Cedar Rapids Washington’s Rina Moore and Lilly Hartman knew they had a tough task when they faced the top-seeded doubles team from Urbandale in Friday afternoon’s Class 2A state  championship.

Madeline Heer and Michelle Van Roekel, after all, had a perfect 17-0 record this season.  In the two years they’ve played the together, the two seniors were 32-1. Their only blemish came in last season’s state tournament when they lost to the eventual state champs from Ames in a semifinal match.

To advance into Friday’s finals at the Veterans Memorial Tennis Center, the Urbandale duo had dispatched an Ames tandem that still had one of the girls from the title team.

“We’d watched them and knew they were very good,” said Hartman.

What she and her partner didn’t know was that the pair from suburban Des Moines truly felt was that God was on their side.  Self-professed Christians, they said they drew inspiration on the court by silently reciting Scripture.

“Victory is in store for the righteous,” Van Roekel pointed out.

Asked if losers were therefore less than righteous, she replied that “hard work counts, too.”

Whether by divine intervention or an uncanny ability to drop shots where they couldn’t be reached, the effervescent Urbandale girls easily vanquished their Warrior foes 6-2, 6-1 to claim the doubles championship.

“We played well,” said Moore afterward. “We just didn’t play well enough. They’re a great team.”

Added teammate Hartman in admiration, “Very crafty. And they weren’t missing any of their shots.”

The Washington sophomore, who qualified for the state tournament in singles last year, aced her last serve to start the match with a 1-0 lead.

But with an array of looping lobs into the far corners and smashes at the net, Heer and Van Roekel quickly reeled off five straight games.

In that respect, the match was reminiscent of the Warriors’ Friday morning semifinal contest with Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Sarah Lasecki and Jessica Pedersen. The Wash pair trailed 4-1 in the opening set but rallied back to win 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

“We started out slow,” Hartman said of the morning match. “We were a little nervous. But then we relaxed and started playing our style. We started getting to the net and playing more aggressive.”

She said she and junior partner Moore tried to do the same against Urbandale but to little avail.

“We had the same strategy,” Hartman explained. “They were just too good.”

Van Roekel and Heer took the opening set 6-2.

Despite another ace to start the second set on top 1-0, the Washington girls began hitting shots into the net and were kept scrambling trying to catch up with returns perfectly placed over their heads.

Urbandale won the next six games to close out the match 6-1.

“They’ve played a lot of doubles together,” said Warrior Coach Liz Bertrand of the victors. “They’re an exceptional team, and they put the ball exactly where they want to put it.

“But I’m very, very proud of Lilly and Rina. There’s only one team that’s second in the state.”

Moore, who failed to place in two previous state tournament appearances, said the runner-up finish was much better than expected considering they entered the tournament unseeded.

“We’re very happy,” she noted. “It’s pretty awesome.”

As for the champions, who were each playing in their fourth state tourney, the victory was even sweeter.

“We played the best we’ve ever played,” said Heer. “We won with hard work and perseverance. And we’re always encouraging each other and building each other up.”

Lasecki and Pedersen took third place, beating  the Ames tandem of Ann Ku and Taylor Thoen 6-2, 7-5.

Fort Dodge freshman Jaci Cochran beat Iowa City High sophomore Eve Small 6-4, 7-5 to win the singles championship.

CLASS 2A STATE SINGLES & DOUBLES
At Veterans Memorial Tennis Center

Friday

Singles

Semifinals
Jaci Cochrane (Fort Dodge) def. Kayla Kuethe (Waukee), 6-0, 6-1
Eve Small (Iowa City High) def. Liera Bender (Johnston), 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3

Championship
Jaci Cochrane (Fort Dodge) def. Eve Small (Iowa City High), 6-4, 7-5

Third Place
Liera Bender (Johnston) def. Kayla Kuethe (Waukee), 6-3, 6-2

Consolation Semifinals
Abby Bergsten (Lewis Central) def. Griffin Rasche (Clinton), 6-2, 6-1
Katie Melbourne (Pleasant Valley) def. Judith Fan (Ames), 6-4, 6-1

