Iowa City High’s Joe Hoff ready for daunting district

IOWA CITY – It took some time for Joe Hoff's tennis game to catch up to his nearly 6-foot-4 frame.

Now that it has, the Iowa City High junior has been even more of a load to handle for the competition.

'He's much more consistent,' City High Coach Chip Hardesty said. 'He's willing to grind quite a bit more. In other words, keep balls in play. He's got lots of big shots.'

Those attributes will be in high demand Thursday as Hoff and the Little Hawks (10-5) host one of eight Class 2A boys' tennis district meets at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex.

Top-ranked Iowa City West and seventh-ranked Bettendorf are also in the Iowa City field, which should produce some high-level entrants into the individual state tournament, which begins May 27.

Only Thursday's district champion and runner-up in both singles and doubles qualify for state. The second and third-place schools in the overall team race will meet Saturday in a team substate dual, while the district team champion receives a bye.

'A key for us will be first-round matches,' Hardesty said. 'I think if they can at least win a round that will help with the points.'

Hoff will likely be seeded second in the district singles bracket, which is expected to include defending Class 2A state champion Jiung Jung of Iowa City West. Jung outlasted Hoff in a third-set tiebreaker during an April 26 dual.

'It was definitely a confidence-booster overall,' Hoff said. 'It told me I'm there.'

The process of getting there for Hoff included diligent strength training to adjust athletically to a three-inch growth spurt between his freshman and sophomore years.

'When I first grew, I felt off-balance and everything was different,' Hoff said. 'Getting used to it, I can tell I feel stronger. On my serve, especially. There's a lot more explosion on the serve. It's always helped me.'

Hoff also ratcheted up the competition in the offseason with a busy schedule of United States Tennis Association tournaments. The exposure to some of the best players in the Missouri Valley not only enhanced his knowledge of the game, but stoked his competitive fire.

'The competition helped me become a better fighter,' Hoff said. 'It made me want to win a lot more.'

Cedar Rapids Kennedy hosts the area's other district meet at Veterans Memorial Tennis Center, which includes No. 6 Linn-Mar, Prairie and Western Dubuque.

Third-ranked Washington is at second-ranked Pleasant Valley, while Jefferson is at Marshalltown.

The majority of area 1A schools are at Camanche, which hosts Xavier, Independence, Maquoketa and Marion.

Decorah, Oelwein, South Tama and Union Community are at Waterloo Columbus.

BOYS' TENNIS DISTRICT MEETS

CLASS 1A

At Spencer — Sioux City Heelan, Cherokee, Estherville Lincoln Central, LeMars, Spencer, Spirit Lake, Storm Lake

At Shenandoah — Clarinda, Clarke, Creston, Glenwood, Red Oak, Shenandoah, Southwest Valley, Council Bluffs St. Albert

At Carroll Kuemper — Atlantic, Audubon, Boone, Carroll Kuemper, Denison-Schleswig, Harlan, North Polk

At Pella — Albia, Centerville, Chariton, Grinnell, Knoxville, Oskaloosa, Pella, Saydel

At Fairfield — Davis County, Fairfield, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Fairfield Maharishi, Mount Pleasant, Burlington Notre Dame

At Waterloo Columbus — Aplington-Parkersburg, Decorah, Grundy Center, Oelwein, South Tama, Union Community, Waterloo Columbus, Waverly-Shell Rock

At Fort Dodge St. Edmond — Ballard, Clear Lake, Fort Dodge St. Edmond, Hampton-Dumont, Iowa Falls-Alden, South Hardin, Webster City

At Camanche — Camanche, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Davenport Assumption, Dubuque Wahlert, Independence, Marion, Maquoketa

CLASS 2A

At Des Moines Roosevelt — Council Bluffs Lincoln, Council Bluffs Jefferson, Des Moines Hoover, Des Moines Roosevelt, Newton, Urbandale

At Ankeny — Ankeny, Fort Dodge, Sioux City East, Sioux City North, Sioux City West, West Des Moines Dowling

At Marshalltown — Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Marshalltown, Mason City, Waterloo West

At West Des Moines Valley — Ankeny Centennial, Des Moines Lincoln, Des Moines North, Indianola, Southeast Polk, West Des Moines Valley

At Veterans Memorial Tennis Center — Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Cedar Rapids Prairie, Dubuque Hempstead, Dubuque Senior, Linn-Mar, Western Dubuque

At Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex — Bettendorf, Burlington, Iowa City High, Iowa City West, Muscatine, North Scott

At Pleasant Valley — Clinton, Cedar Rapids Washington, Davenport Central, Davenport North, Davenport West, Pleasant Valley

At Norwalk — Des Moines East, Johnston, Lewis Central, Norwalk, Ottumwa, Waukee

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com