5\/15\/2026 4:11:16 PM<\/p>\n
By: KSHSAA COVERED STAFF<\/strong>
WICHITA \u2014\u00a0If there were any doubts about Blue Valley West\u2019s pursuit of a fourth straight Class 6A\u00a0boys\u00a0tennis championship, the Jaguars spent Friday erasing them one match at a time.\u00a0
By the end of the opening day at Riverside Tennis Complex, Blue Valley West had positioned itself exactly where it wanted to be \u2014 with all four entries still alive and guaranteed finalists in both singles and doubles.\u00a0
The Jaguars\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0have scripted a much better start to the state tournament.\u00a0
Blue Valley West placed both of its singles players in Saturday\u2019s semifinals, highlighted by a dominant performance from senior Jonah Stolte. The No. 2 seed rolled past Olathe South\u2019s No. 7 Nolan Fosha, 6-0, 6-1, to advance.\u00a0
Stolte, a two-time state runner-up, moved one step closer to the elusive singles championship that has narrowly escaped him during his decorated career.\u00a0
On the other side of the bracket, teammate and No. 3 seed Aarya Anjankar survived one of the day\u2019s tougher tests, rallying for a three-set victory over Blue Valley Northwest\u2019s Luca Ospino, 5-7,\u00a06-4, 6-4.\u00a0
That result set up an all-Blue Valley West semifinal Saturday morning, guaranteeing the Jaguars a singles finalist.\u00a0
The dominance\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0stop there.\u00a0
In doubles, the Jaguars flexed their depth as both teams marched into the semifinals. No. 1 seed Ishaan Musti and Ganesh Skrikanth, both juniors, controlled their quarterfinal from start to finish, defeating Maize\u2019s No. 8-seeded duo of Alex Benage and Devin Francis, 6-1, 6-3.\u00a0
Blue Valley\u00a0West\u2019s\u00a0other tandem of Hayden Gansen and Marcus Sha, the No. 4 seed, looked equally sharp in a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Washburn Rural\u2019s No. 5-seeded pair of Dylan Willingham and Cale Duetscher.\u00a0
Like singles, the Jaguars will square off against one another in Saturday\u2019s semifinals, assuring Blue Valley West another berth in a state championship match and adding valuable team points toward its title defense.\u00a0
On the opposite side of the singles bracket, Free State asserted itself as a major contender behind the state\u2019s top-ranked player.\u00a0
No. 1 seed Micah Ward, the lone undefeated singles player in Kansas, continued his dominant postseason run with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory over Shawnee Mission East\u2019s Christopher Long.\u00a0
Ward will face a familiar opponent in Saturday\u2019s semifinals \u2014 teammate Ishaan Rao.\u00a0
The No. 4 seed battled through a tough quarterfinal against Manhattan\u2019s No. 5 Jay Hoke, bouncing back after dropping the second set to earn a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory and give Free State two semifinalists.\u00a0
Blue Valley Northwest also stayed alive in doubles as No. 3 seed Srinivasa Vel and Anay Oberoi rallied after dropping the opening set to defeat Shawnee Mission South\u2019s Ryder Heaven and Carson Mower, 1-6, 6-3, 6-0.\u00a0
They will meet Shawnee Mission East\u2019s Aidan Lashley and Teddy Long in Saturday\u2019s semifinals after the No. 2-seeded Lancers duo survived a marathon quarterfinal battle, outlasting Olathe Northwest\u2019s Aidan Messerly and Bryan Branstrom, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5.\u00a0
Class 6A state tennis action resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday at Riverside Tennis Complex.\u00a0