SEYMOUR
Isaac Hardin said it was a special feeling posing with the championship trophy of the Seymour tennis sectional tournament Friday night.
“It was a very special moment,” Hardin said after helping the Owls defeat Austin 5-0 for their third straight sectional title.
Hardin has been on the court for all three of those titles, having played No. 3 singles as a sophomore, and he is in his second season at No. 2 singles.
“This is very special,” he said. “These boys have put in a lot of work over the past three years. We had to come up with the right mental attitude. We’re a real good team and there was nobody else that could beat us in this sectional.”
Hardin was the first one off the courts Friday after beating Jakob Campbell 6-1, 6-0.
“Isaac gave us that first point and that was big, and then the doubles clinched it for us,” coach Brad Emerson said. “That made it a little easier for Vincent (Camboulas) at one, and Braden (Handloser) at three.
“They’re all satisfying. It’s always a nice accomplishment. 17-2 is a great season for these kids. I’m real happy the way they’ve progressed throughout the season and stayed steady and played well. They were a pleasure to coach.”
Camboulas took care of Gavin Parker 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles, while Handloser topped Blake Stamper 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 at No. 3 singles.
Emerson said, “These kids deserve it. They’ve put in a lot of work the last three years, and they’ve come along way with their games. We were real fortunate the last couple years, but this year I knew we had a team that could easily win this.
“We went out and proved that. It wasn’t an easy match. We were pushed at a couple positions but I knew we had the talent and the experience to do that.”
Seymour’s No. 1 doubles team of Will Rinehart and Brandon Hubbard topped Josh Gabbard and Jalen Hines 6-1, 6-4, while Trey Hohenstreiter and Andrew Levine beat Brendan Hanner and Cameron Richey 6-3, 6-0 at two doubles.
This was also the third straight sectional title for Rinehart and Hohenstreiter.
Emerson said doubles getting off to good start “was important because in doubles things can change real quick. It was really good to see both teams come off and give us points.”
The Owls (17-2) will face the winner of the Jennings County Sectional on Tuesday at Bloomington South.
Hardin said getting off to a good start in the regional is key.
“It is very important that you look at their weaknesses in your warm up because once the match starts you want to start off as hot as you can, and you’re going for their weaknesses because that is going to help you win the most points,” he said. “That’s one thing the coach instills, that you look for their weaknesses in the warm-ups.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Box Score” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Seymour 5, Austin 0
No. 1 singles: Vincent Camboulas (Sey) def. Gavin Parker (A) 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 singles: Isaac Hardin (Sey) def. Jakob Campbell (A) 6-1, 6-0
No. 3 singles: Braden Handloser (Sey) def. Blake Stamper (A) 7-5, 3-6, 6-2
No. 1 doubles: Will Rinehart and Brandon Hubbard (Sey) def. Josh Gabbard and Jalen Hines (A) 6-1, 6-4
No. 2 doubles: Trey Hohenstreiter and Andrew Levine (Sey) def. Brendan Hanner and Cameron Richey (A) 6-3, 6-0
Records: Seymour 17-2
[sc:pullout-text-end]