Boys tennis players dominate at districts

The boys tennis team became the district champion, and four players qualified for the state singles/doubles tournament May 24-25.

Patrick+Selby+24+and+Shivy+Mannengi+23+pump+each+other+up+during+the+IHSAA+District+Tennis+Tournament+at+West+High+on+May+9.

Owen Aanestad

Patrick Selby ’24 and Shivy Mannengi ’23 pump each other up during the IHSAA District Tennis Tournament at West High on May 9.

Ella De Young, Print Managing Editor

Another postseason of tennis, another sweep of the competition by the West High boys tennis team at the IHSAA District Tennis Tournament.

For years, the boys tennis team has had player after player qualify for the state singles/doubles tournament, and this season was no different. Four out of the six players entered into the district draws for West this year qualified for the state tournament May 24-25.

The two entries into the singles draw for West were Luca Chackalackal ’22 and Seth Smigel ’25. With both players making it to the final, both boys qualified for the state singles tournament. Chackalackal became the district champion in singles by defeating Smigel 6-1, 6-3.

The doubles teams of Jayden Shin ’23 and Samir Singh ’24, and Shivy Mannengi ’23 and Patrick Selby ’24, were entered into the doubles draw for West. Mannengi and Selby lost in a tough semifinal match 2-6, 4-6 to Anthony Schulte ’25 and JT McCrea ’22 of Cedar Rapids Prairie; overall Mannengi and Selby ended up placing third. Shin and Singh qualified for the state doubles tournament and claimed the district championship in doubles with a win over Schulte and McCrea 6-3, 6-4.

Not only did this domination qualify these four players for the state singles/doubles tournament, but the entire boys tennis team became the district champion and advanced to substate May 18. With a win in the substate final, otherwise known as the team state quarterfinals, the boys tennis team would reach the team state semifinals and be one of four teams remaining in the fight for the team state title.

The boys tennis team will be back in action on May 18 at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids.