By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – Just inside the locker room at the Noblesville tennis complex, there are two pieces of paper. One says “1988” and the other says “1989.”
The first number marks the last time the Millers boys won a sectional title, and the second number is the last year the Noblesville girls won a sectional.
“We said, ‘We need to end that streak this year,’” said Millers coach Chris Pyle.
Noblesville’s boys got the first opportunity, and the Millers came through in dramatic and exciting fashion. Noblesville came from behind to beat Westfield 3-2 in Thursday’s Sectional 56 championship at the Millers’ tennis complex, and thus win the program’s first sectional since 1988, and fifth overall.
“I think the boys really honed in on that tonight,” said Pyle.
It was a thrilling sectional championship between two ranked Hoosier Crossroads Conference teams: Noblesville is 24th and the Shamrocks are 17th. Westfield took an early 2-0 lead by winning two singles matches: No. 1 Alex Sagarra won 6-1, 6-0 and No. 2 Parker Paramoure was victorious 6-3, 6-3.
The Millers got their first point at No. 2 doubles, with Jack Brenneman and Dane Campbell winning 6-4, 6-2.
“Jack and Dane, they came ready to play and just absolutely took control of that match,” said Pyle.
With that, all the attention went to No. 1 doubles, where Noblesville’s Rory Bushong and Liam Shepard and Westfield’s Jack Dietz and Gavin Dietz were playing a very tight match.
The Shamrocks team won the first set 7-5, then the Millers took the second set 7-5. That set the stage for an intense third set. Both teams were serving the ball strong and hitting powerful groundstrokes and volleys, were pumping themselves up after every point, and trying to gain the momentum, which seemed to switch back and forth minute by minute.
Finally, the Noblesville team prevailed in a third-set tiebreak, 7-5. Shepard had to shake off cramps during the final two games; he said the key to getting through them was to “stay distracted and just don’t think about it – keep playing.”
The coaches asked Shepard if he wanted any medical help, but Shepard said “No, I got this.”
“And he turned around and he just went and held serve,” said Pyle. “The mentality that these guys had tonight and coming into today was unreal.”
“For Liam and I at least, it’s been almost constant third sets for pretty much every conference match that we’ve had,” said Bushong. “So we were used to it, but in sectional, it’s a little different. A lot more pressure.”
Once that dramatic match was finished, it was on to another one. The Millers’ Zane Panning and the Shamrocks’ Jake Juntgen were battling in a third set at No. 3 singles. Both players were hitting the ball well, playing steady and consistent and negotiating points that contained several long rallies.
Panning said he was able to handle the back-and-forth of the match “because I just have ice in my veins.” Keeping cool was necessary, as the lead changed several times in that third set. Jungten led 3-2, then Panning came back to lead 4-3, then Jungten zoomed back ahead 5-4, then Panning went up 6-5.
Panning broke that pattern, winning the final game to take the third set 7-5 and the match. Once he clinched the match, Panning’s teammates came rushing on to the court to celebrate and the Millers were soon holding the sectional trophy.
“That kid comes to practice every day and wants it,” said Pyle. “He’s always the biggest hustler in practice. It doesn’t matter if the point’s over or not. He’s running after everything,” which the coach said validated that his No. 3 singles player did have – as Panning said – ice in his veins.
“And that shows his confidence right there and why he’s perfect for that 3 singles spot,” said Pyle.
While it was a tough loss for Westfield, the Shamrocks will have a player advancing. By finishing undefeated, Sagarra earned a sectional champion ribbon and will move on to the individual tournament, which begins next week.
Westfield No. 1 singles player Alex Sagarra
finished as undefeated sectional champion and
will advance to the individual tournament, which
begins next week. (Richie Hall)
The Millers will host the Regional 14, which starts on Tuesday with the semifinals. Noblesville will play Frankton, which repeated as sectional champion by taking the Alexandria sectional on Thursday. The other semifinal will be contested between the winners of the Jay County and Delta sectionals, which finish on Saturday.
“The teams coming in, they all won their sectionals too,” said Pyle. “So they’re all confident, and so are we. We’ve never won a regional as a program, so we’re excited to keep making history, making our own history.”
NOBLESVILLE 3, WESTFIELD 2
No. 1 singles: Alex Sagarra (W) def. Ethan Feliciano (N) 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 singles: Parker Paramoure (W) def. Coleman Kratz (N) 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 singles: Zane Panning (N) def. Jake Juntgen (W) 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5
No. 1 doubles: Rory Bushong and Liam Shepard (N) def. Jack Dietz and Gavin Dietz (W) 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5)
No. 2 doubles: Jack Brenneman and Dane Campbell (N) def. Jay Hostetter and Parker Gibbs (W) 6-4, 6-2