New Palestine head coach Jean Graham talks with her team before the Hancock County Girls Tennis Championships at Mt. Vernon High School Friday.
Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE — Winning three of four head-to-head matchups in the championship round of the Hancock County Girls Tennis Championships, New Palestine put an end to Mt. Vernon’s streak of county titles at 12.
New Palestine edged Mt. Vernon 26-23. Greenfield-Central was third with nine points. Eastern Hancock scored two.
Each team has a player in one of the five flights, No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 singles and No. 1 and No. 2 doubles.
Teams were awarded three points for first-round wins. Two points for consolation victories and four points for winning a championship.
Mt. Vernon won all five of its first-round matches. New Palestine went 4-1. The Marauders were up 15-12 heading into the consolation and championship rounds. New Palestine picked up two points in a consolation contest, cutting the margin to one, 15-14.
New Palestine’s Olivia Hasenkamp (at No. 1) and Kaitlyn Mitchell (at No. 2) won singles titles. Hasenkamp won the No. 2 singles title last year.
Hasenkamp beat Mt. Vernon’s Regan Ralstin 6-1, 6-1 in the championship match.
Ralstin was playing in place of sophomore Kylie Brandes, the defending No. 1 singles champion and an all-stater during her freshman season. Brandes was unable to play in Friday’s tournament.
New Palestine’s third title came at No. 1 doubles.
Bethany Blachly and Jo Harvey defeated Mt. Vernon’s Carmen Lugo and Kim Joubert.
Mt. Vernon’s Maria Downs, who defeated New Palestine’s Courtney Johnson in three sets in the semifinals, won her championship match at No. 3 singles over Madison Succaw of Greenfield-Central, 6-1, 6-2.
The Marauders won at No. 2 doubles. Addy Lockwood and Sophie Maxwell defeated New Palestine’s Maddy Potter and Alyssa Kauchak 6-1, 6-4.
2023 Hancock County Girls Tennis Tournament
Team scores: New Palestine 26, Mt. Vernon 23, Greenfield-Central 9, Eastern Hancock 2.
Finals results
Singles
No. 1: Olivia Hasenkamp (NP) def. Regan Ralstin (MV) 6-1, 6-1
No. 2: Kaitlyn Mitchell (NP) def. Ava Lusby (MV) 6-4, 7-5
No. 3: Maria Downs (MV) def. Madison Succaw (G-C) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1: Bethany Blachly/Jo Harvey (NP) def. Carmen Lugo/Kim Joubert (MV)
No. 2: Addy Lockwood/Sophie Maxwell (MV) def. Maddy Potter/Alyssa Kauchak (NP) 6-1, 6-4
