WATERLOO - The top three singles seeds met little resistance, while the doubles title appears to be up for grabs after Friday's opening rounds of competition in the Class 1A boys' state tennis tournament at Byrnes Park.

Waterloo Columbus junior Jim Nora, a two-time doubles finalist, knows as well as anyone what it takes to reach Saturday's semifinals. Nora, competing in singles this year, improved to 6-0 in Friday state tournament matches after two victories.

"It comes with experience," Nora said. "I've been here twice already and I've never lost on the first day. I have high expectations for myself."

Nora advanced to the semifinals with straight-set wins over Fairfield Maharishi baseliner Thomas Weiss and Pella senior Bryn Boswell.

No. 2 seed Lane Luhring of Aplington-Parkersburg awaits Nora, the three seed, in Saturday's 10 a.m. semifinal. Luhring cruised through the opening rounds without dropping a single game in three of the four sets he played.

"I think it will be a fun match to play (Saturday)," Luhring said. "We played earlier this year and it was a pretty good match.

"We both play smart and we'll come up to the net if we get the chance to put the point away."

During the regular season, Luhring split sets with Nora before winning in a super-tiebreaker. The two area standouts are not strangers.

"We both play at the same tennis club, and we know each other pretty well," Nora said. "We know each other's games pretty well, so it will be a good match."

In contrast to Luhring, the Columbus junior had plenty of competition on day one.

Nora was the aggressor in both matches, battling tough from the baseline and finishing multiple points at the net. He let a 4-1 lead slip away, but still won the first set of his quarterfinal match in a tiebreaker. The second set was less dramatic with Nora prevailing 6-2.

"I kind of lost my head there for a little bit, but luckily I got it back just in time," Nora said. "Instead of playing not to lose, I started playing to win. I was going for my shots more and it really showed in the second set."

Top-seed Carter Giese of Dubuque Wahlert will meet up with unseeded Jeff Yanda of South Tama in the other semifinal match.

In the doubles draw, Decorah's fourth-seeded team of seniors Sean Brown and Lance Loney appears to have as good a shot as any to take home a title.

After dropping the opening set of their first round match, Brown and Loney combined to lose a total of four games over the next four sets.

The Viking seniors, who have been playing together since their freshmen year, are making their state tournament debut. They watched last year's tournament, but nothing could simulate getting onto the court.

"We lost the first set, so it was tough," Brown said of the opening round match. "Then we came back and played really good in the two sets after we calmed down a little bit."

Standing approximately 6-foot-6, Brown towers over his doubles partner at the net. His range was in full display Friday as he smashed multiple overheads past his opponents.

"He's a huge force, and he's pretty intimidating out there," Loney said of his partner. "We both have different strengths and weaknesses. He has a huge serve and is huge at the net, and I just kind of tag along with my ground strokes and try to get up there with him."

Brown and Loney will meet up with top-seeded Gui Ochoa and Dustin Rhoads of Oskaloosa in the semifinals. The Oskaloosa duo was pushed to the limit in their quarterfinal match before prevailing over Independence's Hyder Chowdry and Adam Gustafson, 6-1, 7-6.

"Three games we had 40-15 (leads), we just needed to be able to finish," Independence coach David Morkel said addressing second-set leads that slipped away.

No. 2 doubles seed Bryan Huss and John Engler of Fort Dodge St. Edmond weren't as fortunate. Waterloo Columbus brothers Casey and Michael Goerdt defeated them in a 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 first-round upset.

The Columbus duo, playing just hours after a dramatic substate semifinal soccer match, was sent to the loser's bracket with a 6-2, 6-3 quarterfinal loss to Dubuque Wahlert's Michael Runde and Jon Moore.

"I was pretty tired after last night, because we won 2-1 (in soccer)," senior Casey Goerdt said. "I think I've done this for the last three years and it gets tougher and tougher every year, because we keep playing a harder team for soccer and then just coming into (state tennis) it takes a toll on you."

Casey and his sophomore brother Michael recovered from their quarterfinal defeat to earn an opportunity to play up to fifth place Saturday. Independence's Chowdhry and Gustafson are also alive in the consolation draw.

Singles

FIRST ROUND - Carter Giese (Wahlert) def. Charlie Wilhelm (Grinnell) 7-5, 6-1; Michael McGonegle (Norwalk) def. Cole Egger (Cherokee, Washington) 6-3, 6-1; Justin Bradfield (Fairfield) def. Michael Hancock (Fort Dodge St. Edmond) 6-7, 6-2, 6-3; Jeff Yanda (South Tama) def. Jeff Williams (Clarinda) 6-2, 6-3; Jim Nora (Columbus) def. Thomas Weiss (Maharishi) 6-3, 6-4; Bryn Boswell (Pella) def. Jason Ehrhard (Clarke, Osceola) 6-0, 6-3; Matja Simulak (Camanche) def. Gregor Pritzlaff (Cherokee, Washington) 6-4, 6-1; Lane Luhring (Aplington-Parkersburg) def. Grant Nikseresht (Glenwood) 6-0, 6-0.

QUARTERFINALS - Giese def. McGonegle 6-0, 6-0; Yanda def. Bradfield 6-3, 6-4; Nora def. Boswell 7-6, 6-2; Luhring def. Simulak 6-3, 6-0.

Doubles

FIRST ROUND - Gui Uchoa-Dustin Rhoads (Oskaloosa) def. Drew O'Bleness-Zen Gatton (Keokuk) 6-0, 6-3; Hyder Chowdhry-Adam Gustafson (Independence) def. Taylor Petersen-Derek Tjepkes (Altantic) 6-3, 6-3; Taylor Harman-Drew Jacobsen (Spencer) def. Bobby Key-Ryan Shuey (Corning); Sean Brown-Lance Loney (Decorah) def. John Ellis-Austin Greco (Boone) 3-6, 6-1, 6-1; Joseph Gelfand-Derek Thatcher (Maharishi) def. Tyler Rhamy-Caleb Nett (Corning); Taylor Anderson-Carsen Anderson (Storm Lake) def. Jared Gerber-Will Harris (Pella) 6-3, 6-7, 7-5; Michael Runde-Jon Moore (Wahlert) def. Eduardo Sokolnik-Cam Deter (Red Oak) 7-6, 6-1; Casey Goerdt-Michael Goerdt (Columbus) def. Bryan Huss-John Engler (St. Edmond) 6-7, 7-6, 6-4.

QUARTERFINALS - Uchoa-Rhoads def. Chowdhry-Gustafson 6-1, 7-6; Brown-Loney def. Harman-Jacobson 6-0, 6-2; Gelfand-Thatcher def. Anderson-Anderson 7-5, 5-7, 7-5; Runde-Moore def. Goerdt-Goerdt 6-2, 6-3.

AREA CONSOLATION QUARTERFINALS - Goerdt-Goerdt (Columbus) def. Ellis-Greco 6-2, 7-5; Chowdhry-Gustafson def. Gerber-Harris 4-6, 6-4, 10-5.