Cedar Rapids Washington captures girls’ state team tennis title

JOHNSTON — The tennis ball seemed suspended in time as it looped toward the baseline.

Cedar Rapids Washington senior Kathryn Zylstra prepared to strike, but a return proved to be unnecessary.

The ball sailed long — and Zylstra and her longtime doubles teammate Katelynn Kock let out a state championship-worthy celebratory scream instead.

“It was really nice,” said Zylstra, who teamed with Kock to win 7-5, 6-1 and propel the Warriors to a 5-2 triumph over West Des Moines Dowling in Tuesday’s Class 2A girls’ state tennis meet. “Especially after our loss (in the state doubles championship) on Saturday — to just redeem ourselves and get a championship for the team.”

Zylstra and Kock were unable to repeat as state doubles champions last weekend, but exulted Tuesday after cementing Washington’s third state girls’ tennis title and first since 2014. The Warriors swept past West Des Moines Valley, 5-0, in the semifinals and then exacted a measure of revenge on the Maroons, who beat them in the state semifinals last season.

“It’s pretty indescribable,” said first-year head coach Nina Marquardt, who previously served as an assistant at her alma mater, Cedar Rapids Xavier. “I feel like in the moment you’re so caught up in how every point is going, how every game is going, so when it actually happens, you’re like, ‘Oh my Gosh, they did it.’

“All the work they put in, the preseason conditioning, all of the practices, everything that they’ve been doing just led to this moment. For them to step up on the biggest stage is just incredible. They deserve it. We have a ton of seniors this year and to end on a win is something so few athletes get to do.”

Zylstra, Kock, Peyton Caldwell and Mya Messenger won their singles matches in straight sets. Zylstra, Caldwell and Chloe Palmer are seniors — and Palmer had just finished a point when her teammates’ celebratory shouts pierced the air and the tension.

“It was a louder one than usual,” Palmer said. “We looked over and everybody was hugging one another, and it was surreal. We dropped our rackets and just went in there for a hug.”

One of Zylstra’s and Kock’s recent hugs had been draped in disappointment. They felt they didn’t play their best tennis when falling to Cedar Falls in the state doubles final, but reshaped that setback to sharpen their focus on helping to win Tuesday’s team title.

“It definitely did a lot,” Zylstra said. “I know Katelynn and I were both on the court the next day training again, and honestly, to win with the whole team, it’s almost more meaningful.”

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