Lawrence tennis takes title

LHS senior Ryan Abbott makes a return shot. The Lawrence Round Robin tennis tournament was Saturday at the Lawrence Tennis Center.

Thanks to their showing at Saturday’s Round Robin tennis tournament at the Lawrence Tennis Center, Lawrence High doubles partners Taylor Seratte and Will Conley have plenty of ammunition for their master plan.

“Cash4gold.com, baby,” said Conley, moments after he and Seratte picked up a pair of gold medals from the six-team event.

Seratte and Conley finished the day 5-0 at No. 1 doubles and helped pace the Lions to a first-place team finish, edging out Mill Valley and Lansing. For both triumphs, the two picked up small, gold medallions.

The Lions’ top doubles team was not the only LHS-affiliated squad to pick up a little hardware Saturday. The No. 2 doubles team of Byron Varberg and Michael Sang finished 4-1 and placed second, No. 2 singles player Thomas Zheng also went 4-1 and placed second, and No. 1 singles player Ryan Abbott placed third at 3-2.

“The level of competition out here today was great,” LHS coach Steve Hudson said. “We won enough to build our confidence and lost enough to be humbled.”

LHS actually fielded two teams at Saturday’s tourney. The Lions’ JV squad also competed in the event, with No. 2 doubles team Mac Moore and Edirin Agoghbuia finishing 3-2 and in third place.

The Lions won the event for the second straight season and next will play host to a dual against Free State High on Monday.

Seabury Academy placed fourth thanks to the strong play of No. 2 singles player David Lawrence (3-2, third place), No. 1 singles player Kansas Fiori-Brown (2-3, fourth place) and No. 1 doubles team Bill Gibbs and Skyler Malone (2-3, fourth place).