FORTVILLE — Rain halted the completion of Wednesday’s Mt. Vernon Boys Tennis Sectional semifinal match with Eastern Hancock, but it didn’t stop the Marauders from reaching Friday’s championship.
Mt. Vernon, ranked No. 22 in the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association poll, leads Eastern Hancock 4-0.
The No. 1 doubles match, tied 1-1, was stopped early in the third set due to rain. It is scheduled to resume play Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
Mt. Vernon’s team of Matthew Jones and Robbie Moore are tied with Eastern Hancock’s Myles Wennen and Boaz Dixon. The Royals won the first set 7-6 (7-5). The Marauders took the second 6-4. Eastern Hancock was leading 1-0 in the third when the match was stopped.
Though the match was postponed, the overall result had already been decided. Even with a Wennen-Dixon victory Thursday, the Marauders, by claiming the necessary amount of victories for a team win advanced to Friday’s sectional championship against Greenfield-Central, a 3-2 winner over New Palestine.
Friday’s contest is a rematch of last year’s championship won by the Marauders.
On Wednesday, Mt. Vernon got its needed three victories quickly.
At No. 1 singles, senior Adam Koon defeated freshman Luke Zeilinga 6-0, 6-0. At No. 2 singles, Manny Downs won 6-0, 6-0 over Eastern Hancock’s Luke Schilling.
It became an official win after the No. 2 doubles team of Bryndan Wylie and Max Orelup downed Griffin Lawrence and Luke Fletcher 6-1, 6-2. Mt. Vernon’s fourth win came at No. 3 singles when Tate Cougill defeated Josiah Swauger 6-4, 6-2.
“All in all, we’re happy with where we’re sitting right now. We won the match. Hopefully (our No. 1 doubles) can pull it off,” Mt. Vernon coach Graham McMullen said. “We won the match and we’re already starting to look forward to (the championship).
“Hats off to (Greenfield-Central coach Michael Turpin). His program is fantastic this year with a great group of senior leaders … We’re going to have to come out and be ready.”
Eastern Hancock will not advance as a team, but it still has a chance to get its doubles team to the individual sectional tournament next week.
All No. 1 singles players and No. 1 doubles teams, if undefeated in team sectional play, are eligible to advance to the next round.
As a team, the Royals end the year 8-6. Mt. Vernon is 12-3.
“Bo and Myles have played well and won in three sets (Monday) at Pendleton Heights,” Eastern Hancock coach Chris Zeilinga said. “We thought we would be playing well when we walked in here, doubles-wise. Singles-wise, (Mt. Vernon) is just at a different level … It was eye-opening and a learning experience for us. We bring everyone back (but one senior). We have a great future, but we took a whoopin’ (Wednesday).”
