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South Putnam's season ends at Northview Sectional
BRAZIL -- South Putnam's first boys' tennis season since the early 1980s came to a close Friday as the Eagles came up short against the host Northview Knights 5-0 at the Northview Sectional.
"I thought they played extremely hard tonight and if we're going to lose, let's lose to a Northview team -- one of the best teams down here," South Putnam head coach Allan Rains said. "We didn't give up and we won some games against them.
"Our goal was if we could take anybody to three sets, that would be a victory for us. We didn't quite get there, but I thought overall we played pretty well. We're very pleased with our season, pleased with the kids and we can go away happy."
The team faced off under bright skies and the host Knight wasted little time attacking the Eagles. Northview took advantage of its experience early and often to seize a quick lead on the Eagles.
After struggling in his first set and falling 6-0, South Putnam No. 1 singles player JD Briones steadied himself and made a charge in the second set. Northview No. 1 Devon Clark had trouble returning Briones' powerful first set and some of the shots that either were collected in the net or went just wide in the first set, started to land for Briones.
The South Putnam junior played perhaps his best tennis of the night midway through the second set, but Clark was able to hold his slight edge and earn a 6-4 second set decision to win the match.
In No. 2 singles action, South Putnam's Tyler Long lost to a hard-hitting Bryce Britton 6-1, 6-0, while No. 3 singles player Colin Berry lost to the Knights' Damon Bass 6-2, 6-1.
In doubles action, the Eagle No. 1 doubles team of Trey Moore and Aaron Cole lost to Skyler Holifield and Gaddis Baysinger 6-0, 6-1, with the No. 2 doubles team of Jake Carmichael and Zane Crosby fell to Alex Coughanowr and Kyle Moore 6-0, 6-1.
After a three-decade hiatus, Rains acknowledged it was good to see the Eagles' school colors of red, white and blue back on court competing at the IHSAA boys' tennis sectional.
"Every year what I was told was South Putnam was on the list to play, but we never had a team. And they kept our name on it," Rains said. "The kids were very excited to be able to compete and I think the kids are hungry now to continue and hopefully come back next year and improve even more."
At Northview
Northview Sectional
Northview 5, South Putnam 0
Singles
No. 1: Clark (NV) def. Briones (SP) 6-0, 6-4
No. 2: Britton (NV) def. Long (SP) 6-1, 6-0
No. 3: Bass (NV) def. Berry (SP) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles
No. 1: Holifield/Baysinger (NV) def. Moore/Cole (SP) 6-0, 6-1
No. 2: Coughanowr/Moore (NV) def. Carmichael/Crosby (SP) 6-0, 6-1