The Boone boys’ tennis team had one team qualify for the state doubles tournament turned at the Class 1A district qualifying meet on Saturday May 16, at McHose Park in Boone .
The doubles team of Strummer Grout and Calvin Jordan battled its way to a runner-up finish to secure one of the district’s state tournament spots.
Grout and Jordan cruised through their first two matches without dropping a single game.
They opened with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Bishop Heelan, followed by another 6-0, 6-0 win against Audubon.
In the semifinals, the Boone duo continued their strong play, defeating Denison’s Baker and Bygness 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the championship match.
Although they fell in the finals to a tough Bishop Heelan team, the runner-up finish secured their place in the state tournament .
Boone also found success with its second doubles team of Brandon Holm and Sam Chesnut, who placed third overall and earned status as a state alternate.
Holm and Chesnut opened with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Audubon, then followed with a solid 6-4, 6-1 victory over Newton to reach the semifinals.
After a loss to the eventual champions, the pair bounced back in the third-place match, defeating Denison’s team in a tightly contested 7-5, 7-5 match to secure their finish.
In singles play, Braxtan Sproule led Boone with a fourth-place finish in a 16-player field.
Sproule earned an opening-round bye and beat Aaron Andrews of Sioux City Bishop Heelan, 6-1, 6-3, before losing to Owen Galvin of Denison 6-1, 6-3.
Sproule won his fourth-place match to Grant Fink of Denison by injury default.
Patrick Houser also competed in singles, losing his first match to Grant Fink of Denison in third-set tiebreaker.
Grout and Jordan will compete at the Class 1A State Singles and Doubles Meet Wednesday and Thursday, May 27 and 28, at Byrnes Park in Waterloo
Jill Lutz reporting
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