Xavier girls enjoy great day at State tennis

By Jim Ecker

WAUKEE – It was exhilarating. It was tense. And it was another terrific day of tennis for the young ladies from Xavier High School.

Gabi Fleming captured the Class 1A singles title in a precious match against a freshman from Boone and became only the third player in state history with four straight crowns.

And on another court about 25 feet away at Waukee Northwest High School, Gemma Younadam and Kelsey Weiss claimed the doubles crown in a tight battle. It was Younadam’s second doubles title in two years.

“Pretty special. Pretty special,” declared Xavier Coach Matt Foxhoven of the twin verdicts in singles and doubles. “They both had to fight for it.”

Fleming held off Maiya Phanchantraurai, 6-4, 6-4, in a fierce battle between a seasoned senior and a talented ninth grader who suffered her only loss of the season.

“She’s super good. Definitely a fighter,” praised Fleming, who succeeded as a freshman three years ago. “I relied on my experience a lot.”

Four championships in four years.

“It got a little intense at the end,” she noted, saying she was both relieved and very happy. “It’s the perfect way to finish my career.”

Fleming led 5-2 in the second set, but Phanchantraurai battled back, staved off four match points, pulled within 5-4 and pushed Fleming to the limit.

Younadam and Weiss clipped Charley Diiulio and Lea Patrick of Davenport Assumption, 6-4, 7-6 for the doubles crown. The Saints won the tiebreaker in the second set, 8-6, to claim the championship.

“It was special,” said Younadam. “We knew they were not going to roll over and let us have it.”

The Assumption doubles team was a regional runner-up, yet made it all the way to the state finals. They gave the Saints a handful.

“It was definitely nerve-wracking,” said Weiss.

Fleming sailed in the semifinals with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Charlotte Swhwabe of Kuemper Catholic before her battle in the finals. Fleming keeps her emotions under control and has all the shots in the book, including a lethal backhand cross-court bullet at key times.

“You can’t tell if she’s up a lot or down a lot,” said Foxhoven.

Fleming was tied at several junctures Wednesday, but never trailed. “Just keep fighting,” she remarked.

Fleming joined Karen Moser of Waterloo West (1958-61) and Megan Racette of Urbandale (1999-2002) as the only four-time state champions in girls tennis.

Now that Xavier has won the state singles and doubles titles, the Saints will be seeking their second clean sweep in two years when they vie for the team title in Pella Oct. 12 and 13.