worked out for the best.
This past Monday Works earned third place at a Class 4A Regional in Parsons, to gain his bid to the Class 4A State Tennis Tournament on Friday in Pratt.
Works goes into the state tournament with 26 wins. Last year, Works and Mueller had 23 wins at this point.
Obviously, had the pair had another season together, they would have probably progressed just as much. In the team’s first season together, they went 16-8. Last year they finished ninth out of 24 doubles teams.
Works took on the transition to singles with time.
“For one, I know that you improve a lot more as an individual player playing singles because you get more reps and strokes in. I also kind of wanted just to see how I would do,” Works said. “If I struggled, I might have tended to play doubles. But, I enjoyed singles. I like them both equal, but if I had a great partner right now, I’d enjoy it just as much as I am playing singles. It just kind of happened.”
Unlike last year, Works doesn’t feel as pressured to succeed right away. After all, he still has his senior year ahead of him. He wants to medal, but is using this season as a stepping stone for bigger things next year.
“My goal is to get to Saturday and place. I think that I’m at least one of the top 12 players there, so that’s what I’m expecting to do,” Works said. “I think it will be much different from last year though. I was really nervous going in and didn’t know how good we really were. After playing around and knowing a lot of names from all across the state, I kind of know where I think I rank.”
To get to Saturday, all the no. 3 seeded player has to do is win his first two matches. But, if he loses either one, it will be a tougher challenge to get to day two.
“The point is to win the first two, then you don’t have to worry about it,” Works said.

ALSO HAMPERING things will be the weather report. Works and the rest of Iola’s tennis team ran into that problem at the regional last Friday.
In what was supposed to be a two-day tournament, it was turned into one long, exhausting affair. Due to the forecast for Saturday, the tournament organizers were forced to get each match in on Friday.
“I personally hope they don’t squeeze [state] into one day because I was looking at the brackets and if you go a certain way, you can play seven matches,” Works said. “There’s no way you can play that well after about four.”
At the regional tournament, Works played four matches. Mother Nature then decided to end things midway through the third place match, forcing Works to return to Parsons on Monday to finish the game, which he won.

THIS TIME, Works will be on his own on the court. He doesn’t need a precise gameplan like when he and Mueller played doubles.
“Going into matches, I usually don’t have a total strategy. I know what I’m good at, and after warmups, you usually can tell what the opponent isn’t good at,” Works said. “I have strategies for certain points at the match, like if it’s a critical point. I kind of just try to play my game and not have the opponent dictate how I play and my style.”
Last year, Works was able to warmup with Mueller. This year, he has help from opposing players.
“Over the last month or so I’ve become friends with Caleb Matheis from Labette County,” Works said. “They have an odd number of players going because they have a doubles team and him. So, I’ve been talking with him. We’re going to practice for an hour [today] and then warmup before our matches on Friday and Saturday.”
Works has set a personal goal of attaining 30 wins this season. He is currently four short.
No matter how he does at state, the experience will be just as valuable.
“Last year, when we lost our first match, that was the only time I was really mad,” Works said. “If I lose this year, I’m there for the experience and it’s really fun. If I don’t make it to Saturday in the tournament, I’m still staying because I’ve got friends that are playing and it’s just a really fun experience.”
Works starts play on Friday morning — weather permitting. The Register will have an update of his play in The Weekender.