CHARLOTTESVILLE — They hardly had a chance to exhale from their second straight Mid-Eastern Conference championship.
With one goal accomplished, Eastern Hancock’s boys tennis team was quickly ready to see how it measured up against one of Hancock County’s larger — and most successful — programs.
The Royals were getting that opportunity Monday when they played host to New Palestine. The match was close when Mother Nature decided the Royals and Dragons were going to have to finish another day.
Eastern was up in three of the five contests, but all were extremely competitive and the match was far from being decided. Its No. 1 doubles team of Bryce Wennen and Myles Wennen were at match point when the rains came.
“New Palestine is always winning the sectional, especially on the boys side. They have been so good for so long,” Eastern Hancock coach Chris Zeilinga said. “You know where you’re at when you’re playing the county schools.”
The smallest school in Hancock County is having a strong season, but with no class system in boys tennis, the Royals will not only have to measure up against New Pal, Mt. Vernon and Greenfield-Central in the county tournament, they’ll be sectional opponents, too.
Zeilinga and New Palestine coach Jean Graham weren’t sure when the match would be rescheduled, but all county teams will get together on Sept. 10 at New Palestine for the Hancock County Tournament.
Eastern Hancock is seeking the title for the first time since 1996.
“(Winning the conference) was a huge deal, but we have set our sights on trying to win a sectional and county,” Zeilinga added. “The boys really bought in after (a strong season last year). We’ve had kids going up to (an indoor facility) in Pendleton at 4:30 in the morning. We’ve got kids playing year-round and I think that showed up at the conference (tournament).”
The Royals have had clear control of the schools closer to their own size in the MEC.
Saturday’s conference championship at Randolph Southern was not only the second straight, but third in the last four years. Overall, the program has 11 conference championships, including eight in the White River Athletic Conference.
They made quick work of all opponents at Saturday’s tournament. Each position won their conference title. All went 2-0 in matches with a combined games score of 120-20.
At No. 1, Zeke Dixon won by scores of 6-0, 6-0 in the first round, versus Shenandoah. He followed it up with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Blue River Valley in the title match.
“It felt good to win (the conference) again,” Dixon said. “It was a big goal of ours. I felt like we played confident.
“We want to keep improving.”
At No. 2 singles, Luke Fletcher picked up the title with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Shenandoah and a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Blue River Valley.
At No. 3 singles, Luke Schilling won 6-1, 6-3 over Shenandoah to advance to the championship round. He won his title match 6-2, 6-2 over BRV.
In doubles play, the Wennen brothers won 6-0, 6-0 over Randolph Southern. In the finals, they defeated a pair from Shenandoah 6-2, 6-3.
At No. 2 doubles, Peyton Stephens and Bo Dixon opened with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Blue River Valley. In the championship round, Stephens-Dixon beat a team from Shenandoah 6-1, 6-0.
“I was thrilled with the way we played,” Zeilinga said. “The boys were really pumped about conference, but they were really excited to play a county school (Monday), too.”
