FORTVILLE — All-conference, again.
All-state, again.
The Daily Reporter Hancock County Girls Tennis Athlete of the Year, again.
Even with all those similarities, the sophomore season for Mt. Vernon’s Kylie Brandes was much different than her first.
With the accolades mentioned, the Marauders’ No. 1 single player had a bit of a repeat performance, but it wasn’t without a major obstacle to overcome.
Right before the Hancock County Girls Tennis Tournament in April, Brandes, on her way to school, was a passenger in an automobile accident.
She was able to go to school that day, but as the day went on she began getting headaches.
“I went to school for about three hours, had a headache, but I didn’t feel really bad until later that night. And the next day I felt terrible,” Brandes said.
Diagnosed with a concussion, the school’s tennis and soccer star was out of action.
She had to watch the county tournament from the sidelines. Mt. Vernon lost by a mere three points, 26-23, to New Palestine, ending a stretch of 12 straight county titles.
“It definitely was a tough position to be in,” she said. “It’s hard watching from the stands. It was an unlucky event that happened and a tough situation.”
“With her being out, it really showed how much she meant to our team,” Mt. Vernon coach Gabe Muterspaugh said. “Us losing the county, if she’s there we probably win, to be honest.
“It shows her total value to our team. She was really diligent to following doctor’s orders. Her parents were great. We knew, or were hopeful, it’d be a matter of time, but you just don’t know sometimes with concussions.”
Muterspaugh, nor Brandes, knew when that return to the court would happen.
She ended up missing close to three weeks, seven matches.
The amazing thing to both the player and the coach was, upon return, she didn’t miss a beat.
“It was relieving and an exciting feeling,” Brandes said of getting back in the lineup to finish the regular season and be ready for the sectional. “It was fun to be back out on the court and playing with my teammates and cheering them on, but not from the sidelines.
“I surprised myself. I thought I was the same (as before the concussion) and didn’t think I was really rusty at all. I was lucky with that because I think tennis is a sport that you can get rusty fast.”
“The amazing part, she showed no ill effects. It was almost like she didn’t even miss that time and came back. That’s the type of athlete she is. It’s like, ‘OK. I’m back. Let’s go,’” Muterspaugh said.
Brandes ended up finishing with a 17-2 record. She was a unanimous choice for All-Hoosier Heritage Conference. She was the top vote-getter on the All-District 4 ballot and was named second team all-state by the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association. Her two losses were to another second-team all-state choice, Terre Haute South’s Sarah Rowe, and first-teamer Mischa Briggs of Fishers, who reached the individual tournament’s Final 4.
In the Mt. Vernon Sectional, Brandes had her own version of the county tournament, going 3-0 in wins over New Palestine (quarterfinals), Eastern Hancock (semifinals) and Greenfield-Central (finals). All were straight set wins. She won 36 of 39 games played.
Even though there were similar results than in 2022, Brandes said this past season was different, and it had nothing to do with missing time on the court. A year older, she saw that she’s a year better, too.
“I got a little stronger and learned more about placing the ball better and hitting winners,” she said. “My confidence was better. That’s a huge thing in tennis, having confidence to be able to put the ball away. I gained confidence and got stronger, that definitely helped.”
Muterspaugh said he also saw more leadership from his top player.
As a freshman, Brandes joined a team that was predominantly seniors. Though just a sophomore, she was the only player on this year’s team with substantial varsity experience.
“(Last year), coming into a team with six seniors, she kept her head down and did her work. She didn’t really talk a whole lot,” Muterspaugh said. “A bigger thing we saw (this year) more so than her tennis, was her starting to be a leader, more vocal, starting to be one of those people that people gravitate to on the team.
“She was the one that had the most experience coming back. We replaced six out of seven. For her to work with the other girls and build on that and for us to win the sectional again was a testament to her and her hard work and ability to branch out and be a more vocal leader.”
She’s giving Muterspaugh and the Marauders a lot to look forward to in the upcoming seasons.
“The big thing I see from this year to next year is her having even more weapons, and getting after it to where she can start pushing for that first team all-state,” Muterspaugh added. “She’s an absolute bulldog. She loves the practices and loves the games.”
2023 Daily Reporter Spring Sports Honors
Girls Tennis Athlete of the Year: Kylie Brandes, Mt. Vernon
Girls Tennis Coach of the Year: Gabe Muterspaugh, Mt. Vernon
*All-Hancock County Team
No. 1 singles: Kylie Brandes, Mt. Vernon
No. 1 singles: Olivia Hasenkamp, New Palestine
No. 2 singles: Kaitlyn Mitchell, New Palestine
No. 3 singles: Maria Downs, Mt. Vernon
No. 1 doubles: Josephine Harvey/Bethany Blachly, New Palestine
No. 2 doubles: Addy Lockwood, Sophie Maxwell, Mt. Vernon
*All-county team determined by results from Hancock County Tournament, other than Brandes, who was injured and could not compete. She went undefeated in all No. 1 singles matches versus county opponents and received all-state recognition.
