WICHITA, Kan. —
The Kansas Coaches Association has released its 2010 girls tennis preseason rankings.
In class 4A, Topeka Hayden finds itself in the top spot as a preseason No. 1 after a third place finish at state last year. Wellington is in the No. 2 spot above last year’s champion Independence at No. 3. Second place finisher at state last year Hesston takes the No. 4 spot. Smoky Valley is mentioned just outside the top five.
Wellington finished fourth in 2009 and returns all but one of its starters.
Favored to repeat as state champions are 6A Blue Valley North and 3-2-1A Wichita Collegiate.
Maize is the only Wichita area representative in the 6A top five, taking the No. 4 spot. Goddard and Manhattan both make the others mentioned list. Both teams finished in a three-way tie for third at state last year.
Salina Central tops the list in 5A with McPherson taking the No. 2 spot. Central and McPherson finished second and third respectively at last year’s state tournament. St. Thomas Aquinas rounds out the top three, and City League rivals Kapaun and Bishop Carroll will battle it out once again with Kapaun ranked No. 4 and Carroll at No. 5. Carroll was tied with McPherson at state. Ark Valley Chisholm Trail Division II teams Arkansas City and Andover Central are mentioned as well.
Wichita Collegiate and Wichita Independent will start this season the way they ended last year; on top of 3-2-1A tennis. Collegiate takes the No. 1 spot as a defending champion while Independent is in at No. 2 after a second place finish at state. Conway Springs comes in at No. 4 and Ellinwood takes No. 5. Claflin is also mentioned on the list.
Below are the complete KCA 2010 girls tennis preseason rankings:
6A Girls Tennis Preseason Rankings
1 Blue Valley North
2 Shawnee Mission East
3 Topeka Washburn Rural
4 Maize
5 Stilwell Blue Valley
Others
Goddard
Manhattan
Blue Valley West
5A Girls Tennis Preseason Rankings
1 Salina Central
2 McPherson
3 St. Thomas Aquinas
4 Kapaun Mt. Carmel
5 Bishop Carroll
Others
Arkansas City
Topeka West
Andover Central
4A Girls Tennis Preseason Rankings
1 Topeka Hayden
2 Wellington
3 Independence
4 Hesston
5 Colby
Others
Smoky Valley
Parsons
St. James Academy
3-2-1A Girls Tennis Preseason Rankings
1 Wichita Collegiate
2 Wichita Independent
3 Marysville
4 Conway Springs
5 Ellinwood
Others
Claflin
Maranatha Academy
Kansas City Christian
