2024 marks the second year that the boys districts will not impact team play moving forward in the postseason! Districts as of last year, solely is responsible for determining the state singles and doubles tournament fields where the champion and runner-ups of each district advance. The district assignments looked pretty solid all around from what I could see. Enjoy the weekend and rest up for what is about to be a busy Wednesday of boys high school tennis! Let the postseason begin.
2024 Postseason HQ Page
Class 1A Tidbits
Host: Boone
A pretty wide open site over at Boone where a lot of opportunities are in front of a lot of players. The host Boone themselves, headlines this site as the only ranked team here, and this is a great chance for the Toreadors to show they are one of the great teams in the state and get multiple entries to the individual state tournament. Tate Neymeyer of Aplington-Parkersburg is the presumed singles favorite at this site.
Host: Columbus
#1 ranked Dubuque Wahlert will make their way to Waterloo tomorrow with hopes of qualifying all 6 of their entries to the state tournament. The Golden Eagles are headlined by top 10 ranked Roan Martineau who has had a great season up to this point. It is unknown who will go singles and doubles for Wahlert. Others to keep an eye on are also top 10 ranked, Tanner Laube of Grunder Center, freshman Parker Stroh of host Columbus, as well as sophomore Max Froschle from Central Dewitt. The Sabers join Wahlert as top 10 ranked teams in this region. A tough site tomorrow could feature a few upsets.
Host: Decorah
Marking down defending state singles champ Caden Branum as the singles champion at their host site in pen. Nobody will give Branum any trouble as his quest for a repeat begins. WSR and Decorah make up the top 10 ranked teams at this district. Benny Ramker for the Go-Hawks would be my next pick to finish runner-up in singles. A lot of opportunities for doubles pairs here tomorrow.
Host: Denison-Schleswig
Assuming the Moon brothers from #4 ranked North Polk go singles again like last year, make them in with marker to make it back to state. Both Ethan and Easton were top 4 finishers in 2023. Don't be surprised (I don't think it is likely) to see the brothers in the doubles field and try their luck at a doubles crown this spring. After that, everything else is wide open for whatever draw the Moon's are not in.
Host: Fairfield
The Saints enter this district as the #3 ranked team in 1A and boast the 2023 singles runner-up in Charlie LeGrand. Should be the Xavier show here down in Fairfield tomorrow where I expect the Saints to either get all their entries to state or close to it. Ruimin Luo of Fairfield is a player to watch as well that with the right draw, could make it back to state singles again.
Host: Spencer
The #8 Sergeant Bluff Luton Warriors are looking to keep building off a historic season. They are undefeated, have earned a top 10 ranking for the first time, and now ready to see if they can get some players to the individual state tournaments. Tyler Grote and Nathan Myers of the Warriors are some guys to watch, along with Bishop Heelan's Easton Lubarski. The First Serve tennis center players are sure to battle it out for state berths.
Host: Pella
The Dutch have been ranked #2 all year, have had two players ranked in the top ten in Jack Briggs and Josh Roozeboom nearly all season as well. The Dutch finally broke through last spring and captured a doubles title and Jack Briggs returns again this spring. This is a really interesting situation. With the thinking by most people around the state of Caden Branum and the Moon brothers going singles this year, is there really any incentive to put the best guys into the singles draw this year? Briggs has beaten both Moon's this season, so maybe he tries to go singles and push to take out Branum in the finals. Pella gets all entries to state this year.
Host: Red Oak
This one is short and sweet...I do not know a ton about any of the teams here. Shenandoah is a top 10 ranked team and Glenwood was for most of the season. Christian Jensen of Lewis Central, Andrew Lawrence of Shenandoah, Evan Timmerman of Southwest Valley, and Kayden Anderson of Glenwood are the main four players here and if they all go singles, only two will make state. Good luck to all teams and players at Red Oak!
Class 2A Tidbits
Host: Iowa City West
Two top 10 teams. in host Iowa City West and Bettendorf kick off the 2A portion of this preview. The Trojans are in a little bit of unfamiliar territory being ranked outside the top 2 for the first time since the rankings started in 2015 potentially. Look out for the Trojans to be very tough and grab multiple bids tomorrow. Also keep an eye out for Robert Matera and Noah Gehler of Bettendorf. It is unclear if Matera will be able to go as he has been battling an injury as of late. Freshman Parker Holland of CR Jefferson could also be a bid stealer tomorrow in Iowa City.
Host: Linn-Mar
Another pair of top 10 ranked teams in Linn-Mar and CR Washington. Go ahead and mark this down as the Lions and Warriors show as both teams will battle for all of the state bids I anticipate. Depending on who goes singles and doubles, could help tip the scales for one of these squads.
Host: Marshalltown
#8 and #9 Dowling and Prairie headline this district as tomorrow approaches. #3 ranked player Anthony Schulte should have little trouble earning his way back to the singles state tournament. After Schulte, let the games begin to see who ends up in the finals securing state berths.
Host: Mason City
Presuming Mason City's Reed Kruger goes singles this year, go ahead and pencil in him along with Fort Dodge's Micah Flaherty as the singles final. Should they both be in singles, that leaves a wide open doubles draw where many players have a great chance and reaching state. Justin Yarahmadi of the Riverhawks would be another guy to watch as he was a doubles qualifier with Kruger last spring.
Host: Norwalk
Maybe the only district that does not feature a top 10 ranked team. The opportunities at Norwalk tomorrow are huge with no massive favorites. That being said, Abhay Anil of Iowa City High who has been in and out of the top 10 rankings this spring would be a favorite for the singles title. CBAL's Chris Wailes was a singles state qualifier a year ago and I expect him to be back in the singles field.
Host: North Scott
#3 Pleasant Valley you'd think should be a pretty heavy favorite to get all of their entries through, and while I think they are in line to do so, there are going to be some tough matches for them along the way. IC Liberty's Jack Sounders and North Scott's Lucas Persson are going to be the biggest obstacles for the Spartans as their quest begins. #4 Folu Adekunle went doubles last spring, will be go doubles again this year or appear back in the singles field. The singles field should be tough over at North Scott tomorrow.
Host: Sioux City North
Nothing to say here as Waukee NW should get everyone to state.
Host: Valley
#2 ranked Quinn Monson will punch his ticket back to singles state tomorrow. After Monson, look for Valley to be strong in doubles with their top pair of Sissel/Berg (should they go doubles). Assuming the Tiger pair is in doubles, newly ranked top 10 player Toby Schmidt of Ottumwa would be my pick to oppose Monson in the singles title match.
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