2025 1A Boys Season Previe

Getting started with the boys preview today checking out 1A. A top heavy season with a few title favorites leads the charge in 2025.

Key Dates:

March 17 - First Practices

May 14 - Districts

May 17 - Prelim Substate

May 21 - Substate

May 27-28 - Individual state tournament

June 3-4 - Team State tournament

June 10 - State Co-Ed Tournament

Storylines

Xavier and Wahlert have combined to win the team titles each year since 2016. Xavier has won 4 of the last 5 and return about as much as anyone this year with a veteran squad. Decorah was the last school to win a team championship besides these two back in 2015.
Sioux City Norths' Cale Ivener transferred to Sergeant Bluff-Luton this past fall, bolstering an already strong SBL team that finished ranked #6 last spring. Warriors are looking to push for a championship this year.
The Dutch from Pella are in rebuild mode? Singles state champ Jack Briggs, along with four other starters all have graduated leaving one starter to return. How with they fare this season?
Can North Polk's Easton Moon claim the singles state title this year? He won the doubles crown last season with his brother, and with North Polk down this year, Moon surely will be focused on getting a singles crown into his possession.

Team State Title Contenders

Xavier: Winners of 5 team championships since 2017, the Saints lost a heartbreaker at the hands of Wahlert to finish out 2024. That being said, they are in prime position to reclaim the mountain in 2025. Returning most of their lineup and the addition of freshman Grant Golding, Xavier potentially has the stronger depth in the state.

Sergeant Bluff-Luton: Coming off the best season in their short program history, the Warriors are back and stronger than ever. Headlined by former multi-sport athlete and 2024 singles place-winner Tyler Grote, SBL returns everyone, and also adds Sioux City North transfer Cale Ivener to bolster the squad even more. The only downside is their schedule, being isolated from many of the other top teams makes that part difficult. Experience will play a part of the state tournament finish in June as they try to end Xavier and Wahlert's reign.

Wahlert: The Golden Eagles claimed their 11th team title in 2024, matching Iowa City West for the most team championships among boys tennis programs in Iowa. The graduation of Roan Martineau and Charlie Curtiss hurt Wahlert in their quest to repeat in 2025. That being said, the rest of the lineup from last year returns and will look to keep the storied success alive. Wahlert is going to have to win big in the ladder spots this year to have their best shot.

Players to Watch

Easton Moon - North Polk

Charlie Legrand - Xavier

Tyler Grote - SBL

Cal Martineau - Wahlert

Parker Stroh - Columbus

Ruimin Luo - Fairfield

Jacob Schmit - Xavier

Chase Miller - Wahlert

Three Bold Predictions

SBL will finish runner-up in the team tournament
Xavier will advance 3 of their 4 entries to the singles/doubles state semi-finals
There will be 16 different teams ranked in the top 10 throughout the season

Team State Prediction

SF: Xavier def. WSR

SF: SBL def. Wahlert

F: Xavier def. SBL

Singles State Champion Prediction

Easton Moon, North Polk

Doubles State Champions Prediction

Some Xavier combo of Legrand, Schmit, Jasper, Link, Johnson