Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – A rich history of City High tennis success dates back to the 1940s and is filled with state singles and doubles champions.

Abhay Anil and William Feagler added their own chapter to the City High tennis record book on Wednesday.

Feagler and Anil finished in the top two spots at the Class 2A District meet at City High on Wednesday giving the Little Hawks a pair of state singles qualifiers for what is believed to be the first time in program history.

“I know a little bit about the history of City High tennis, guys like (two-time state finalist) Joe Hoff and I know there were a lot of great players before him,” Feagler said. “It’s an honor to be a part of that history.”

Feagler won the singles crown on Wednesday to continue what has been an impressive debut season for the City High freshman.

Second-seeded Feagler defeated top-seeded Anil 6-4, 6-4 in an all-City High final as the Little Hawks earned both singles qualifying spots for the Class 2A state tournament scheduled for May 27-28 at Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center in Iowa City.

“I see them all the time at practice, they compete against each other all the time at practice and they really do compete,” City High coach Jeff Hightshoe said. “They bring out the best in each other.”

Feagler (15-1) defeated Trent James of Ankeny 6-1, 6-0 in the quarterfinals and won by injury default over Arjun Bajwa of Waukee in the semifinals.

He secured the district title and his first state tournament trip with a win over Anil in the final.

“I was just trying to focus one match at a time,” Feagler said. “It was unfortunate I wasn’t able to play my second match but I am super grateful I get to play players like that.”

A four-year varsity player, Anil secured his third consecutive state tournament appearance with the runner-up finish.

Anil (15-2) defeated Grady Schlosser of Ankeny 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals and downed Liberty High freshman Jens Strand  6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals.

“I’ll be able to bounce back from this one, obviously it hurts to lose but Will played a great match today, he was on fire today and played fantastic,” Anil said. “I think mentally I will be able to bounce back from this.”

For Anil the opportunity to be a part of a historic day with two qualifiers was a momentous moment after going 2-11 in each of his first two varsity seasons.

Behind Anil City High is a combined 16-15 over the past two seasons.

“My freshman year we were a two-win team, my sophomore year we were a two-win team and that had been the history here at City for a little while so to go from that to having two singles state qualifiers it’s a really good feeling,” Anil said. “Being able to see that change happen in front of my own eyes its been really great and I couldn’t be more grateful for this program and everything City High has done for me.”

The Liberty High doubles team of Jack Saunders and Sam Maddhi qualified for the state tournament with a runner-up finish.

Saunders and Maddhi defeated Emmett Bottorff and Brendan Lestina of City High 6-2, 6-1 in the quarterfinals and added a 6-2, 6-4 win over the Clinton tandem of Tanner and Jacob Feddersen in the semis.

The second-seeded Liberty High senior duo lost to the top-seeded Ankeny team of Dylan Victor and Garrett Weichers 6-2, 3-6, 10-7 in the title match.

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