SEYMOUR
Seymour’s boys tennis team celebrated senior night Thursday with a 4-1 win over Hoosier Hills Conference opponent Columbus East.
Seniors Isaac Hardin, Will Rinehart and Braden Handloser filled the singles positions with Hardin and Rinehart posting wins at No. 1 and No. 2.
Senior Trey Hohenstreiter teamed up with Eli Meyer to win at No. 2 doubles, while Brett Otte and Greg Walker played reserves matches Thursday.
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Owls head coach Brad Emerson said the seniors have had a big hand in the program’s success which includes winning the sectionals the past two years.
“We’re going to be shooting for three sectional titles in a row and, and we couldn’t have done that without those seniors, and their contributions to the program,” he said. “They’ve been steady and have played well for me over the last three years.”
Emerson said Hardin, Rinehart and Hohenstreiter have been three-year varsity regulars.
“We’ve got some pretty good experience on those three positions out of the five," he said. "They’ve meant a lot. Isaac has kind of taken the role as the captain, so I appreciate him doing that, and motivating the kids and having fun. That’s the main thing.”
Emerson again used a different line up due to an ankle injury to Vincent Camboulas, who has been playing No. 1 singles most of the season.
Hardin fell behind Pranaav Kumar 3-0 in the first set before he rallied to win 6-4, 6-4, while Rinehart controlled Matt Degner from the start for a 6-0, 6-2 win.
Handloser couldn’t come up with enough big points and fell to Danny Murphy 6-4, 6-4.
“Isaac has played before with Vincent going down with an ankle injury Tuesday," Emerson said. "That’s the nice thing about having a pretty deep line up, and a versatile one. We can fit players in, and the ones that we fit in that started out on JV now have some of that varsity experience, so it’s not so new.
“Will has really stepped in and played singles, three and two tonight. He’s done a good job there. Isaac took care of business in his match, in the second set especially. It took him a little bit of time in that first set to kind of get going. He started out a little bit slow. It took him a while to get a rhythm going, and he found it and then finished out the match.”
Brandon Hubbard returned from an ankle injury and teamed with Andrew Levine for a 6-2, 6-1 win over Wyatt Romine and Derek Heideman, while Hohestreiter and Meyer were 6-3, 6-1 winners over Emmett Romine and Caleb Wettschurack.
“In doubles we had a little bit of a different line up," Emerson said. "We’ve got our doubles thinking the same way, whether they’re with a partner or a different partner, they should all play the same way.
They’re indispensable, and they played well, got off the court early and that’s good.”
The Owls (11-1) will have four matches next week, beginning with Monday at home against Jennings County in the opening round of the Hoosier Hills Conference tournament.
Besides three matches in HHC, the Owls will face Brownstown Central home Thursday.
“I think we’ll do well," Emerson said. "If we can get by those first two rounds we can vie for the conference championship again, and that would be nice. We’re hoping to keep everybody healthy for sectional time. That’s my main goal.”