Dubuque Wahlert ends Cedar Rapids Xavier’s boys’ state tennis championship streak at 5

IOWA CITY — A state record was tied and a state title streak was broken here Friday afternoon as two storied boys’ tennis programs battled for the Class 1A championship.

Cedar Rapids Xavier had won the last five Class 1A team titles. Dubuque Wahlert’s 10 total team titles was one behind Iowa City West for the most in state history.

And when the final shot was struck at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center, the Golden Eagles had their 11th state crown, and first since 2018.

After splitting the six singles matches, Wahlert got a pair of straight set wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to down Xavier, 5-3. The Saints had claimed every state title since the last championship for the Golden Eagles (there was no state tournament in 2020 due to COVID-19).

Wahlert looked like it was going to end the meet early, jumping to a 3-0 lead in singles with impressive straight-set wins from Cal Martineau, Evan Anderson and Chase Miller.

To gain a 3-3 singles split, Xavier got three-set wins from Charlie LeGrand, Jacob Schmit and Bradey Johnson, who rallied to win 7-5 in the third after dropping the first set, 6-0.

“It wasn't a great start for us,” Saints Coach Jim Potts said. “I looked down the line one time and we were down in the first set in all but one match.

“Wahlert was just better than us all day. They really played well up and down their lineup. I think it was the best I've seen them play in a long time.”

The two teams met to open the season and Wahlert came away with a 5-4 win. Potts thought some shifts in his lineup would pay off this time around.

“Our No. 1 doubles team won the first set, but by the time they did that, the other two matches were almost over,” he said. “Their No. 2 doubles team was really tough today. We had a slightly different lineup which I thought would give us the advantage, but all the credit goes to Wahlert. I don't think we played poorly. They were just on their game.”

Pella, which lost a 5-3 decision to Xavier in the semifinals, took third place with a 5-1 win over Waverly-Shell Rock.

In Class 2A play at Waukee, Iowa City West and Linn-Mar met for third place and had another epic battle in their storied rivalry. The Trojans, who missed the title match for the first time since 2010, built a 4-2 lead in singles, then got the clinching win from Anthony Medina and Aaron Kang at No. 3 doubles to secure a 5-4 victory over the Lions.

Linn-Mar, which beat West 5-4 in the regular season, needed a third-set tiebreaker win from Jackson Kramer at No. 3 singles to send the match to doubles.

Samir Singh, Medina, Kang and Ankur Karandikar had singles wins for West.

Top-ranked Waukee Northwest, which ousted West in the semifinals, rolled to a 5-0 victory over Pleasant Valley to claim the title on its home courts.

Class 1A final: Dubuque Wahlert 5, Cedar Rapids Xavier 3

Singles

Charlie LeGrand (X) def. Roan Martineau 7-5, 3-6, 6-2

Jacob Schmit (X) def. Charlie Curtiss 5-7, 6-2, 6-2

Cal Martineau (W) def. Bennett Link 6-2, 6-1

Bradey Johnson (X) def. Jensen Hill 0-6, 6-4, 7-5

Evan Anderson (W) def. Quincey Johnson, 6-3, 6-1

Chase Miller (W) def. Freddy Zeckser, 6-1, 6-1

Doubles

R. Martineau-Curtis (W) vs. LeGrand-Schmit, DNF

C. Martineau-Hill (W) def. Link-B.Johnson, 7-5, 6-2

Anderson-Miller (W) def. Q. Johnson-Tyler Jasper, 6-4, 6-1

Class 2A consolation: Iowa City West 5, Linn-Mar 4

Singles

Samir Singh (ICW) def. Malcolm Rice 6-1, 6-4

Garrett Bauermeister (LM) def. Patrick Selby 6-1, 6-4

Jackson Kramer (LM) def. Junze Sun, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3)

Anthony Medina (ICW) def. Jake Wallrichs 6-3, 7-5

Aaron Kang (ICW) def. Quentin Spolaore, 6-1, 6-4

Ankur Karandikar (ICW) def. Brock Whitham, 6-2, 6-4

Doubles

Rice-Bauermeister (LM) def. Singh-Selby 6-4, 6-4

Kramer-Wallrichs (LM) def. Sun-Karandikar 6-3, 6-4

Medina-Kang (ICW) def. Spolaore-Nick Carney 6-2 6-3