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Cedar Rapids Washington duo rolls to another regional doubles title, but could miss out on state tennis tournament again
Mya Messenger and Lily Belle Barker clinched a spot at state, but conflict with state golf could prevent them from competing
MARION — It could be happening again.
Cedar Rapids Washington’s doubles team of Mya Messenger and Lily Belle Barker may find themselves out of the girls’ state tennis tournament again because of a conflict with state golf for a second straight year.
The talented Warriors tandem rolled to the Class 2A regional doubles title on Monday at Linn-Mar, downing the Lions' Emily Brandt and Maddie Harris, 6-3, 6-3, in the title match. Normal protocol has all regional champions and runners-up moving on to the state tournament.
The dual talents of Messenger and Barker make the norm not possible because of the state tournament schedules for both sports.
Girls’ state golf is scheduled for May 23-24 with state tennis set for May 24-25. That puts Messenger and Barker in a tough spot for a second straight year if the Warriors golf team makes the Class 4A state meet.
Messenger and Barker are key performers for the Washington golf team, which is among the favorites to earn a state berth at the May 15 regional meet, to be held at Gardner Golf Course.
As was the case in 2023, if the Warriors qualify as a team, Messenger and Barker would withdraw from state tennis.
“It is the exact same deal as last year,” Messenger said. “We made all the same appeals we made last year and the state didn't budge.”
Even if the duo ends up missing out on state tennis, Messenger, a senior, said the last two years of playing with Barker, a sophomore, has been special.
“Playing doubles the last two years has allowed us to develop a great bond together,” Messenger said. “Outside of sports, she has become one of my best friends and being able to accomplish something like this has been awesome.”
Washington Coach Nina Marquardt said it would have been easy for Messenger and Barker to back off in tennis, given the circumstances.
“They have definitely been very mature throughout this entire season,” Marquardt said. “They have always come in, showed up and played for their team. They have every right to be super negative at practice because they may not get to go to state, but they never are.
“They put the team first always.”
If Messenger and Barker withdraw, they will be replaced by Linn-Mar's Andras Haugen and Mallory Erickson. The Lion duo downed Washington's Piper Graff and Mattie Piersall in the third-place match.
Washington will have two representatives in the singles state meet. Senior Katelynn Kock, the top-ranked player in Class 2A, did not drop a game in her three matches on Monday. The future Nebraska-Omaha player downed teammate Samantha Becker, 6-0, 6-0, in the final. After playing doubles at state for three years with 2023 graduate Kathryn Zylstra, Kock is the favorite to come away with the individual title.
"She spent the majority of the day sitting," Marquardt said of Kock. "She was pretty dialed in. She's been practicing for this for years and this is her moment to shine."
In other 2A regional action at Iowa City West, Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Lily Holland downed Iowa City West’s Maggie Shin, 6-1, 7-5 in the singles final. In the doubles final, Marion’s Natalee Hartman and Michaela Goad got past Iowa City West’s Marie Stier and Claire Hahn in three sets, rallying for a 3-6, 6-0, 6-0 victory.
At Clinton, Iowa City Liberty’s Ella Gilbert earned a trip to the state singles tournament for a fourth straight year. Teammates Vivian Kahler and Lucy Lohman earned a state berth in doubles.
Cedar Rapids Xavier will have two singles players and a doubles team in the Class 1A state tournament. In singles, freshman Gabi Fleming, the state's top-ranked player, downed teammate Isabel Tobin, 6-0, 6-1 in the Saydel regional final. The Saints doubles team of Avery Link and Ruby Smith also came away with a state berth and a regional championship, downing North Polk's Abby Mangae and Harika Cakinberk, 6-2, 7-5.
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