By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time best teams in 21 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. The project continues with girls tennis and readers will have the opportunity to vote for teams in that sport through August 2, with the top teams in all categories announced in late July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on https://take.quiz-maker.com/poll4877986x8cA04ebD-151 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
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The Kansas State High School Activities Association didn't begin holding state tournaments in girls tennis until 1985, and Shawnee County made an immediate impact, with Corey Wilson's Topeka West team earning the Class 6A team title in the first year of state events.
Hayden captured its first girls state tennis team championship in 2022, sweeping the singles, doubles and team titles. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
That West championship was the beginning of a long record of success for local teams, who have won six team titles, including Hayden's dominant run in the 2022 4A state meet, while also posting numerous runnerup team finishes.
Topeka West leads the way with three state crowns, with Wilson's Chargers adding 6A titles in 1987 and '94.
West won the '85 championship by a 59-52 margin over Wichita Southeast as Stacy Cook and Diana Gaither winning the state doubles crown in an all-West final over teammates Amy Bybee and Andrea Hazlett.
The Chargers also topped the 6A standings in '87, with state doubles champs Tonna Rieger and Morgan Dietz leading the way as West topped Shawnee Mission East by a 39-34 margin, and Meg Griffin won the 6A singles title in '94 as West took a 29-24 decision over runnerup Garden City.
Washburn Rural earned its first of two 6A team titles in '90, with Bob Gladfelter's Junior Blues taking state on a tiebreaker over Manhattan as Danielle Knipp finished third in singles and
Heather Dobbs and Marie Gruffy took third in doubles.
Kevin Hedberg's Washburn Rural's girls won the Class 6A state team title in 1993. taking a 38-29 win over Shawnee Mission East. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Kevin Hedberg's Junior Blues added a title in '93 by a 38-29 margin over SM East as Knipp finished second in 6A singles and Megan McBride and Jenie VanVlack were second in doubles.
After a string of second-place team finishes, including a tiebreaker loss in '91 Christy Sheetz's Hayden team broke through with the school's first state team title last fall with a dominating performance, sweeping the singles, doubles and team titles.
Ainzley Zulueta captured her second straight state singles championship while Lauren Sandstrom and Emily Sheetz took the doubles title as the Wildcats won the team title by a 40-31 win over Independence.
Washburn Rural's '86 team, which finished second in 6A, also merited a spot on the list of girls tennis contenders as did Hayden's runnerup teams in '91, '06 and '18.
Wildcat state singles champ Zebbie Robertson led the '91 team whiile three-time state champ Alex O'Neal led the '06 team and four-time state champ Brooklyn Hunter was the leader of the '18 team.
Vote for your favorite team at https://take.quiz-maker.com/poll4877986x8cA04ebD-151 while readers also have the option of writing in a candidate.
Vote as many times as you wish. Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes in girls tennis will be accepted through August 2 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in late July and August.
NEXT UP: Boys tennis (ballot will be published on TopSports.news on Thursday).
