A “Mythical” State Championship and another remarkable spring for the boys tennis team gets us to #4 on the top ten stories countdown from the past year at Pella High School.

There might be no team locally that has more fun with everything they do–all while dominating the competition, than the Dutch tennis team does, and even as the emphasis is clearly on the prior, it’s become tradition for the latter to happen each year. Pella High School racked up another round of incredible accolades in the Spring of 2022, and the ship was steered by a pair of dominant brothers who combined to form the second-best doubles duo in Class 1A; Caleb and Jack Briggs placed second in the state individual tournament on May 25th, mirroring the ultimate fate of the team itself, which placed 2nd in Class 1A for the 3rd consecutive spring season to Cedar Rapids Xavier.

In terms of competition, the goal (or as this unique group puts it — The Quest for the Last Gota™) was to play together on the last day of the season and to capture the last drop of “The Juice™,” and they did so to earn runner-up on May 31st. The highlight moment of the season for the Dutch came with their senior leader facing off with the Class 1A state singles champion — Brady Horstmann. Needing a win to advance to doubles play in the state championship dual, Caleb put together the best two sets of his sensational career, and toppled Class 1A’s top-ranked player in his final complete high school match by a 2-0 margin (6-4, 6-4).

BRIGGS BROTHERS INTERVIEW AFTER STATE TEAM FINALS:

The team coined it–as they only would, as a “Mythical” State Championship for Briggs. And while the win marked perhaps the peak competitive achievement for Pella tennis, Head Coach Josiah Brandt believes the more important success came as Caleb and Jack grew closer together on the court throughout the entire spring, making memories they won’t forget.

COACH BRANDT ON BRIGGS BROTHERS:

The Dutch tennis program graduated Caleb from its state playoff lineup–but otherwise, could return the vast majority of athletes responsible for another trophy finish in the 2023 spring season.

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