High School Tennis Team Goes From 1 Player to State Champs

Last year, Evan Goates stood alone as the only Maize South tennis player competing at the Kansas state championship. This year, he brought the whole team with him, and together they captured the Class 5A title.

Maize South totaled 42 points Saturday at the Andover Public Schools Tennis Complex, with all four of their entries placing in the top nine. It marked a complete turnaround for a program that seemed to lack depth just 12 months ago.

"I just didn't think we had the depth," Goates said. "But everyone played this summer and put in the work in the offseason. Now, we're here with everyone placing and holding the state plaque."

The transformation came from pure dedication. Players competed all summer, grinding through practice and building skills that would prove championship-worthy.

Goates himself finished second in singles with a 34-3 record, but the real story was the depth around him. Doubles teams Jacob Kurniadi and Tucker Lowe placed third, while Preston Heard and Jack Pringle took fifth. Landon Cook rounded out the scoring with a ninth-place finish in singles.

Coach Frank Reyes knew they had something special from the start. "We knew at the beginning of the season we had a squad we could do business with," he said. "We kept building."

The doubles teams proved particularly crucial, with Kurniadi and Lowe finishing 29-9 on the season. Heard, a senior, and Pringle, a sophomore, won every match after losing in the quarterfinals to their own teammates.

Why This Inspires

This story shows what happens when an entire group commits to growth together. A year ago, Maize South appeared to be a one-player program. But instead of accepting that reality, the remaining players used it as motivation.

Cook exemplified this spirit perfectly. As a junior playing second singles, he faced top opponents all season in early tournament rounds. He kept working, kept grinding, and by regionals had earned his spot at state. Once there, he proved he belonged.

"Landon was the most underrated kid in 5A this year," Reyes said. "He showed everyone what he's got."

The championship marked Maize South's second state title, with their first coming in 2022. Blue Valley Southwest finished second with 33 points, while Carroll took third despite having both the singles and doubles champions.

For Goates, who will continue his tennis career at Emporia State, the team victory meant more than any individual honor. Going from solo competitor to championship captain in one year proved that success tastes sweetest when shared.