By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Mason Casebeer was a solid doubles player for Washburn Rural's boys tennis team last spring as a sophomore, including a 12th-place state finish in Class 6A and a spot on TopSports.news' 2021 All-Shawnee County team.
But Casebeer has switched to singles for the 2022 season, a move that has paid early dividends for both Casebeer and the Junior Blues as a team.
Washburn Rural junior No. 1 singles player Mason Casebeer, who went 3-0 on the day, returns a shot in Wednesday's Seaman quadrangular. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Casebeer went a perfect 3-0 in No. 1 singles in Wednesday's Seaman quadrangular at Kossover Tennis Center as Washburn Rural posted 4-0 sweeps over Topeka West, Lawrence and Seaman.
"It's a lot more work,'' Casebeer said of his transition. "It's a lot more running, instead of worrying about just one side. It's a lot more open court so it's a lot more diffcult, but it's more fun. I do like it.''
In doubles there's two players to share both the credit and the blame, but Casebeer knows that in singles it's all on him, both the good points and the bad.
"I like that more,'' Casebeer said. "I've done a lot of team sports in my life and I kind of came to tennis because I can put it more on to me than others. I like the responsibility of it.''
One of Casebeer's regular training partners is Rural state-class senior singles player Mason Thieu and Casebeer said Thieu has helped him improve.
"He's really fun to play against because he's really good,'' Casebeer said. "Rarely do I get points against him but when I do it's always a good rally and it's always a good one.''
Casebeer came to tennis after trying several of other sports and feels like he's found his perfect match in tennis.
"I fell in love with the sport,'' he said. "My (younger) brother started it really and I normally follow after him so once he started I started and I just loved the sport after that.''
Lawrence went 2-1 in Wednesday's quad, posting 4-0 win over Seaman and Topeka West, which was playing a split squad. Seaman went 1-2, with a 3-1 win over West.
SEAMAN TENNIS QUADRANGULAR
WASHBURN RURAL 4, TOPEKA WEST 0
No. 1 singles -- Casebeer, Washburn Rural, def. Magee, Topeka West, 8-4; No. 2 singles -- Von Lintel, Washburn Rural, def. Rodriguez, Topeka West, 8-0; No. 1 doubles -- Luetje/Knudtson, Washburn Rural, def. Hunninghake/Bidwell, Topeka West, 8-1; No. 2 doubles -- Park/Willingham, Washburn Rural, def. Rutledge/Engel, Topeka West, 8-1.
WASHBURN RURAL 4, LAWRENCE 0
No. 1 singles -- Casebeer, Topeka West, def. Dunn, Lawrence, 8-6; No. 2 singles -- Von Lintel, Washburn Rural, def. Rubenstein, Lawrence, 8-2; No. 1 doubles -- Luetje/Knudtson, Washburn Rural, def. S. Micka/Ammannn, Lawrence, 8-1; No. 2 doubles -- Park/Willingham, Washburn Rural, def. Hardie/Z. Micka, Lawrence, 8-4.
WASHBURN RURAL 4, SEAMAN 0
No. 1 singles -- Casebeer, Washburn Rural, def. Kruse, Seaman, 8-3; No. 2 singles -- Luetje, Washburn Rural, def. Hardin, Seaman, 8-1; No. 1 doubles -- Park/Willingham, Washburn Rural, def. Sullivan/Wagnon, Seaman, 8-4; No. 2 doubles -- Von Lintel/Newberry, Washburn Rural, def. Williams/Mott, Seaman, 8-2.
SEAMAN 3, TOPEKA WEST 1
No. 1 singles -- Kruse, Seaman, def. McGee, Topeka West, 8-1; No. 2 singles -- Hardin, Seaman, def. Rodriguez, Topeka West, 8-5; No. 1 doubles -- Sullivan/Wagnon, Seaman, def. Hunninghake/Bidwell, 8-5; No. 2 doubles -- Rutledge/Engel, Topeka West, def. Williams/Mott, Seaman, 8-1.
LAWRENCE 4, SEAMAN 0
No. 1 singles -- Dunn, Lawrence, def. Kruse, Seaman, 8-2; No. 2 singles -- Rubenstein, Lawrence, def. Hardin, Seaman, 8-6; No. 1 doubles -- S. Micka/Ammannn, Lawrence, def. Sullivan/Wagnon, Seaman, 8-0; No. 2 doubles -- Hardie/Z. Micka, Lawrence, def. Williams/Mott, Seaman, 8-5.
LAWRENCE 4, TOPEKA WEST 0
No. 1 singles -- Dunn, Lawrence, def. McGee, Topeka West, 8-6; No.. 2 singles -- Rubenstein, Lawrence, def. Rodriguez, Topeka West, 8-1; No. 1 doubles -- S. Micka/Ammannn, Lawrence, Lawrence, def. Hunninghake/Bidwell, Topeka West, 8-1; No. 2 doubles -- Hardie/Z. Micka, Lawrence, def. Rutledge/Engel, Topeka West, 8-2.
