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Greencastle tennis falls in first round of sectional
BRAZIL -- For team that began the season in flux, looking for a coach up until the first day of practice, the Greencastle boys' tennis team showed the great strides they've made this season. The Tiger Cubs lost to Owen Valley 5-0 in the first round of the Northview Sectional, but gave the Patriots a battle in almost every match.
"It stinks," GHS head coach Bradley Key said. "I know we lost 0-5, but the score wasn't indicative of how the guys played tonight. At one point and time, I thought we could win four of them. It rained a little bit and messed up a couple of the guy's rhythm. I think Landon (Miller) was up on his guy in the second set. Owen Valley has some good players."
Miller, Greencastle's No. 1 singles player, battled Owen Valley's Kendal Norman, with both players trading powerful shots. Norman won the first set 6-1, but Miller fought back in the second set and was right with Norman when action was delayed for rain.
When play resumed, Norman pulled away from Miller and won the second set 6-3 to win the match in straight sets.
Michael Waddle played in the No. 3 singles slot for Greencastle, and despite fighting hard, lost to Owen Valley's Josiah Hanson. Waddle put together some nice rallies with Hanson and showed a nice blend of power and touch.
Senior Kaden Faust, the No. 2 singles player for GHS, found himself in a dogfight with the Patriots' Jonathan Carey. Faust won the first set 6-4, but fell in the second set 6-2, forcing the players into a set three tiebreaker.
Faust did his best to keep his game under control, but a few errant shots allowed Carey to pull in front and hold on for the win, taking the tiebreaker 10-5. Faust, along with the No. 1 doubles team of Cy Spencer and A.J. Gerard, comprised the team's senior class and Key loved watching his seniors play one final time.
"It was really fun to watch my seniors play," Key said. "A.J. and Cy put in a great match. We just talked about how their last point was legendary and that's good, they're going to have that for a while.
"I thought Kaden played great -- a marathon match there," he continued. "I know the rain kind of messed up his groove. That's part of the game I guess, but it was fun to have those three seniors all year. The best part about them was they made practice a blast for me -- always laughing and making light of the situation at times."
Gerard and Spencer lost to Corbin Worland and Dalton Vest in the No. 1 doubles match 6-1 and 6-2, while Alex Asbell and Jason Ummel lost the No. 2 doubles match 6-0 and 6-3 to Noah Woodruff and Hogan McHaley.
Following the match Key said while coaching boys' tennis wasn't what he had originally planned, he has absolutely zero regrets.
"It was fun to coach these guys. Coming into it, it's no secret, I was a fill in to help out and I don't regret it at all. I had a blast. I think they had a lot of fun," Key said.
At Brazil
Northview Sectional
Singles
No. 1 -- Norman (OV) def. Miller (GHS) 6-1, 6-3
No. 2 -- Carey (OV) def. Faust (GHS) 6-4, 6-3, 7-6
No. 3 -- Hanson (OV) def. Waddle (GHS) 6-1, 7-6
Doubles
No. 1 -- Worland/Vest (OV) def. Gerard/Spencer 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 -- McHaley/Woodruff (OV) def. Ummel/Asbell (GHS) 6-0, 6-3