Potts ends career as Cedar Rapids Xavier boys’ tennis head coach with state championship

IOWA CITY - Jim Potts' final speech turned out to be one of his best.

With his Xavier boys’ tennis team tied at 3-3 after singles against Dubuque Wahlert in the Class 1A team championship match, Potts, who is retiring after 12 seasons leading the program, got his group together for one final time as the Saints coach.

Once Potts finished his chat, several moments of loud, encouraging messages could be heard outside the doors of the locker room at the University of Iowa's Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex.

"He basically told us we all could win," said senior Bradey Johnson. "We had beaten them in doubles before and we went into it knowing we could do it again."

Johnson's partner and fellow senior Tyler Jasper said Potts' words got the vibes going for doubles.

"In the locker room before doubles, he basically fired us up and got us going," Jasper said. "It really paid dividends. We remembered last year we were 3-3 with them going into doubles and we couldn't get it done."

The Saints more than got it done.

All three doubles teams took control of their matches early. Ironically, it was Johnson and Jasper setting the tone, roaring to a quick 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 3 doubles over Bock Mueller and Nick Smith. The clincher came from Charlie LeGrand and Grant Golding at No. 2. They finished off Cal Martineau and Chase Miller, 6-3, 6-3 to set off a wild celebration, highlighted by a cold water dousing of Potts.

"This year we got it done and it was extra special to win it for him," Jasper said about winning for Potts in his final meet. "He cares a lot about us."

Potts said he simply reminded his players about the 2024 final, won by Wahlert, 5-4.

"We work about 70-75 percent of our practices on doubles," Potts said. "That really paid off today. All three of the teams won their first sets and the momentum carried us through to the finish."

LeGrand, Bennett Link and Jasper posted singles wins to put the Saints in position.

All sorts of history was made with the Xavier win. Potts captured his sixth state title as a head coach. The win also gave Xavier state titles in singles, doubles and team for both the boys and girls teams, believed to be a first in Iowa history.

"It is pretty incredible if you think about it," Potts said about the dual feat. "Coach (Matt) Foxhoven does a tremendous job with the girls’ program. Obviously the students on both teams are really close. It's just like a big family.

"We've established a tennis culture over the last 10-12 years at Xavier. It shows as the younger kids come up. They want to compete and be a part of the program."

When it came to his legacy, Potts had this to say:

"It means a lot to me personally to end like this," he said. "This was the plan, but you never know how it is going to work out. Now that it has happened, I don't have any words. It's just an incredible feeling."

Decorah finished fourth, dropping a 5-3 decision to Sergeant Bluff-Luton in the consolation match.

In 2A play at Waukee, top seed Waukee Northwest took down No. 2 seed Cedar Rapids Prairie, 5-1, in the title match. Iowa City West finished fourth, falling 5-3 to Pleasant Valley in the consolation match.

CLASS 1A

FINALS

CR Xavier 5, Dubuque Wahlert 3

SINGLES

Charlie LeGrand (X) def. Jensen Hill, 6-3, 6-2

Cal Martineau (DW) def. Jacob Schmit, 6-3, 6-0

Bennett Link (X) def. Evan Anderson 7-6 (7-5), 6-3

Chase Miller (DW) def. Bradey Johnson, 6-3, 6-4.

Tyler Jasper (X) def. Bock Mueller, 6-1, 6-3

Nick Smith (DW) def. Grant Golding, 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5)

DOUBLES

LeGrand-Golding (X) def. Martineau-Miller, 6-3, 6-3

Johnson-Jasper (X) def. Mueller-Smith, 6-2, 6-0

CONSOLATION

Sergeant Bluff-Luton 5, Decorah 3

SINGLES

Tyler Grote (SBL) def. Liam Chamberlain, 6-4, 6-4

Joe Wright (SBL) def. Tristan Hunter, 6-2, 6-1

Nathan Myers (SBL) def. Keaton Nalean-Carlson, 6-2, 6-1

Elliot Berland (D) def. Dylan Janzen, 6-0, 6-3

Caleb Krieg (D) def. Brayton Ouellette, 6-2, 6-2

Braxton VanMeter (SBL) def. Aitor Cuevas, 6-2, 6-2

Grote-Carter Gehling (SBL) def. Hunter-Berland, 5-7, 6-1, 1-0

Craig-Cuevas (D) def. Janzen-VanMeter, 6-4, 0-6, 1-0

SEMIFINALS

CR Xavier 5, Decorah 0

SINGLES

Charlie LeGrand (X) def. Liam Chamberlain, 6-2, 6-1

Jacob Schmit (X) def. Tristan Hunter, 6-1, 6-0

Bradey Johnson (X) def. Elliot Berland, 6-1, 6-0

Tyler Jasper (X) def. Caleb Krieg, 6-0, 3-6, 1-0

Grant Golding (X) def. Aitor Cuevas,6-2, 6-0

QUARTERFINALS

CR Xavier 5, Boone 0

SINGLES

Charlie LeGrand (X) def. Devin Silbaugh, 6-1, 6-0

Jacob Schmit (X) def. Tyler Lindahl, 6-0, 6-0

Bennett Link (X) def. Wes VanPelt, 6-1, 6-1

Bradey Johnson (X) def. Braxtan Sproule, 6-0, 6-1

Grant Golding (X) def. Patrick Houser, 6-2, 6-0

Decorah 5, Ballard 3

SINGLES

Emmet Miller (B) def. Liam Chamberlain, 7-5, 7-6

Tristan Hunter (D) def. Isaiah Zeigler, 6-4, 6-1

Keaton Nalean-Carlson (D) def. Rex Olsan, 6-1, 6-1

Easton Ersland (B) def. Elliot Berland, 7-5, 6-2

Caleb Krieg (D) def. Seth Hilleman, 6-1, 6-2

Aitor Cuevas (D) def. Eli Preston, 6-7, 7-6, 1-0

DOUBLES

Chamberlain-Nealan Carlson (D) def. Miller-Ziegler, 6-1, 6-4

Olsan-Ersland (B) def. Hunter-Berland, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0

