Carmel sets new consecutive state title record, runs unbeaten dual meet streak to 130
By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – If it seemed like the Carmel boys tennis team was celebrating twice as much after it won the state championship on Saturday, there’s a good reason.
The Greyhounds made history at their own Todd Witsken Tennis Center by claiming their sixth consecutive state title. Carmel beat Zionsville 5-0 in the championship match, completing another unbeaten season at 24-0. The ‘Hounds, in fact, have not lost any dual meets during their sensational (or is that six-sational?) run, having compiled a staggering 130-0 record over the past six years.
Winning a state championship is cause for celebration in itself, of course, and so is setting such a historic record. But there’s more to the story: The goal of six in a row entered Carmel’s collective mind pretty much the second after the Greyhounds won their fifth in a row last year.
“Before we even had a chance to celebrate, everybody’s talking six, so I really don’t think we really celebrated last year,” said Carmel coach Bryan Hanan. As a result, the team started trying to put itself in a position to win the sixth.
Once all the matches were over, there was a lot of screaming and shouting from the Greyhounds. Call it release of pressure, and also the pure joy of setting a record for the ages.
Carmel had been tied with North Central, which won in five in a row between 1982 and 1986. Overall, the Greyhounds claimed their 14th state title.
“This one, we’re going to enjoy,” said Hanan. “We’re going to enjoy this one. I don’t think we did so much last year. We had a lot of pressure. We talked about this for two years.”
The ‘Hounds quickly clinched the dual match over the Eagles, who were making their second appearance in a state championship contest. No. 2 singles, senior Eli Mercer and the No. 1 doubles team of junior Jack Jentz and senior Srisanth Malpeddi both won easy matches to give Carmel a quick 2-0 lead.
The decider was No. 2 doubles, where the team of sophomore Braedon McIntyre and senior Adrien Qi won 6-3, 6-3. Freshman Rocky Li followed, winning at No. 3 singles 6-0, 6-4.
Everyone would have to wait awhile for the trophy presentation, as No. 1 singles Broc Fletcher was locked in a tense battle with Zionsville’s Cole Chappell, both of them seniors. Chappell won the first set 6-3, and then Fletcher began cramping in the second set. But he toughed out the second set 6-4, and then held on for victory by taking the third set 7-5. Fletcher was in such discomfort that at times he was serving underhanded, but he battled his way to the win.
“The match was clinched,” said Hanan. “I went up to him when he went down with a cramp and I said ‘Hey, we’ve clinched this match. If you can’t continue…’ and he says, ‘I’m not going off the court playing my last match at Carmel High School not being able to finish it.’ That’s the kid he always is. He’s been like that for four years.”
While the team portion of the state finals is finished, there’s still one more thing left to settle: The individual singles and doubles tournament. Jentz and Malpeddi went through the team tournament undefeated, so they will advance to the doubles event, which begins Friday at Carmel’s Todd Witsken Tennis Center. Jentz and Malpeddi will be the top seeds. Malpeddi won the doubles title last year with the now-graduated Jones McNamar.
“We’re going to enjoy this, but obviously, we want another doubles title as well,” said Hanan. “We always want a little more.”
In the morning semi-finals, Carmel beat No. 2-ranked Columbus North 5-0. Fletcher again came back from a set down to win in three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, while the Greyhounds won the other four positions in straight sets.
HSE’S DOUBLES TEAM WINS REGIONAL
Hamilton Southeastern’s doubles team of seniors Aiden De Witt and Andrew Spirrison qualified for the doubles tournament by winning the Kokomo regional on Saturday.
After a first-round bye, the Royals duo cruised to the title with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over the Randolph Southern team of junior Hagan Gambrel and sophomore Vance Taylor. De Witt and Spirrison improved to 21-1 for the year.
In singles, Noblesville senior Rory Bushong dropped his first match at Kokomo to West Lafayette senior Aidan William 6-1, 6-1. Bushong finished his season with a 23-4 record.
SEMI-FINALS
CARMEL 5, COLUMBUS NORTH 0
No. 1 singles: Broc Fletcher def. Nathan Lin 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 singles: Eli Mercer def. Hank Lin 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 singles: Rocky Li def. Anvay Atram 6-2, 6-1
No. 1 doubles: Jack Jentz and Srisanth Malpeddi def. Amrit Kar and Matthew Liu 6-2, 6-0
No. 2 doubles: Bradeon McIntyre and Adrien Qi def. Parth Shah and Eric Stavnheim 6-1, 5-2 retired
CHAMPIONSHIP
CARMEL 5, ZIONSVILLE 0
No. 1 singles: Broc Fletcher def. Cole Chappell 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
No. 2 singles: Eli Mercer def. Steven Narva 6-0, 6-2
No. 3 singles: Rocky Li def. Peyton Guider 6-0, 6-4
No. 1 doubles: Jack Jentz and Srisanth Malpeddi def. Ryan Betz and William Cramer 6-0, 6-3
No. 2 doubles: Braedon McIntyre and Adrien Qi def. Jonah Everson and Emerson Holifield 6-3, 6-3