Millers & Tigers both claim regional championships, ‘Hounds get 20th regional title
By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – The Noblesville boys tennis team has entered uncharted territory, and the Millers are happy to enjoy the ride.
Noblesville claimed its first-ever regional championship Wednesday at its tennis complex. The No. 24-ranked Millers came back from 2-0 down to beat Delta 3-2, thus earning another big trophy and the chance to play in a semi-state for the first time.
“We’re looking to start our own tradition,” said Noblesville coach Chris Pyle. “Everything’s a first from here on out. We already said this season is a super success. We’re just going to keep adding whipped cream, cherries, sprinkles. We’ll just keep adding toppings to the season that it already is.”
All of the matches were decided in straight sets. The Eagles won the first two early: At No. 2 singles, Kody Vest beat Coleman Kratz 6-0, 6-1, followed by the No. 1 doubles, where Dalton Royal and Preston Shanayda beat Rory Bushong and Liam Shepard 6-3, 6-3.
The Millers got on the board a couple minutes later, as No. 2 doubles Jake Brenneman and Dane Campbell defeated Aaron Elliott and Tyce Dishman 6-2, 6-4. About 10 minutes after that, No. 1 singles Ethan Feliciano tied the meet up, as he wrapped up a 7-5, 6-4 win over Simon Marlow.
“He knew he didn’t play his best last night (against Frankton), and we said ‘Hey, you’re just going to sleep it off,’” said Pyle. The coach told Feliciano to “come back tomorrow, you’re going to play even better and I know you’re going to win.”
“It’s definitely a learning curve,” said Feliciano. “These are teams from all around Indiana. You get to experience every kind of player – pusher, defense at the baseline, people who move in really quick. You just get to see a variety of types of players. It just adds to the strategy and the way you’re thinking on the court all the time.”
The match came down to No. 3 singles, and once again, Zane Panning stepped up to the challenge. After winning the first set, he fell behind 3-2 in the second set, but won four of the next five games to clinch the match.
“It brings the whole team together, too,” said Pyle. “It doesn’t make it seem like it’s got to be three spots or you lose.”
Noblesville plays Saturday at the Homestead semi-state, which begins at noon. The Millers will take on Leo, a 5-0 winner over Westview at the Fort Wayne Carroll regional, for the Homestead 1 semi-state title.
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Fishers also claimed its first-ever regional title on Wednesday, beating No. 30 Greenfield-Central 5-0 in the final at Mount Vernon.
The No. 14 Tigers won all five matches in straight sets. In singles, No. 1 Aidan Foley was a 6-1, 6-1 winner, while No. 2 Gavin Conrad and No. 3 Cooper Vallance both were victorious 6-2, 6-2. In doubles, No. 1 Jack Butler and Thomas Bender were 6-3, 6-2 winners, while No. 2 Vaughan Curtis and Jonathan Mills won 6-2, 6-2.
Fishers plays No. 5 North Central Saturday for the Center Grove 2 semi-state championship.
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Top-ranked Carmel got its regional title back on Wednesday, beating No. 9 Park Tudor 3-2 to win the Lebanon regional.
This is the 20th regional title for the Greyhounds. The Carmel team was separated from the regional title last year by Harrison after winning 12 straight from 2010 to 2021, but the Greyhounds are champions again this year.
Carmel plays either Chesterton or South Bend St. Joseph on Saturday for the Culver Academies 2 semi-state championship.
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In individual sectional action, Guerin Catholic’s Max Fuller beat University’s Owen Schellhase in three sets to win the Lebanon sectional. Fuller will play in the regional this weekend.
Over at Noblesville, Westfield’s Alex Sagarra beat Tipton’s Anson Issacs 6-0, 6-1 to advance at that sectional. Sagarra will play Jay County’s Abraham Dirksen today for the sectional title.