After a lengthy, but a successful season, De Soto High School tennis season, doubles partners junior Cole Krudwig and senior Connor Fitzsimmons played at the State tournament on Friday, May 14 in Wichita.

Krudwig and Fitzsimmons were the only De Soto tennis team members who competed at State after taking third place at Regionals.

The pair also obtained a first place at the UKC tournament, after finishing a match between fellow DHS tennis players, seniors Luke LebBar and Sean Ferrel. 

The pair began playing doubles together early on in the 2021 season, both excited to begin playing again after a canceled 2020 season. 

“It was exciting to play tennis again, after not having a season last year. I was really looking forward to winning some matches,” said Krudwig.

The doubles team went 26-5 overall, leading up to State, although suffered a loss at State due to the competitive climate.

“Once we got to Wichita, it was exciting because there was an opening ceremony for the tournament, where they announced every team that would be competing,” Krudwig said, “It was kind of awkward to have everyone’s names called off but definitely a good experience.”

Fitzsimmons will be continuing to play tennis in college at Pratt Community College.

“It was nice having a season this year, it gave me a great chance to go to State and to perform at the top of my game, where I was offered a scholarship to play tennis at Pratt Community College,” Fitzsimmons said. 

Fitzsimmons will hopefully have more successful tennis seasons in the future playing in a more competitive post-high school environment.