John Naughton

Your Prep Sports

URBANDALE – West High’s boys’ tennis team refused to settle for second place this time.

The Trojans, who lost to Linn-Mar in last year’s Class 2A state boys’ final, topped Pleasant Valley 5-1 in Tuesday’s championship to complete an 18-0 season at the Lifetime Athletic courts in Urbandale.

West High lost a heartbreaking title match 5-4 a year ago. That stung, but it also pushed the program to great heights this time.

“It really hurt last year to lose 5-4, but that motivated us to play our best tennis today,” sophomore Mukundan Kasturirangan said.

It was the program’s ninth state boys’ team crown and the eighth for coach Mitch Gross.

West High is now tied for second place in Iowa for the school with the most boys’ state team championships – Dubuque Wahlert has won 10 titles and Camanche also has won nine times.

West High topped Ankeny Centennial 5-0 earlier in the day in a semifinal.

The tournament was moved indoors after rain swept through central Iowa, bumping the matches from Ankeny’s Prairie Ridge Sports Complex.

No. 1 singles player Sam Shin, who took sixth in the state singles’ tournament, sparked the Trojans by overcoming two highly regarded foes.

Shin survived a 6-3, 6-7 (6-4), 6-3 match against Centennial’s Will Blevins, the state’s fourth place singles finisher; then he stunned state singles runner up Justin Sehlin of Pleasant Valley 6-2, 6-2.

“I was so dialed in,” Shin said. “I was super focused. It’s like redemption for myself.”

His performance helped drive the Trojans.

“We came in with a championship mindset,” Gross said.

West High entered the tournament ranked as the favorite. The Trojans were so dominant that they took both state matches without requiring doubles play.

Shin, No. 2 singles player Jack Wenzel, No. 4 Eli Young and No. 5 Kasturirangan all won both of their matches Tuesday.

No. 3 Sasha Chackalackal took his semifinal match and No. 6 Luca Chackalackal ended the championship with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Pleasant Valley’s Brady Adams. His teammates and coaches cheered.

West High added to its rich state tennis tradition with the championship. The program has reached state 14 times. Since 2012, West has won five titles.

It was the team’s third crown in four years.

Seniors Shin, Wenzel and Sasha Chackalackal brought plenty of experience to the lineup.

Shin said the Trojans’ state runner up finish last year ended up bringing the players together this spring with a common goal.

“Our motto was, ‘We’re finishing out on top,’ “ Shin said.

State Championship Match

West High 5, Pleasant Valley 1

Singles

1. Sam Shin (ICW) def. Justin Sehlin 6-2, 6-2

2. Jack Wenzel (ICW) def. Nathan Wong 6-1, 6-2

3. Jake Dolphin (PV) def. Sasha Chackalackal 6-3, 2-6, 6-4

4. Eli Young (ICW) def. Mmuneeb Nadeem 6-1, 6-1

5. Mukundan Kasturirangan (ICW) def. Kiran Marla 6-3, 6-2

6. Luca Chackalackal (ICW) def Brady Adams 6-3, 6-2

State Semifinal Match

West High 5, Ankeny Centennial 0

Singles

1. Sam Shin (ICW) def. Will Blevins 6-3, 6-7 (6-4), 6-3

2. Jack Wenzel (ICW) def. Samson Densmore 6-1, 6-0

3. Sasha Chackalackal (ICW) def. Ryan Lofgren 6-1, 7-5

4. Eli Young (ICW) def. James Cole 6-2, 6-0

5. Mukundan Kasturirangan (ICW) def. Zach Petersen 6-2, 6-1

6. Luca Chackalackal (ICW)vs. Joel Urick DNF.

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