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. They’ll battle Dunlap’s tandem of Lippens and Song next.
Washington High School
Washington senior Charles Schermerhorn beat Bloomington Cornerstone Christian Academy’s Luke Abadeer 6-2, 6-4 in the opening round and then defeated Morton’s Max Roosa 7-5, 6-3 to gain the singles semifinals of the Class 1A Bloomington Sectional and qualify for state.
He’ll face Bloomington High School’s Phillip Haning in the semifinals.
Morton High School
Morton seniors doubles tandem Joal Larson and Tate Darcy gained the semifinals of the 1A Bloomington Sectional with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Cornerstone Christian Academy’s Paul Abadeer and Dylan White, clinching a state spot.
They’ll face Normal University tandem Parker Kim/Bryse Boester in the semifinals Saturday.
Metamora High School
Metamora seniors tandem Tommy Sopko and Weston Lange powered through four matches to win the Class 1A LaSalle-Peru Sectional and qualify for state.
They beat teammates Dane Hutchison and Hunter Poole 6-3, 6-3 in the title match.
That fueled a runaway sectional team championship, with sophomore Matthew Poole also qualifying with a second-place singles finish.
Richwoods High School
Richwoods sophomore singles ace Daniel Nathan won a pair of matches in the Class 2A Richwoods Sectional on Friday to reach the semifinals and qualify for state.
He’ll continue on Saturday.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA sectional tennis: Dunlap, Metamora qualify 11 players for boys state finals