Nothing Small at all

IOWA CITY - Eve Small decided against playing through the pain.The Iowa City High junior - Class 2A girls' tennis singles runner-up last season and third-place finisher in 2012 - had off-season surgery to remove an extra bone from each foot.“I could have played through it,” Small said. “But thinking before college visits and college tennis, which is the hope in the future, I would get it taken care of.”Doctors said the non-essential bones were interfering with the movement of the posterior tibial tendon, which resulted in significant foot pain after the rigors of tennis competition. Small returned to the court in January and experienced a lot of aching initially, but that has dwindled to occasional mild discomfort.“Oh, I'm so glad,” Small said of having the surgery. “I was at the peak of my game after the high school season, and then having the foot surgery I think it really improved my movement.”The United States Tennis Association ranks Small in the top 10 in Iowa, and No. 1 in the area. Her goals remain a state singles championship and eventually Division I tennis.“It's going to take a lot of work, definitely putting in the extra mile before practice, after practice, during practice,” she said.“I'm hoping to push my tennis to the next level during the next year and get myself to D-I level.”Small admits her feet problems weren't the only impediment she faced. She feels she has a better hold on dealing with adversity and staying positive through on-court miscues.“Tennis is just so much more fun if you keep a lighthearted spirit,” Small said. “Sometimes I've played matches where the only person I knew that would beat me was myself. You get down on yourself, and then you stay in the past. And, really, you're not getting that point back. You just need to move on.” 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Claire Bouchard, jr., Cedar Rapids Xavier - Class 1A doubles state qualifier.

• Magui Caro, so., Cedar Rapids Prairie - Second-team all-MVC Valley Division.

• Lilly Hartman, jr., Cedar Rapids Washington - MVC Valley Division Athlete of the Year. Class 2A doubles runner-up with Rina Moore. Singles state qualifier in 2012.

• Innes Hicsasmaz, so. Iowa City High - First-team all-MVC Mississippi Division

• Megan Jans, jr., Iowa City West - Class 2A state singles qualifier and member of third-place team.

• Allison Jasper, jr., Cedar Rapids Xavier - Class 1A singles state quarterfinalist. First-team all-MVC Valley Division. Ranked in Iowa top 10 by USTA.

• Rina Moore, sr., Cedar Rapids Washington - Class 2A doubles runner-up with Hartman, also qualified for 2012 state doubles and 2011 state singles. Member of 2011 2A third-place and 2012 runner-up teams.

• Jessica Pedersen, so., Cedar Rapids Kennedy - Class 2A third-place finisher in state doubles. First-team all-MVC Mississippi Division.

• Anna Schlueter, sr., Linn-Mar - Class 2A doubles state qualifier.

• Eve Small, jr., Iowa City High - Class 2A singles runner-up last season and third in 2012. MVC Mississippi Athlete of the Year. Ranked in Iowa girls' top 10 by USTA.

TEAMS TO WATCH

• Cedar Rapids Washington - MVC Valley Athlete of the Year Lilly Hartman teamed with Rina Moore to finish second in Class 2A state doubles last season. Two years ago as a freshman, Hartman was a state singles qualifier and Moore qualified for state doubles when the Warriors placed second as a team. Moore qualified for state singles in 2011.

• Iowa City High - From 7-6 in the MVC two years ago to 13-0 last season. With the top four players returning, including the area's top-ranked player in junior Eve Small, this could be the year City High Coach Fred Pedersen leads the Little Hawks to state for the first time since a runner-up finish in 1999.

• Iowa City West - Juniors Megan Jans, Maria Burtch and Brittani Langland return for a team that finished third at state last season. West seeks its first team state championship since winning three straight from 2004 through 2006.