A close match with Ballard was put away in the doubles brackets for the Pella girls tennis team as they qualified for the state team tournament Tuesday. The Dutch defeated the Bombers 5-2 at home to reach the final eight of Class 1A, just over a week after five of their six individual entries also qualified for postseason tournament action. Pella was scheduled to face Ballard early in the season, and Head Coach David Bouska believes that would have been just as good as the test was Tuesday for the green and white. Singles victories included Emily Blom, Alloree Else, Claire Smock, and Bryn Higginbotham, and the duo of Blom and Smock were victorious just as they were in 2023 to push Pella into the elite eight. The Dutch will take on Clarinda at a neutral site this Saturday in the state quarterfinals before next week’s singles and doubles tournament.

Spring teams in action today:
Pella Girls Golf in Oskaloosa for state qualifier – 10 a.m.
Pella Boys Tennis vs. Grinnell in substate final – 3 p.m. at home