Five of the top eight teams from the final regular season poll from the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association are in this weekend’s field to determine the 2019 boys tennis state champion.
Four quarter-final matches will be played at noon Friday at Carmel and Center Grove high schools with the four winning teams advancing to the semi-final matches on Saturday at 10 a.m. at North Central High School followed by the state championship match at 2 p.m.
The quarter-final matches at Carmel include four undefeated teams and a pair of teams new to this level of the tournament. The top-ranked hosts (21-0) take on No. 11 Evansville Reitz (21-0) in one match while No. 3 Columbus North (22-0) will tangle with unranked Westview (25-0) in the other.
Carmel is the three-time defending state champion and is making a record 10th straight appearance in the state finals. Columbus North topped fourth-ranked Floyd Central 4-1 in last week’s semi-state to reach the finals for the second straight year. The Bull Dogs hope to be among the final four teams for the first time since 2008. Both Evansville Reitz and Westview are making their first appearance in the state finals.
The other quarter-finals at Center Grove pit No. 6 Terre Haute South (18-2) against No. 8 Munster (20-1) and No. 5 North Central of Indianapolis (17-3) against No. 12 Zionsville (17-2).
North Central was last year’s state runner-up in this event but will have their hands full with Zionsville which took a 3-2 decision in the two team’s regular season finale on Sept. 30. The Eagles will be looking to reach the championship match for the first time since their 2008 runner-up season.
Terre Haute South and Munster each are making their first trip to state since the 2010 season when Munster reached the semi-final round while South was tripped up in the quarter-finals.
