CHANUTE — The Iola Mustangs will send three players to this Friday’s state tournament in Topeka after sophomore Mosiah Fawson won the 4A regional tournament and senior No. 1 doubles team of Trapper Boren and Brody Thompson secured a sixth-place finish.
For Fawson, this will not be his first state tournament, but Saturday marked his first regional title.
“It started a little slow, but I got better toward the end,” Fawson said. “My first games are always slow, but by the end I start to pick it up and do my best.”
Fawson opened with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over senior Xander Jones of Baldwin. He then defeated senior Kemper Manly of Chanute in three sets, falling in the first 6-3 before rebounding for a 6-1 win in the second, then sealing the match with a 6-3 victory in the third to move on to the finals.
Fawson had an easier time in the finals while defeating Bishop Meige sophomore Nathan Guernsey 6-0, 6-3 for his first regional title. 
“I knew I could win that game, so I just played to my strength, power hit and tried to move him,” said Fawson, who was limited with an ankle injury at state last year.
“I’m excited to see what seed I get. Last year, I played guys I should have beat but lost because I could not run as well.”
In doubles action, Thompson and Boren opened with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over the Ottawa pairing of Riley Holden and Kaden Stoy. They fell to eventual regional runners-up Joe Charles and Owen Myers of Bishop Miege, taking the second set 7-6, and falling in the second, 6-4, and third, 10-8.
“We should have had it. I was pretty down on myself about it,” said Thompson, who will make his second run at a state title after qualifying in 2024. “We fought after that.”
In the consolation bracket, Thompson and Boren advanced with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Paola pairing Brennan Bulland Daniel Caster. They ended the day falling in the fifth-place game to Fort Scott’s pairing of Landon McDaniel and Levi Fairchild 7-5, 7-6.
“It’s pretty exciting. Tennis is the only sport where I’ve gone to state,” Boren said. “I can’t wait, but I’m also a little nervous.”
Freshmen No. 2 singles Logan Belknap and Maddux Franklin also participated in the regional tournament, falling in the first round to the Baldwin pairing of Matthew Gunther and Dan Welch.
For Iola coach Chris Belknap, the state tournament is the culmination of a multi-year process and he can’t wait to see what they can do after advancing out of one of the state’s toughest regionals. 
“It’s been harder in the past, but we lucked out a little bit,” Belknap said. “Parsons and Independence are always really strong, but we got switched to a different regional this year. We’ll be ready for it.”
With only so much physical improvement possible over the next few days, Coach Belknap said his focus for the Mustangs is on handling the high-pressure, mental aspects of tennis.
“We need to go out and represent our school and and stay positive,” Belknap said.
