Mt. Vernon’s Carly Wilkerson returns a shot during her singles match against New Palestine on Monday, May 10, 2021.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE — Nor rain, nor sleet, nor wind, nor sun could stop the Mt. Vernon girls tennis team from claiming a victory on Thursday.
The host Marauders braved the elements and the visiting Pendleton Heights Arabians to win their season and Hoosier Heritage Conference opener at home, 4-1.
Senior Anna Hawks got the Marauders started with quick 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 3 singles. Seniors Cece Buhlman and Liv Lugo dominated at No. 2 doubles with a 6-1, 6-0 win to put Mt. Vernon ahead 2-0 at the Marauder tennis “dome.”
Seniors Maddie Swingle and Shay Shipley overcame a difficult first set, 7-5, at No. 1 doubles with strong second, 6-0, by winning 11 games in a row for the third team point.
Carly Wilkerson added the bonus point with a 6-4, 6-3 victory at No. 2 singles. Mt. Vernon’s Kaylie Brandes battled, but the freshman starter lost 2-6, 3-6 to the Arabians’ senior at No. 1 singles.
“Our depth will be key all year. Anna was outstanding. Liv and Cece did exactly what we expect from them in taking care of business. Carly had a tough match but closed it out,” Mt. Vernon head coach Gabe Muterspaugh said. “To be honest, great first win in less than ideal playing conditions. It’s good to 1-0 vs. 0-1. We take it one match at a time and give 127 percent each match.”
The Marauders travel to Shenandoah on Wednesday.
Track and Field
Royals lose a close one
The Eastern Hancock Royals boys track and field team lost a close dual meet at Madison-Grant on Thursday in chilly conditions, 66-62.
Kain Sotelo and Preston Markley led the way for the Royals with three individual wins and as members of the winning 4×800-meter relay team.
Sotelo won the high hurdles with a personal-best time of 17.0 seconds, the 300 hurdles and the high jump.
Markley, just a freshman, won the 1,600, the 800 and the 3,200. Other winners were: Cole Rainbolt in the long jump, Jayden Stine in the 400 and the 4×100 relay team of Ashton Smith, Houston Swan, Rainbolt and Zach Arnold.
Smith and Stine were also on the winning 4×800 relay team. Second-place finishes went to Arnold in the 100, Rainbolt in the 200 and Graham Hicks in the shot put.
Thirds went to Dominic Shelby in the long jump and John Rodrigues-Lemasters in both hurdle races.
