Free State’s Alexis Czapinski to play for fifth at state

? Free State High’s Alexis Czapinski won her first-round match, but fell in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A state tennis tournament on Friday.

Czapinski beat Olathe East’s Erica Chang, 6-2, 6-0, but fell to Washburn Rural’s Madeline Hill, 6-2, 6-2.

“Alexis had an amazing second match, which was much closer than the score reflected,” FSHS coach Oather Strawderman said.

Czapinski will play today for fifth place.

The city’s other singles representative, Lawrence High’s Chloe Clement, lost to Derby’s Morgan Hughes, 7-5, 7-5, and to Maize’s Hannah Hills, 9-1.

Both city doubles teams lost first-round matches, but rebounded.

Free State’s Caitlyn Tilden and Guin Toalson lost to a team from O-East (2-6, 6-4 (7-10)), but beat a duo from Wichita Northwest, 9-3.

Lawrence’s Taylor Eubanks and Abby Gillam fell to a team from Blue Valley Northwest (6-2, 6-4), but beat a team from Garden City (9-7).

“I was very proud of our team and I thought we played very well our first matches,” LHS coach Chris Marshall said. “Unfortunately, a couple points didn’t go our way, but I was happy with getting three players to state, and I was happy with our season.”