Dunlap, Metamora lead area boys tennis players in qualifying for IHSA state finals
Dunlap and Metamora high schools dominated their sectionals to lead local teams in sending players to the IHSA boys state tennis finals.
Metamora and Dunlap high schools had a big day on the tennis courts for their boys programs. Dunlap pushed all six of its players to state, as they all gained the semifinals of the Class 1A Geneseo Sectional on Friday. Metamora won the Class 1A LaSalle-Peru Sectional, qualifying five players for state while grabbing a sectional title plaque for the eighth straight season and 17th time in 23 years.
The 2026 IHSA boys state tennis finals are Thursday through Saturday at Palatine High School and other Chicago area school sites. Here's a look at state qualifiers from the Peoria area after Friday's results. Some sectionals still have matches to complete on Saturday: Dunlap High School Dunlap freshman singles phenom Michel Dresden knocked off Sterling's Xavian Prather 6-2, 6-3 and Dixon's Jayvian Herwig 6-2, 6-2 at the Class 1A Geneseo Sectional to qualify for state.
Dresden faces Newman Central Catholic's Joel Rhodes in the semifinals. Dunlap sophomore Ethan Laclef beat Notre Dame's Gus Callaway 6-1, 6-1 and Rock Island's Chase Eygabroad 6-0, 6-0 to also gain the semifinals and qualify for state. He plays Sterling High School's Aron Rivera next.
On the doubles side, the Eagles senior tandem of Ethan Klemens and Harmin Patel rolled through two matches to qualify for state and reach the semifinals, where they will face Sterling's Micah Peterson/Jacob Prevo. Dunlap's tandem of junior Noah Lippens and senior William Song also qualified and reached the semifinals, where they will take on Peoria Christian's Ian Durst and Samuel Loeb. Peoria Christian Durst and Loeb knocked out doubles teams from Newman Central Catholic and Notre Dame in the first two rounds to make the semifinals and qualify for state.