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BV North sweeps singles and doubles titles at Kansas 6A state tennis tournament
By TEREZ A. PAYLORThe Kansas City Star
However, a return wasn’t even needed. The ball landed helplessly out of bounds, and just like that, Sock — the eighth-ranked junior tennis player in America — became a Kansas state singles champion with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Shawnee Mission North junior Kevin Moore in the finals of the Kansas 6A state tennis tournament on Saturday at Goddard High School.
Sock’s victory capped a remarkable day for BV North, which also had its doubles team of senior Hank Lee and junior Eric Sock win the state title with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over SM East’s team of senior Jack Peterson and sophomore P.J. Guignon in the finals.
While BV North swept the individual honors, the team title went to SM East. The Lancers scored 38 team points, besting BV North’s 32. But that failed to dampen the Mustangs’ enthusiasm.
“They played as well as they can possibly play,” said BV North assistant coach Janice Sim, referring to her team’s performance on the final day of the tournament. “They did what they came out here to do — we’re thrilled.”
Sock, much like he had his other opponents, frustrated Moore with his steady and aggressive play.
Earlier in the day, Sock used the same formula to defeat BV West sophomore Max Helgeson 6-0, 6-0, in the semifinals.
The win against Moore was a fitting ending to a dominant season for Sock, who started playing high school tennis in mid-to-late April after he won the prestigious Easter Bowl and promptly asserted himself as the best singles player in the area.
Sock went 17-0 on his way to the state title, with victories against the second-though-fifth place finishers in 6A — Moore, SM East junior Chris Fotopoulos (third), Helgeson (fourth) and Olathe Northwest senior J.T. Christian (fifth) — along the way.
“I came in halfway through the season and I didn’t really know what to expect from these guys,” Sock said.
“I heard some of their records, but I just went into the matches and played my game.”
Lee and Eric Sock were not outshined by their freshman counterpart.
Lee and Sock’s fourth victory over Peterson and Guignon this year helped them finish with a record of 26-1 and put the finishing touches on a season in which they won the East Kansas League title, regional title and now, state title.
“This championship means a lot to us,” said Eric Sock. “We’ll think about it for a while.”
But despite having both the state championship singles player and doubles team, the Mustangs still couldn’t bring home the team title.
SM East, which in addition to Peterson and Guignon’s second-place finish had Fotopoulos finish third in singles and Sam Amrein and Ross Guignon take third in doubles, won its first team title since 2006.
“I am so excited for them,” said SM East coach Sue Chipman. “They did such a great job.”