Fifth Place
Abby Bergsten (Lewis Central) def. Katie Melbourne (Pleasant Valley), 6-4, 7-6(5)

Seventh Place
Judith Fan (Ames) def. Griffin Rasche (Clinton), 6-4, 6-4

Doubles

Semifinals
Michelle Van Roekel/Madeline Heer (Urbandale) def. Ann Ku/Taylor Thoen (Ames), 6-1, 2-6, 6-1
Lilly Hartman/Rina Moore (CR Washington) def. Sarah Lasecki/Jessica Pedersen (CR Kennedy), 7-6(5), 6-3

Championship
Van Roekel/Heer (Urbandale) def. Hartman/Moore (CR Washington), 7-6(5), 6-3

Third Place
Lasecki/Pedersen (CR Kennedy) def. Ku/Thoen (Ames), 6-2, 7-5

Consolation Semifinals
Dana Watermann/Ali Grampp (Bettendorf) def. Jenni Aldrich/Lucy Korsalov (WDM Valley), 6-7(4), 6-2, 1(9)
Elena Wilson/Addy Riley (Iowa City West) def. Kari Grindberg/Emily Knight (Fort Dodge), 6-3, 6-3

Fifth Place
Wilson/Riley (Iowa City West) def. Watermann/Grampp (Bettendorf), 6-3, 1-6, 1(7)

Seventh Place
Aldrich/Korsalov (WDM Valley) def. Grindberg/Knight (Fort Dodge), 6-2, 6-0

CLASS 1A STATE SINGLES & DOUBLES
At Ankeny

Friday

Singles

Semifinals
Carolyn Ahlers (LeMars) def. Ellen Chalstrom (Ft. Dodge St. Edmond), 6-3, 6-2
Haley Resnick (Davenport Assumption) def. Ashlee Sinnott (Waterloo Columbus), 7-5, 6-4

Championship
Haley Resnick (Davenport Assumption) def. Carolyn Ahlers (LeMars), 1-6, 6-3, 6-2

Third Place
Ashlee Sinnott (Waterloo Columbus) def. Ellen Chalstrom (Ft. Dodge St. Edmond), 6-0, 2-6, 1(3)

Consolation Semifinals
Kate Walker (Red Oak) def. Liz Rucker (Waverly-Shell Rock), 6-3, 6-2
Mary Eide (Fort Dodge St. Edmond) def. Ons Souissi (Glenwood), 6-4, 6-2

Fifth Place
Kate Walker (Red Oak) def. Mary Eide (Fort Dodge St. Edmond), 6-4, 6-2

Seventh Place
Ons Souissi (Glenwood) def. Liz Rucker (Waverly-Shell Rock), 6-3, 7-6(3)

Doubles

Semifinals
McGonegle/McManus (Waterloo Columbus) def. Baker/Blomstedt (Red Oak), 7-6(0), 6-4
Grams/Vogel (Camanche) def. Ott/Ott (Dubuque Wahlert), 7-5, 6-2

Championship
McGonegle/McManus (Waterloo Columbus) def. Grams/Vogel (Camanche),  7-6(4), 7-6(11)

Third Place
Ott/Ott (Dubuque Wahlert) def. Baker/Blomstedt (Red Oak), 6-1, 7-6(7)

Consolation Semifinals
Holzer/Meyer (Charles City) def. Tucker/Newman (Glenwood), 6-3, 0-6, 1(4)
Westergard/Delaney (Spirit Lake-Okoboji) def. Francis/Engbers (Pella Christian), 6-1, 6-2

Fifth Place
Holzer/Meyer (Charles City) def. Westergard/Delaney (Spirit Lake-Okoboji), 6-3, 7-5

Seventh Place
Tucker/Newman (Glenwood) def. Francis/Engbers (Pella Christian), 6-2, 6-1