Lady Buffs continue to dominate WAC championship
When the Garden City High School girls’ tennis team completed the 2024 Western Athletic Conference championship on Monday (Oct. 7), there was little doubt as to which team was the tops in the five-team conference.
The Lady Buffs scored 15 of a possible 16 points, winning three of the four divisions outright and tying for first in the other to easily net the school’s ninth consecutive WAC title and the 10th in the last 11 seasons.
It kept head coach Logan Bevis perfect in each of his five seasons at the program’s helm, in addition to several years as an assistant.
“The main message for this group, and I know it sounds like a cliche, but I told the girls before to stay focused and not overlook anybody,” Bevis said the day after title number nine was secured. “We see these players a million times over the years, and you become familiar with them, perhaps too familiar. You have to be ready for style changes when you get to this point in time.”
If there was one specific item Bevis could point to for this year’s success, it was easily the depth of his ‘24 Lady Buffs’ squad. Not only did he have experience at both singles and doubles divisions, but some of his top junior varsity players also stepped up during the season to play varsity without much dropoff.
“For us, being out here in western Kansas where we don’t have the facilities (indoor) nor the private coaching that the eastern and Wichita schools might have, it becomes a creative challenge to get girls to come out and stay out to learn the game,” Bevis said.
In the case of his current squad, it was a senior-laden team with four of the six varsity and nine of the top 10 competing in their final year.
Leading the pack was senior Danica Galia, who played No. 1 singles all year, won all four of her matches Monday in dominating fashion and then was named WAC Player of the Year. In her four matches, she lost just five games.
“She’s just been really steady and consistent most of the season,” Bevis said of Galia, who was 26-7 during the regular season prior to regionals on Oct. 10. “She’s been able to adjust to playing styles of her opponents much more so than in other years.”
Junior Quincy Nanninga was the top No. 2 singles player, also finishing 4-0 to improve her season record to 18-7 despite battling an injury late in the campaign.
“She’s battled through some physical issues, but adjusted her play on Monday and I’m proud of the effort she gave and played well,” Bevis said of Nanninga. “At times, it’s been a little bit of an up-and-down performance, but she’s hung in there and competed so well in the WAC tournament.”
The No. 1 doubles team was comprised of junior Chloe Ptacek and senior Jocelyn Kennedy, and the pair survived an early scare after losing their opening match to Hays’ Kaelin Maier and Alyse Zimmer in a heartbreaking tiebreak 7-8 (5). But they responded by winning three straight matches, including a final 8-4 margin over Great Bend’s Darcy Feist and Mac Lindberg. That duo had previously knocked off the Hays combo to set up a three-way tie for first in the division.
“They’ve had the most roller-coaster season that you can imagine, but Monday they fought off some of the old nerves and played well in their final three matches,” Bevis said.
His No. 2 doubles team of seniors Kourtney Kneeland and Sofia Madilo powered their way through the four matches, losing only five games. Two of their wins came with 8-0 shutouts.
“They’ve done a great job of playing consistent tennis,” Bevis said. “They’ve done a great job of playing at the 2 spot and have really upped their game this year.”
Bevis says building a program at a big 6A school in remote western Kansas is never an easy task, but he’s happy with the program’s development and the consistency that it has shown over the years.
“For us, it all depends on kids who want to come out, have fun, but also then learn how to compete,” Bevis said. “We’ve done some summer camps and clinics and an occasional tournament. We’re constantly trying to identify younger players and get them started earlier.”
While Bevis and his current team soak up another WAC title, he knows that continuing the success will always be challenging.
“We sometimes forget that it’s high school athletics, and it’s supposed to be fun for the kids and we do try and make it fun,” Bevis said. “Yet, you always want to be able to compete and I think we’ve put together a program that allows us to do that.”
Lady Buffs’ senior earns WAC Player of Year honor
Garden City senior Danica Galia has certain paid her dues during the four years of playing for the Lady Buffaloes’ tennis program.
She began her fledgling career in 2021 as a freshman on the junior varsity squad where she played singles. In her sophomore season, still playing singles, she remained on the JV squad but did get a taste of varsity action by playing with classmate Kourtney Kneeland where they qualified for the 6A state tournament.
Fast forward to her junior and senior campaigns, and Galia found herself promoted up to the No. 1 singles spot by winning challenge matches. All the hard work paid off as she breezed through the WAC tournament on Oct. 7, winning all four matches and dropping just five games in dominating fashion.
For her efforts, she was voted WAC Player of the year.
“It was very relieving and satisfying by how I played,” Madilo said a day after claiming the honor. “I just tried to stay positive and I started off strong.”
Madilo said that having played her four opponents during the regular season both helped and then caused her worries during the conference round-robin.
“I got a little nervous with Great Bend, and although I had beaten her before, we play different styles and sometimes I doubt myself,” Madilo said. “It’s just something I’ve tried very hard to overcome and it’s been better this year.”
Madilo finished second in the 2023 WAC tournament, losing to Kaylin Wahlmeier of Great Bend. She graduated last spring.
“I played a lot of tennis in the summer and off-season,” Madilo said. “I’ve tried to improve in all areas.”
She described herself as a confirmed baseline player due her height (about 5-2).
“I think I’m pretty quick in moving side to side, but I don’t do all that well at the net,” she said. “It’s too easy for an opponent to lob the ball over my head. My strengths are hitting it cross-court and hitting drop shots. I also can then hit a good passing shot.”
She reminds herself at times with quiet pep talks, calling it her AO or “audience of one.”
“I can listen to myself and stay positive and not get down on myself,” Madilo said. “My consistency has improved this year and I’m hitting the ball deeper into the court. If I see an opponent getting down on themselves, I try to use that to my advantage.”
Western Athletic Conference Championship
Monday, Oct. 7, 2024 • Great Bend
| PLACE | TEAM | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden City | 15 |
| 2 (T) | Hays | 9 |
| 2 (T) | Great Bend | 9 |
| 4 | Liberal | 4 |
| 5 | Dodge City | 3 |
Final Division Standings
(Winners of each division is 1st team all-WAC)
| PLACE | PLAYER | SCHOOL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Singles | 1 | Danica Galia | Garden City |
| 2 | Paige Stacey | Great Bend | |
| T3 | Ellie Bunkall | Dodge City | |
| T3 | Maycie Haldeman | Hays | |
| T3 | Kaylee Velasquez | Liberal | |
| No. 2 Singles | 1 | Quincy Nanninga | Garden City |
| T2 | Claire Stapp | Great Bend | |
| T2 | Isabelle Jones | Hays | |
| T2 | Evelyn Tarango | Liberal | |
| PLACE | PLAYERS | SCHOOL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Doubles | T1 | Chloe Ptacek Jocelyn Kennedy | Garden City |
| T1 | Kaelin Maier Alyse Zimmerman | Hays | |
| T1 | Mackenzie LaViolette Beth Hammeke | Great Bend | |
| No. 2 Doubles | 1 | Kourtney Kneeland Sofia Madilo | Garden City |
| 2 | Delia Dixon Emersyn Sander | Hays | |
| T3 | Marisol Banuelos Zoe Rojas | Dodge City | |
| T3 | Mackenzie LaViolette Beth Hammeke | Great Bend | |
| T3 | Seare Uribe Mariah Navarro | Liberal |
Coach of the Year–Logan Bevis, Garden City (5th season)