CLASS 2A

FINAL

Waukee Northwest 5, CR Prairie 1

SINGLES

Jake Nelson (WN) def. Anthony Schulte, 7-6 (10-8), 6-4

Dylan Schulte (P) def. Kellan Croatt, 6-2, 6-1

Vivek Kothari (WN) def. Carson Sorg, 6-2, 6-2

Maarten Beekhis (WN) def. Chase Beightler, 6-1, 6-0

Vincent Flynn (WN) def. Michael Day, 6-1, 6-0

Miles Steffensmeier (WN) def. Brandon Smith, 6-0, 6-2

CONSOILATION

Pleasant Valley 5, Iowa City West 3

SINGLES

Anthony Medina (ICW) def. Jatin Kodavatiganti, 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5)

Karthik Ganesh (PV) def. Pierce Hribar, 3-6, 6-1 1-0 (12-10)

Joshua Dcruz (PV) def. Derek Hua, 6-1, 6-4

Prabhas Gupta (ICW) def. Suvik Agrawal, 6-2, 6-1

Jacob Kustes (PV) def. Aaron Kang, 6-4, 6-2

Lucas Kukhar (PV) def. Junze Sun, 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-5)

DOUBLES

Kodavatiganti-Ganesh (PV) def. Medina-Hua, 1-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8)

Agrawal-Dcruz (PV) def. Hribar-Kang 6-0, 6-1

SEMIFINALS

CR Prairie 5, Pleasant Valley 4

SINGLES

Anthony Schulte (P) def. Jatin Kodavatiganti, 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-0)

Dylan Schulte (P) def. Karthik Ganesh, 6-0, 6-3

Joshua Dcruz (PV) def. Carson Sorg, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2)

Suvik Agrawal (PV) def. Chase Beightler, 6-0,6-0

Jacob Kustes (PV) def. Michael Day, 7-5,6-4

Brandon Smith (P), def. Lucas Kukhar, 6-2,6-1

DOUBLES

Kodavatiganti-Ganesh (PV) def. def. A. Schulte-Day, 6-2, 6-4

D. Schulte-Sorg (P) def. Agrawal-Dcruz, 6-0, 6-1

Beightler-Smith (P) def. Kustes-Grant Cabay, 6-1, 1-6, 1-0 (10-8)

Waukee Northwest 5, Iowa City West 0

SINGLES

Jake Nelson (WN) def. Anthony Medina, 6-0, 6-2

Kellan Croatt (WN) def. Pierce Hribar, 6-3, 6-0

Vivek Kothari (WN) def. Derek Hua, 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (10-6)

Maarten Beekhis (WN) def. Prabhas Gupta, 6-1, 6-0

Vincent Flynn (WN) def. Aaron Kang, 6-2, 6-0

QUARTERFINALS

CR Prairie 5, Ames 1

SINGLES

Anthony Schulte (P) def. Ethan Wang, 6-1, 6-0

Dylan Schulte (P) def. Anson Bernard, 6-0, 6-1

Carson Sorg (P) def. Anirudh Manimaran, 6-3, 6-3

Oliver Fields (A) def. Chase Beightler, 6-2, 6-2

Michael Day (P) def. Wyatt Jones, 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8)

Brandon Smith (P) def. Grant Phillips, 6-2, 6-3

Iowa City West 5, Johnston 1

SINGLES

Srihari Kumaresan (J) def. Anthoiny Medina, 6-2, 6-2

Pierce Hribar (ICW) def. Aadil Patel, 5-7, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7)

Derek Hua (ICW) def. Jake Austin, 6-1, 6-1

Prabhas Gupta (ICW) def. Owen Huneke, 6-3, 6-3

Aaron Kang (ICW) def. Jack Mills, 6-3, 6-4

Junze Sun (ICW) def. Brandon Herrmann, 6-3, 6-3

Pleasant Valley 5, Linn-Mar 2

SINGLES

Garrett Bauermeister (LM) def. Jatin Kodavatiganti, 6-2, 6-2

Karthik Ganesh (PV) def. Quinton Spolare, 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-4)

Joshua Dcruz (PV) def. Brock Whitham, 6-3, 6-2

Suvik Agrawal (PV) def. Gabe Geelan, 7-6 (7-1), 2-6, 1-0 (10-3)

Jacob Kustes (PV) def. Abhi Kannan, 6-3, 6-4

Jonas Jaritz (LM) def. Lucas Kukhar, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3

DOUBLES

Kodavatiganti-Ganesh (PV) def. Bauermeister-Spolare, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3)