It’s a rarity in any high school sport that the whole team is back one year after a season ends, but that’s essentially the case for Pella girls tennis as they look to hit the peak of what so far has been a three year build toward the top of Class 1A.
Pella features the entire varsity lineup that pushed the squad to a 4th place team finish last year, a group that’s put in extra time in the offseason to see if they can challenge for what will still be a tough mountain to climb at the top of their class.
They’ll also do so with a familiar face in a new position to lead the program. Head Coach David Bouska takes the helm after serving as an assistant with the team at a time where they aim for a special spring campaign and championship aspirations. Bouska says the biggest key is not to be shy about what they want to accomplish, but to also understand the work and mental focus it will take to ultimately get there.
Pella will open the girls tennis season on Monday, April 1st against Ballard. The Dutch have nine home dates currently on the schedule, not counting the likely postseason chances that will follow.
Key returners:
Emily Blom, Senior
A three year individual state qualifier and two-time placewinner, Blom has come into her own as the clear No. 1 player and leader of a Dutch team with high hopes in 2024. Emily has developed her own skills each spring and was the 4th best singles player in Class 1A last year. She will look to not only climb that ladder, but to be the key in pushing Pella over the top as a team. Emily provides a steady hand and three years of experience competing against the best of Iowa in her back pocket, and the sky seems to be the limit for her final season on the courts.
Alloree Else, Senior
This three year varsity player finally broke through in the individual ranks, joining teammate Lily Van Dusseldorp in the state doubles bracket last spring. It had been a long awaited bid after some frustration at the regional tournament as a freshman and sophomore. Alloree will look to build on that confidence and provide another strong season as the No. 2 in the rotation again this spring. Else will look to build on her consistency and flashes of talent that have helped her along. If she takes a step forward, the Dutch are even more dangerous as they face top competition this year.
Claire Smock, Junior
Claire is among a handful of Dutch multi-sport athletes expected to have major impact on two different teams and their postseason success. As was written in the soccer preview, Smock will have a major role in Pella’s push to the top of Class 1A tennis. When Smock’s duties didn’t take her to the pitch, Claire was the primary No. 3 in the Pella lineup and came close to qualifying for state as an individual after falling in a narrow match against Ballard’s Kaitlyn Zugay in the semifinal last May. Smock will have the chance to be a double state qualifier this spring and find more critical victories on the team’s hopefully long postseason journey.
Lily Van Dusseldorp, Senior
Van Dusseldorp was able to break through and earn her way to the state doubles tournament, despite playing in several challenging matchups throughout the 2023 season. Lily keep her cool and calm in the face of a tough slate of No. 4 players in the Dutch schedule last year. She wants to improve her 10-7 match record in that spot, and is a great candidate to do so. If she’s able to elevate her game and find more wins, it could make the road to a potential state bid easier for the green and white. She’ll also look to build her chemistry in the doubles realm and have a shot to place higher in that individual bracket as well.
Mallory Westerkamp, Senior
Very few tennis players in Iowa had the amount of critical matches that Mallory found herself in as a junior in 2023. Perhaps the biggest example was Westerkamp’s efforts to overcome a set one loss against Assumption senior Quinn Remrey in the state quarterfinals, and her follow up doubles win to ultimately clinch a top four spot for the team in the 5-3 win. Of course, to get there, Mallory also won a tiebreaker against Pella Chritsian’s Rachel Lanferman that also proved to be important as the Dutch narrowly defeated the Eagles in the regional finals. Westerkamp offers a unique amount of experience for someone in her spot in the lineup and she should have the chance to be even better in finding victories deeper in the Dutch lineup.
Bryn Higginbotham, Senior
Bryn arguably would be higher up in most high school tennis lineups, given her powerful serve and experience on the court. But the senior is ready to accept her role and try to dominate in her spot this year again, understanding that all nine spots in the postseason matches are really crucial for success. Bryn was 13-1 overall in the No. 6 spot and ensured the Dutch had a strong end to the singles rotation in 2023. The future Northwestern volleyball player will once again showcase her athleticism and aim to be a problem for most teams to solve this spring.