Players to Watch

2018 Players to Watch

The first day of practice began on March 12th and teams across the state are getting locked and loaded for the first meet of the season at the end of the month. Now that we have seen what is in store for a couple of the top teams to open the season, lets take a look at some of the players to watch throughout the spring.


Class 2A Boys

Tim Ellis Ames (Jr.) - The favorite to win the singles crown this season? It very well may be Tim Ellis. Ellis concluded his state singles campaign a year ago with a 3rd place finish as a sophomore. With the graduation of the other top 5 state singles finishers last year, Ellis will be vying for a state title.

The favorite for the state singles title?

Luke Van Donslear Linn-Mar (So.) - Coming off a fantastic freshman season for the Lions, Van Donslear is poised to help lead Linn-Mar to a second team state title in four years. A first team all MVC selection last year, Van Donslear could establish himself as one of the top players in the state during his sophomore campaign.

Jacob Panjwani Bettendorf (Sr.) - Panjwani will take over the top spot for the Bulldogs of Bettendorf after the graduation of Isaac Luebke. After a 7th place finish at the state singles tournament last season, Panjwani will be looking to move up the ranks during his senior season. Panjwani has committed to play college tennis at Wheaton College (IL).

Rami Scheetz CR Washington (Jr.) - Rami Scheetz was an unstoppable #2 for the Warriors last year only dropping one match in singles to the recent graduate in Cole Schneider of Iowa City West. Scheetz and partner Ty Sherman finished runner-up in the state doubles tournament last year will be hungry to capture that doubles title this year. It will be interesting to see if Scheetz or Sherman will hold down the number 1 singles spot.

Ty Sherman CR Washington (Jr.) - Sherman was a solid #1 for the Warriors during his sophomore season. He took a 2nd place finish at state doubles with partner Rami Scheetz. As the best returning duo from last years state tournament, this tandem is the favorite to capture the doubles title should they stay together.

Dynamic duo of Rami Scheetz and Ty Sherman

Jack Wenzel Iowa City West (Jr.) - A doubles state champion during his sophomore season, Wenzel will be the favorite to take over the #1 spot for the Trojans after the graduation of Jiung Jung and Cole Schneider. Wenzel has had a tremendous career at West and will be faced with some tougher challenges as a junior by playing #1 for the first time. Look for Wenzel and fellow junior Sam Shin to lead the young Trojans to postseason play.

Rami Hemaidan CR Kennedy (Jr.) - A senior, Hemaidan has been one of the stronger players during the past few high school season. Having to go through a gauntlet of a district last year (that included Jiung Jung and Joe Hoff) Hemaidan missed out on the singles state tournament. With one last chance, Hemaidan could be in the conversation for a state singles title with the likes of Ellis and Van Donslear.


Class 2A Girls

Lily Feldman Pleasant Valley (Sr.) - The Skidmore commit took 3rd place in state singles last season, as well as a 3rd place finish in the Co-Ed state tournament. Feldman led the Spartans to their first team state title in 2017.

Can Lily Feldman capture the state singles title?

Davi Patterson Boone (Jr.) - Patterson earned 2A's No. 1 seed and took home a 4th place finish in the state singles tournament. Patterson will be looking to take the next step in capturing a singles crown.

Cari Naanep Johnston (Sr.) - Naanep was the No. 4 seed in the 2017 state singles tournament and finished 5th overall. With the highest UTR of any 2A girl entering the season, could she be a favorite to claim the singles title?

Emma Koch IC West (Jr.) - Capped off her sophomore campaign with a 10-6 singles record at the top spot for the Women of Troy. Teamed with 2017 graduate Abby Jans and captured the state doubles title. Koch is also a member of IC West's state basketball title team last month.

Winona State bound this fall

Beth Murman Fort Dodge (Sr.) - The Winona State commit, Murman has been a stalwart for the Dodgers the past three years. During her Career, Murman has captured 2 Co-Ed state titles with Jon Bowser, as well as a state doubles title with Jaci Cochrane. Will 2018 include a state singles crown?


