We love Iowa High School Tennis and I am continuing to push along and give you guys some type of content! Preview #3 is here where we take a peak at the 2A Girls Ind. Regionals. Some names you might know, some names might be new. No matter who, this will be the start of a fun post season where defending champions start title defenses, first time state qualifies and more state champions will be crowned. May 15 is the first step in the post season grind.
Site: Fort Dodge
Teams: Boone, #3 Dowling, Fort Dodge, SC East, SC North, SC North
Moving over to 2A we go. Fort Dodge is the host of the first regional featuring the Sioux City teams, Boone and #3 Dowling. Dowling is the favorite to send multiple entries to state here in this region, and I would be a bit surprised if another entry gets to this regions final. Dowling is led by Kaylyn Chleborad and Allison Szalay and I am curious to see if they will be in the doubles field or split for the two singles entries. Things have taken a slight twist for the Des Moines team as Sofia Sackett now has a stress fracture in her foot and I am guessing that she will most likely be done for the season. Dowling has been dominant all year and I expect the same for this individual region.
Site: Johnston
#5 Johnston has the luxury of playing on their home courts for this region. The singles title is most likely spoken for in defending state singles champion Cari Naanep of Johnston. Naanep will be eager to begin her title defense starting at home. Cari is undefeated so far on the year and her only close match came with Arunadee Fernando of Ames, a player who is likely to challenger her for the singles title. The question here in this region is who captures the other singles state berth? I honestly think any of the other teams has a shot at getting a singles state qualifier. On the other hand for the doubles side, Alli and Jordyn Gustafson of Ankeny Centennial are a formidable pair that I believe can get to the state tournament. They should be competing with a Johnston doubles pair for the regional title.
Site: Valley
Teams: CB TJ, Indianola, DM Hoover, DM North, #7 Urbandale, Valley
Region no. 3 featuring mostly Des Moines area teams with a sprinkle of Council Bluffs. Valley is set to host at the beautiful Southwoods tennis complex. I have heard it can get pretty windy there, does it? Eh, maybe I am wrong. What I do know is there will be some good tennis matches here with #7 Urbandale and Valley leading the charge. Urbandales Mylea Cole and Brooke Dannefeldt i'm guessing will lead the pack in the doubles draw. Cole/Dannefeldt has been a regular in the doubles state tournament, participating in it the past two years as a pair finishing 5th in 2017 and 3rd in 2018. Seasoned veterans in doubles they will both be looking to make that leap to the doubles title match. Teammate Katie Carver will be in the mix for a singles state berth, she has had a great year and I don't think there will be enough firepower in the draw to keep her out of the region finals. Other notables include Paeton Morrow and Ava Torgerson of Valley who I think will be the challengers for the doubles title in this region.
Site: SE Polk
Teams: #1 Ames, Ankeny, CB AL, DM Lincoln, SE Polk, Waukee
The Little Cyclones have been dominant and more this year. After a heart breaking finish in the team state final to IC West last year, Ames has been waiting for the chance to start the post season and get back to the final. Well guess what Little Cyclones, it's almost time for post season and here we begin with individual regionals. Ames should get almost all of their entries if not all to state. Ames top two doubles teams are quite strong and could challenge for the state doubles crown this year, but I am not sure who will be in singles or doubles. Arunadee Fernando took Naanep to the brink in their dual meet this year and is one of the best players in the state. Fernando and Lauren Couves also make up a really good doubles tandem. Another notable to look out for in this region that has a chance in singles to get to state but will be a tough road is Elizabeth Messman of Waukee.
Site: Cedar Falls
Teams: #6 Cedar Falls, Dubuque Senior, Marshalltown, Mason City, Waterloo East, Waterloo West
I cannot wait to see Cedar Falls take on IC West next week because that should bring some fireworks. Cedar Falls is undefeated and looks very strong, where the Women of Troy are no doubt very strong, they just have a little less firepower without star player Emma Koch. But hey, lets worry about that next week because this is regionals time. While Cedar Falls has the best team in this region, I think a couple other players have good shots at reaching the finals and therefore making state. First and foremost, Krisha and Mira Keeran of the Tigers I could see going doubles and being a top contender for a state doubles title. But, I could also see Krisha going singles as she is one of the best players in the state. Natalie Kaiser of Dubuque Senior and Emily Miller of Marshalltown I think will be in the singles draw and if CF elects to send the Keeran's doubles, they have a nice opportunity making state.
Site: Pleasant Valley
Teams: Burlington, CR Jeff, Davenport North, Davenport West, #10 Dubuque Hempstead, #4 Pleasant Valley
I think the Pleasant Valley region could quietly be the most competitive. Yes, the Spartans are ranked #4, however, they lost to graduation one of the best players in program history, Lily Feldman. The Spartans are still chugging along without any trouble this year. Kayla Nutt has taken over the top spot and the junior will be ready to start the post season campaign. Nutt may be going doubles with Lauren Hird but I wouldn't be surprise to see her in the singles draw. Hempstead and CR Jeff I think would be very happy to see Nutt and Hird in the doubles draw. Hempstead's Joyce Sun and Emma Lassen (Coe College commit) of CR Jeff would be my favorites to be the finalists in the singles draw. There will be some strong state qualifiers coming out of this region, we just have to sit back and wait and see who they will be.
Site: North Scott
Teams: Bettendorf, #8 Clinton, CR Kennedy, Davenport Central, Muscatine, North Scott
North Scott = the biggest opportunity region. Yes, traditional powerhouse #8 Clinton is in this region, yet, they do not have the strongest team as they maybe had in years past. Abby Struble and Mackenzie Lange will head up the region for the River Queens
, but I do not think they are huge favorites over anyone. CR Kennedy's duo of Reya Sands and Kelsey Jaeger could also be another top pair in the likes of getting to state. Without any "big names" in this region, this is a huge chance for a lot of players to get to the finals. This should be a fun region to keep an eye on.
Site: IC West
Teams: CR Wash, CR Prairie, IC City, IC Liberty, #2 IC West, Linn-Mar
IC West is always in the conversation aren't they? Yes they are because they are good, and they have always put together a strong team. The defending state team champions unfortunatly are without their best player Emma Koch, two time state doubles champ, team state champ and has basketball state championships under her belt. Koch suffered an ACL tear this past summer/fall and missed this years basketball season and now tennis season. Her teammates Jessica Moonjely and Audrey Koch have not missed a beat stepping into the top two spots. While the Women of Troy getting multiple entries to state is inevitable, the duo of Wren Greubel and Lindsay DeWolf of CR Wash will be looking to fight through the doubles draw, assuming they are in for doubles. State spots will be tough to come by here in Iowa City.
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