Both the Pella boys and girls tennis teams find themselves in the preseason rankings created by the Iowa High School tennis blog, and figure to be among the favorites to earn spots in their respective Class 1A state team tournaments.

No. 3 in Class 1A, the Dutch boys have played in the state finals in two consecutive seasons (2019, 2021) against Xavier, finishing both as runners-up. Some of the program’s best individual players — 2021 state individual runner up Lucas Heap, and doubles duo Jack Edwards and Vaughan Thompson — also 2nd place in the 1A doubles bracket, graduate, as did two time team state participants Geordie Laidlaw and Adam Schreur. But Head Coach Josiah Brandt is excited with the progress of a returning group, led by the Briggs brothers Caleb and Jack. Caleb participated in the state individual tournament last year and was a member of the 2019 and 2021 team tournament varsity teams.

The #6 preseason Pella girls narrowly lost to cross-town rival Pella Christian with a team state bid on the line, but return their top four players from the 2021 squad. Individual state top-8 finisher Emily Blom leads a group aiming to jump back into the top eight, and possibly more, of the 1A girls, according to Head Coach Josh McCollam.

Both Dutch tennis squads are in action this week; Pella takes on North Polk Tuesday in a boys opener at home, while the girls travel to Knoxville to begin their season Thursday.