Class 1A Boys

Jake Malik Lemars (Sr.) - Fresh off a state singles title, Malik will be on a quest for back-to-back championships. Malik defeated Kai Vessey of Fairfield Maharishi in the title match last season and this season brings the potential to have a rematch. Lemars finished runner-up as a team last season, Malik will be looking to help the Bulldogs take that final step in a team title.

Will there be a state title rematch?

Kai Vessey Fairfield Maharishi (Sr.) - Vessey took 2nd place in state singles at the hands of Malik during his junior season. There is a chance at a possible rematch for the state singles title again this season, and Vessey cannot wait to have his chance. Vessey will lead Fairfield Maharishi into postseason play hoping to improve upon a state quarterfinal finish.

Tanner Finken Carrol Kuemper Catholic (Sr.) - Finken may not be the most well known player in the 1A tennis world of Iowa High School Tennis. The senior had a nice finish to his junior year last season taking 7th in state singles and helping the Knights secure a 4th place team finish. With a couple place winners from last year graduated, Finken can close out a solid career with a strong singles and team state appearance.

Jonathan Lansing CR Xavier (Sr.) - The reigning state doubles champion, Lansing has not committed to continue his tennis career at Coe College next fall. Along with his state doubles title, Lansing was a strong force for Xavier leading them to a team title in 2017. Will 2018 bring similar success for Lansing?

Future college baseball players with one more
go around in tennis

Luke Willis Waverly-Shell Rock (Sr.) - Luke Willis teamed with cousin Ryan Willis to take 2nd place in the state doubles tournament a season ago. Entering his senior season, the Willis cousins may be one of the favorites to capture a doubles crown this year. The Go-Hawks just missed out on a state quarterfinal appearance in 2017. Luke has committed to play baseball at Simpson College next fall.

Ryan Willis Waverly-Shell Rock (Sr.) - As mentioned above, Ryan Willis and cousin Luke took 2nd place in state doubles last year. The potential favorites for the doubles crown, the Willis's will be ready to make their quest come postseason play. Luke and Ryan will be ready to lead the Go-Hawks to a team state appearance during their senior seasons. Ryan will be continuing his baseball career at Wartburg College next fall.


Class 1A Girls

Anatta Charoenkul Fairfield (Jr.) - Charoenkul was the unquestioned queen of 1A last season. Not only did she win the state crown, she didn't lose a set until the title match against Olivia Fain. Fairfield's junior is poised for a 2nd straight singles crown.

Can Charoenkul go back-to-back?

Olivia Fain Columbus Catholic, Waterloo (Sr.) - Fain, 1A's No. 1 seed in the 2017 state singles tournament finished as the runner-up to Charoenkul. A state singles champion in 2016, Fain led Columbus Catholic to its fifth consecutive state team title last year.

Brooke Jorgensen Pella (Jr.) - Jorgensen finished 3rd in state singles last year beating teammate Lily Roozeboom. She finished the regular season with a 16-2 match record. Jorgensen will be looking to help Pella improve upon their state quarterfinal appearance from a year ago.

Go-Hawks ready to take the next step

Madi Overmann Waverly-Shell Rock (Sr.) - WSR's Overmann finished runner-up in the state doubles tournament in 2017 falling to Columbus Catholic's Hogan/McManus. Overmann is likely to fill the #1 spot with the graduation of Chelsea Poesch.

Taylor Hogan Columbus Catholic, Waterloo (Jr.) - Hogan is the 2017 state doubles champion with Lauren McManus. Hogan has helped Columbus Catholic, Waterloo retain their state supremacy with a 5th straight team state title last year. Hogan could be a favorite to win a 2nd state doubles title.


Thanks for checking out the blogs players to watch for 2018! Another team preview article will be posted tomorrow which will contain quick overviews of multiple teams before the meets get rolling this weekend!