Salina Central Tennis finishes as 5A State Runner-Up

By Jackson Schneider October 15, 2023

Salina Central entered 2023 with high expectations on the tennis court. The team finished in third place in 2022 and returned five of their six competitors to the roster.

Saturday at the new Salina Tennis Center, the Mustangs put a bow on yet another special season.

Lead by Senior, and four-time State Qualifier, Janae Montoya’s 7th-place singles finish, the Mustangs finished their season as the 5A State Runners-Up. Andover took the team State Title, the third-consecutive won my the Trojans.

Salina Central had two doubles tandems competing, despite a little last minute adversity.

Claire Renfro and Kinsley Foth were set to be the State Tournament’s #4 seed, but an injury suffered by Foth in the Regional Final forced Central into a late change. Brooke Banninger stepped in to assist Renfro, and the tandem succeeded right away, finishing in 10th place out of the 24 doubles teams.

Their Central doubles counterparts of Mallory and Addison Renfro entered the tournament as the #3 seed in the tournament, but stumbled in a tight, third-set loss to a group from Bonner Springs, forcing them to fight back on the backside of the bracket. They did exactly that.

The pair fought all the way back intp the 5th place match where they got a second crack at Ashford & Kline from Bonner Springs. The Renfro’s left no doubt. A dominant 8-1 win secured the 5th place medal and redemption for the early round loss.

Overall, a second place team finish at the first State Tennis Tournament held in Saline in 20 years is a rousing success for Coach McKenzie Weishaar and the Mustangs.