The Carmel boys tennis team won the 25th annual John Shirley Invitational Saturday at North Central’s Barbara Wynne Tennis Center.
The No. 2-ranked Greyhounds started by winning all five of their first-round matches, eventually finishing the tournament with a 12-3 record. Rocky Li won the No. 3 singles flight, while the No. 2 doubles team of Drew Willman and Charlie Hall won the No. 2 doubles division.
Carmel followed that up with a 3-2 win over No. 7 Columbus North Tuesday at Southport. The ‘Hounds won matches at No. 2 singles, No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles.
Carmel’s next meet is Thursday, when it takes on No. 3-ranked North Central.
Noblesville, ranked No. 28 in the state, won a tough dual meet at No. 23 Brownsburg Tuesday, 3-2.
The Millers got two comeback wins in singles. No. 1 Ethan Feliciano turned his match around, winning 2-6, 6-1, 6-1. No. 2 Jack Brenneman dropped a close first set 7-5, then came back from 5-2 down in the second set to win it in a tiebreak. Brenneman then won the third set 6-2.
The meet came down to No. 1 doubles. Rory Bushong and Liam Shepard joined their singles teammates in making a comeback, dropping the first set 6-4, then winning the second set 7-5. The Bulldogs held a 5-4 lead in the third set before Shepard played a great service game to tie it at 5-5. After Brownsburg held for 6-5, Bushong held serve to force the tiebreak. The Millers duo then played a solid tiebreak to win it 7-3, clinching the dual meet win.
Noblesville coach Chris Pyle credited his team with not giving up. “The boys really showed their grit and heart tonight,” he said.
NOBLESVILLE 3, BROWNSBURG 2
No. 1 singles: Ethan Feliciano (N) def. Levi Pietz (B) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1
No. 2 singles: Jack Brenneman (N) def. Bryce Garland (B) 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-2
No. 3 singles: Hank Giles (B) def. Camden David (N) 6-2, 6-4
No. 1 doubles: Rory Bushong and Liam Shepard (N) def. Drew Steininger and Nathaniel Engle (B) 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3)
No. 2 doubles: Jacob Baily and Aiden Spoor (B) def. Jack Gigante and Caden David (N) 2-6, 6-4, 7-5