Your Prep Sports

Bihotza James-Lejarcegui secured a third consecutive trip to the state tennis meet on Thursday.

This year’s state tournament appearance will be a little different for the City High junior.

Following back-to-back state doubles appearances James-Lejarcegui qualified for her first state singles tournament by winning the singles bracket at the Class 2A, Region 8 tournament at West High on Thursday.

James-Lejarcegui defeated Sarah Zobel of Muscatine 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals and downed West High freshman Jessica Moonjely 6-2, 7-5 in the semifinals to reach the regional title match.

In the final, James-Lejarcegui knocked West High sophomore Kaily Speer 6-4, 6-2.

Speer and James-Lejarcegui both advance to the Class 2A state tournament June 1-2 in Ankeny.

After reaching the state quarterfinals in singles last season as a freshman, West High number one singles player Emma Koch teamed with senior Abby Jans to win the Region 8 doubles title.

Jans and Koch won a pair of matches without dropping a set to reach the finals where they defeated the City High team of Lucy Wagner and Amelia Prybil 6-0, 6-1.

Both of those doubles teams will compete at the 2A state tournament that opens at 10 a.m. on June 1 at the Ankeny Tennis Complex at the Prairie Ridge Sports Complex.