Same as it ever was for Paulson, McCann

CEDAR RAPIDS – Linn-Mar seniors Tim Paulson and Trevor McCann have come a long way since those 10-and-under doubles tournaments.

After two comfortable victories in the Class 2A boys' tennis state tournament at Veterans Memorial Tennis Center on Friday, Paulson and McCann are two wins away from a state championship.

'We're definitely really confident,” Paulson said. 'Today was definitely a good day, have an even better day tomorrow.”

Paulson and McCann could have each been formidable candidates for a singles state championship had that been their election. Instead, the Lions' duo – who have competed as doubles partners since age 8 – took advantage of one more opportunity to team up.

'I'm probably more of a net-type player,” McCann said. 'And I think Tim really complements that well, being such a great baseliner. So I think we work really well together.”

Paulson and McCann were awarded a two seed for the state tournament and quickly dispatched Waukee juniors Tyler Kruzan and Sandeep Yeturu, 6-2, 6-1. In the quarterfinal, they dropped Cole Schneider and Ryan Smith of rival Iowa City West, 6-1, 6-0.

The victory sets up an all-Metro semifinal Saturday at 10 a.m. with Jackson Hoyt and Oliver Hammond of Cedar Rapids Washington. The third-seeded Warrior tandem survived a grueling third-set tiebreaker in the opener against Andrew Ellis and Sam Nettleton of Ames, then Hoyt's racquet unintentionally went airborne as the final point was recorded in 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal win over Pleasant Valley.

'I was trying to hit a big forehand and it completely slipped out of my hand,” Hoyt said with a laugh.

In their last meeting April 29, Paulson and McCann rebounded from a lost first set and defeated Hoyt and Hammond in a third-set tiebreaker.

'I think we're capable of winning,” Hoyt said. 'Trevor and Tim are both great players. It'll be fun.”

WEST SENDS TWO TO SINGLES SEMIS

Iowa City West sophomore Jiung Jung entered as the No. 1 seed in the singles bracket and did not disappoint. Jung – who finished fourth at state last season – opened the tournament with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Parker Muller of Cedar Rapids Washington, then ousted West Des Moines Valley's Yasha Litvak, 6-1, 6-3, in the quarterfinal.

'You're the one who's expected to win,” Jung said of the pressure that comes from being the top seed. 'I guess you just have to go into every match knowing that you should win. I guess it's a double-edged sword.”

A first-round upset meant teammate David DiLeo could avoid the No. 2 seeded player in the quarterfinal. The Trojan senior took full advantage, eliminating a gassed Caleb Hendrickson of Fort Dodge, 6-1, 6-1 to join Jung in the semifinals. Jung and DiLeo could only meet in the championship.

'It's great,” DiLeo said. 'Jiung's a really great player and I think we all expected this from him, but he played really well today. … I know he's on a mission and so am I.”

CLASS 2A BOYS' TENNIS INDIVIDUAL STATE TOURNAMENT

At Veterans Memorial Tennis Center

Singles

First Round -

Jiung Jung (1), Iowa City West, def. Parker Muller, C.R. Washington, 6-2, 6-2; Yasha Litvak, WDM Valley, def. Austin Stradling, Waukee, 6-1, 6-3; Andy Mong, Cedar Falls, def. Jarrett Benson, WDM Dowling, 6-2, 6-0; Zack Ray (4), Ottumwa, def. Andrew Shie, Davenport Central, 6-0, 6-0; Charlie Humes (3), Pleasant Valley, def. Habibu Moise, WDM Valley, score n/a; Rami Hemaidan, C.R. Kennedy, def. Tyler Follett, Ankeny Centennial, score n/a; David DiLeo, Iowa City West, def. Kyle Crowl, CB Abe Lincoln, 6-3, 6-1; Caleb Hendrickson, Fort Dodge, def. Vineel Mallavarapu (2), Cedar Falls, 7-6 (2), 0-6, 6-1.

Second Round -

Jung def. Litvak, 6-1, 6-3; Mong def. Ray, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2; Humes def. Hemaidan, 6-1, 6-0; DiLeo def. Hendrickson, 6-1, 6-1.

z_agate: Consolation (area only) - Muller def. Stradling, 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (7); Hemaidan def. Muller, 6-0, 6-2.

Doubles

First Round -

Bowser/Murman (1), Fort Dodge, def. Lewton/Johnson, Ankeny Centennial, 6-0, 6-2; Hoff/Hensley, Iowa City High, def. Shie/McKay, Davenport Central, 6-1, 6-1; Zuccaro/Mozena, Dubuque Senior, def. Delsol/Grossmann, Waukee, 6-0, 6-4; Ridgway/Fifield (4), WDM Valley, def. Myers/Skvor, Linn-Mar, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1; Hoyt/Hammond (3), C.R. Washington, def. Ellis/Nettleton, Ames, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4; Kardell/Sugumaran, Pleasant Valley, def. Hart/Trunnell, Urbandale, 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-4; Schneider/Smith, Iowa City West, def. Thompson/Nelson, Ankeny Centennial, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5; Paulson/McCann (2), Linn-Mar, def. Kruzan/Yeturu, Waukee, 6-2, 6-1.

Second Round -

Bowser/Murman def. Hoff/Hensley, 6-0, 6-3; Zuccaro/Mozena def. Ridgway/Fifield, 6-2, 6-0; Hoyt/Hammond def. Kardell/Sugumaran, 6-3, 6-4; Paulson/McCann def. Schneider/Smith, 6-1, 6-0.

Consolation (area only) -

Myers/Skvor def. Delsol/Grossmann, 7-5, 7-6 (5); Ellis/Nettleton def. Hoff/Hensley, score n/a; Schneider/Smith def. Myers/Skvor, 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (7).

Class 1A Individual Tournament

At Waterloo

(Byrnes Park Tennis Center)

Singles (area only)

First Round -

Ryan Hageman, Decorah, def. Tanner Atkinson, Camanche, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Second Round -

Sam Stickels (1), Fairfield Maharishi def. Hageman, score n/a.

Doubles (area only)

First Round -

Morales/Vessey, Fairfield Maharishi, def. Curley/Lansing, C.R. Xavier, 6-2, 6-1; LaRue/Lonning (4), Decorah, def. Kettwick/Smith, Clarinda, 6-1, 5-7, 7-5; Baldwin/Resnick, Davenport Assumption, def. Sand/Ulring, Decorah, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.

Second Round -

LaRue/Lonning def. Morales/Vessey, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Consolation -

Sand/Ulring def. Auge/Lucy, Dubuque Wahlert, 6-4, 6-0; Curley/Lansing def. Kettwick/Smith, 6-1, 6-3; Sand/Ulring def. Marek/Havey, LeMars, 2-6, 6-1, 1-0 (2); Curley/Lansing def. Miller/Goeser, CB St. Albert, 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (3).

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com