by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — For the first time since 2010, when Wellington won the Class 4A Girls Tennis State Championship, the Crusaders qualified all six participants Saturday afternoon in the Class 4A Regional in Pratt.

Wellington also became regional runner-up, only trailing Wichita Collegiate – which ran away with the tournament with 25 points. The Crusaders tied Maize South with 14 points but won the tie-breaker. Scott City and Larned had 2 and Hays had 1. Colby, Pratt, Ulysses, and Wichita Trinity failed to score.

“The girls came through at the right time this weekend and rallied around each other,” said Brian Aufdengarten, Wellington head girls tennis coach.

Now Wellington travels to Winfield, for the Class 4A State tournament, Friday and Saturday. Play will begin around 11:30 a.m.

In front of the largest contingency of fans at the regional, Wellington lived up to it seeding— in fact, exactly up to its seeding. (see full bracket here).

In doubles, Kylie Aufdengarten/MeKenna Adams were seeded No. 2 in doubles. They finished second. Avery Rusk/Lauryn Snipes were the fifth seed, and placed fifth.

Abby Lowe was a fifth seed and finished fifth in singles. Lexi Saffell was sixth, and – you guessed it- placed sixth.

Lowe may have had the most eventful weekend. She played a three-hour marathon against Lessard of Larned in the regional qualifier an would win 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

“Oh thank goodness,” Aufdengarten said. “I know Abby knew everyone had qualified for state and I’m sure she was feeling the pressure.”

The weekend ended with her playing teammate Saffell for fifth place and winning 6-1, 7-6 (5).

Both Saffell and Lowe had similar routes, winning their first round matches before losing in the second round on Friday. Both would have to win their first match on Saturday to qualify for state. Saffell had an easier time in here match with Wyse of Hays, winning 6-2, 6-4.

In doubles, Aufdengarten/Adams had an outstanding tournament, beating the Ulysses duo 6-0, 6-0 and then Larned 6-2-62. That put them up against Ruffin/Lair of Wichita Collegiate. They would win after a tough first game, 7-5, to sweep Collegiate in the second 6-0.

In the finals, they lost to Cody/Geoffroy of Wichita Collegiate 6-2, 6-0.

“In the finals the Wellington pair kept it close at the very start 2-2, then that was it,” Aufdengarten said. “I’m very proud of these two this weekend, but wasn’t thrilled about the final. We made them look too good, we can play much better.”  

The pair will get a first round bye at state on Friday.  

Snipes/Rusk, who won the No. 2 division of the AV-CTL DIV tournament earlier in the week, would qualify for state, despite losing a heartbreaker on Friday.

After winning the first match over Scott City 6-2, 6-0, Rusk/Snipes played Cole/Sellens, the fourth seed from Maize South.

The Wellington pair jumped out to a 3-0 lead but it disappeared and Wellington lost 6-4 in the first set.  The next set Snipes/Rusk took control again and won 6-2.  Then came the third set super tiebreak where it was very even and Wellington had a 8-7 lead, before the next point hit the top of the net and fell over to tie it 8-8.  

Maize South then won the next two points for the match. So Snipes and Rusk were done on day one also, but were still guaranteed to play on Saturday. They would then beat Bullock/Burnett of Maize South 6-3, 6-3 before beating Appel/Price of Scott City to finish fifth.

 With all the matches Wellington tied Maize South for second, but won because Wellington’s players had a better win percentage having a 62 percent to Maize South’s 49 percent.

Follow us on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter.