ROCHELLE — Noah Griffith had his sights set on attending college in Arizona ever since he began taking spring break trips to the Grand Canyon state with his family many years ago. And after the senior Hub tennis player completes his final season at Rochelle Township High School, he’ll move one step closer to making his nearly life-long dream come true.

The two-time IHSA state qualifier will be vying for his third consecutive state championship appearance this spring, and regardless of how his high school season ends, Griffith will be continuing his tennis career at Ottawa University in Surprise, Arizona. Griffith said he plans to study business and sports management in hopes of pursuing a career in sports marketing.

“I’m very excited and eager to play there,” Griffith said. “It’s a wonderful place to live and play any sport. I’m looking forward to the competition and obviously the weather since it’s so nice there. I can play all year round so I can always work on my game. I’ve always wanted to play in college so this is a dream come true.”

Ottawa University Arizona is a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). The Spirit will be adding a player in Griffith who won nearly 30 singles matches during his junior season and who is aiming to set the bar even higher for his final go-around with the Hubs varsity tennis team.

“Playing at the No. 1 spot all four years and qualifying for state the past two years have really helped me tremendously throughout my career,” Griffith said. “They have helped me develop into a better player, and I try to challenge myself every day to strive and be the best player I can be. I can’t thank God enough for blessing me and providing this opportunity to play at the college level.”

Griffith and the Rochelle varsity players begin the 2018 season on Saturday, March 24 at the Rock Island Invitational. The Hubs have several returning players from last year’s squad including Griffith, and the purple and white will be looking to make some noise as the season progresses.

But when Griffith’s senior year reaches its inevitable conclusion, there will be sunny days and more tennis waiting right around the corner.

“I was considering some colleges out there and some Illinois schools were interested in me,” Griffith said. “But I knew I wanted to play in Arizona since my family will be moving out there… I have been visiting Arizona with my family on spring break ever since I was little, and since then I’ve fallen in love with the state and the environment. I had my eyes set on something out there.”