FORTVILLE — The Mt. Vernon boys tennis team’s redemption tour continued on Thursday night, while the defending Hancock County champion New Palestine Dragons followed suit and advanced into today’s sectional championship round.
But, neither team achieved the feat in a complete sweep during the Mt. Vernon boys tennis sectional semifinals.
Instead, the Pendleton Heights Arabians forced the issue, slightly, before the host Marauders (12-7) prevailed, 3-2, behind a trio of straight-set wins in singles competition.
Meanwhile, the Dragons (17-3) posted four straight-set wins to defeat Eastern Hancock, 4-1, but not without a setback.
At No. 1 doubles, the Royals tandem of junior Bryce Wennen and senior Wyatt Sutton gritted out a 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, 6-4, victory over the defending county champion twosome of Dragons’ seniors Clayton Wesley and Jackson Havel, which brought the Royals’ fans to their feet.
With the match tied, 1-1, the Royals’ doubles team built an early lead in the decisive third set, but Wennen slowly became immobile due to cramps in both legs, requiring a pair of medical timeouts as he hobbled in obvious discomfort.
“I’m just glad towards the end of the set my partner was able to cover for me. I was praying the whole time that my legs would give me a little bit left just so I could finish,” Wennen said. “Without (Wyatt), I don’t know how we would have done it. They’re a really good team, too.”
The Dragons rallied back in the third set, cutting the Royals’ advantage down to 5-4 while Wennen lost his ability to serve and patrol the court with any fluidity.
“He started cramping at the start of the third set, and he just fought. I wanted to pull him off the court, and he wouldn’t let me,” Eastern Hancock head coach Chris Zeilinga said. “They did fantastic. Wyatt, I thought, was superhuman, just going after the ball. He was all over the place.”
Sutton sprinted around the court with determination, covering for his partner at every angle while hammering down point after point.
“It got, honestly, very emotional there at the end. I knew that he wasn’t going to be able to move much, and I was going to have to handle most of the mobility on the court, and when he lost his serve, I was really worried that our coach was going to say we’re done,” Sutton said.
“But, I’m glad (assistant) coach (Chris) Hardin told him no, and he gave me a chance to serve because even though Bryce was hurting, he did a great job at the net and in the back with locked up legs.”
The doubles partners (11-5 record) nailed down the winning point in deuce, and though their team’s season ended, the pair will advance into the individual state tournament.
“I wanted us to win no matter what. I’m just so glad we came away with the win because I knew when it got to deuce at the very end, I knew it was either going to be heartbreak or tears of joy,” Sutton said. “I’m glad it was the second one.”
During the regular season, the Dragons swept the Royals, 5-0, but despite being unable to replicate their previous result, the team locked down their four points with relative ease.
At No. 2 singles, senior Colin Darley defeated senior Nolan Stout, 6-1, 6-2. Dragons’ Zach Au, a senior, posted a shutout at No. 3 singles, 6-0, 6-0, over freshman Luke Schilling.
The No. 2 doubles team of freshman Moses Haynes and senior Devon Bird won 6-3, 6-1, for the Dragons over junior Peyton Stephens and freshman Myles Wennen.
County champion Ezra Schwier, a senior, added to the semifinal victory with a 6-2, 6-0, win over junior Zeke Dixon to help the Dragons reach the sectional finals after falling in the opening round last year to Greenfield-Central, 4-1.
“We didn’t want to overlook Eastern Hancock. They’ve made a lot of improvements over the years. We wanted to come out with intensity and prepare for the championship round,” Schwier said. “It was tough last year, falling in the early rounds, so we definitely wanted to come back and make a run again.”
The Dragons haven’t won a sectional team title since 2018 when the program captured seven consecutively, beginning in 2012. Schwier advanced into the individual state tournament as the team’s lone winner last year.
If the Dragons intend to progress into next week’s North Central team regional tournament collectively, they’ll have to get past the defending sectional champion Marauders today at 4:30 p.m.
“It’s a rematch. It’s going to be a battle, but we’re up for it,” New Palestine head coach Jean Graham said. “And, we’re going to bring our A-game. It’ll be a good match.”
The Marauders lost hold of the county this fall after winning back-to-back team titles in 2019 and 2020.
They also lost head-to-head against the Dragons last Friday, 5-0, in their final match of the regular season. The Marauders have won consecutive sectional team titles since the Dragons’ last championship campaign.
“You can see improvement, and for us to close it out in straight sets is huge,” Mt. Vernon head coach Gabe Muterspaugh said.
“Now, you throw everything to the side. Now, you forget everything. What’s our record? 0-0. What’s New Pal’s record? 0-0. It’s go time. We have nothing to lose. There’s no pressure on us. All the pressure is on New Pal. We’re going to make them earn it. We’re going to make them take it. They’re going to have to give everything on the court because I know we will.”
Mt. Vernon’s Adam Koon, a sophomore, secured one of Mt. Vernon’s three singles points against the Pendleton Heights Arabians, which the Marauders beat, 3-2, during the regular season.
Koon won 6-2, 6-4 over Samuel Bowers. Freshman Manny Downs collected the first point at No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-0, over Ryland Mills.
Robbie Moore, a sophomore, bounced back from his 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, loss in the sectional quarterfinals against Greenfield-Central on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Arabians’ Austin Perry.
“It feels great coming back from a loss last night that had some controversy. It’s just good to be back,” Moore said. “This group has a lot of personality, character and it shows for our team to be able to battle and get back into the finals. I feel like we have confidence, coming back. We’re feeling good with some good momentum.”
Since winning the county tournament on Sept. 11, the Dragons have won seven straight dual matches. The Marauders have now won two consecutive by margins of 3-2 after their loss to New Palestine.
“That’s what we want. We want dogs on the court. They’re grinders,” Muterspaugh said. “You have to have that mentality. We sometimes play tennis like we’re playing football because that’s the type of mentality we want to have as a team. Mt. Vernon tennis stands for something. It stands for you’re going to get our best every night. And, if you beat us straight up, we’ll shake your hands and say great match. But, you’re going to remember the night you played the Marauders.”
