Final Four time! 4 teams, 1 champion. Des Moines is the home of the tournament play tomorrow and I know these four teams are ready to roll. It doesn't look like it will be very hot with temperatures in the 60s, and hopefully no rain! I am excited for a great day of play tomorrow and a new champion will be crowned!
Location: Waveland Tennis Courts, Des Moines
Start time: 8:30am
I may or may have not got called out on my thoughts about LeMars. I have not had them in my rankings and wasn't high on them reaching the final four. I ate my words (or lack of words actually) and here they are back into the Final Four once again. LeMars has had a nearly flawless year going 10-1 with their one set back to Spirit Lake. They took out St. Albert and avenged their regular season loss to Spirit Lake in the quarterfinals. Congrats to Zach Wingert for LeMars as well for finishing 8th in 1A singles! Now they will take on the Saints. Xavier was the 2017 team state champions and here they are again. How did they get here? They survived the "death district" which included Wahlert, Columbus and AP. The Saints have played a tough schedule with being in the MVC where they face off against 2A competition each week. While I think they are the favorites against LeMars, I could see this going to doubles before the Saints close it out. These two met in the 2017 final with the Saints dominating the meet to a 5-0 win. Xavier is not as experienced as years past with two returning starters from last years team, much of the lineup has not been in this position before. Nerves may kick in and I think Xavier takes this one in doubles.
Prediction Xavier 5, LeMars 2
Like LeMars, I was not expecting Norwalk to advance to the final four. Kudos to them for proving me wrong. Norwalk, now the home to the doubles state champions of AJ Clarkwilt and Drew Hall. The Warriors took out Ballard and Boone in route to the semi-finals. Clarkwilt, the Coe College commit, leads the team at the top spot and is looking for another signature win for a spot in the final. These two teams played in the regular season and Pella took a 6-3 win. Pella is back to the final four and comes in with and unblemished record this year. Unfortunately, they do not have the luxury like Xavier to play a heavy 2A competition schedule. Will that hurt their chances? I am not sure but what I am sure of is this Pella team is good, this Norwalk team is good and this semi-final is going to be close.
Prediction: Pella 5, Norwalk 3
Championship Match
Here comes the heavy weight battle between the best of the east and the best of the west. These teams did not play each other in the regular season. Unfortunately there is not as much cross play, if at all, in 1A and I would love to see that become a regular thing in the future. Like I said up above, Xavier lost a lot of starters to graduation last year and could be vulnerable this time around. The fact they are in a 2A dominated conference I think is going to help them and the experience the players have gained throughout the season will show. That being said, Pella is nothing to roll over about. This is a good and disciplined team that has had success over the years. Jordan Roozeboom leads the Dutch at the top spot and Jack Edwards had a great state showing over the weekend finishing 3rd in singles. Roozeboom and Edwards against Horstmann and Johnson I think will be good matches at the top couple spots, however, I believe the lower part of the lineups and doubles will decide this one.
Prediction: Xavier 5, Pella 4
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