BROWNSTOWN — Brynn Burton, Bella Brown and Genna Preston received special honors at the Brownstown Central girls tennis team awards program held last week at the school’s tennis courts.

Head coach Erik Stangland introduced members of the team, presented the special awards and handed out letter jackets.

He said the special award winners were voted on by members of the team.

Burton, a sophomore, played No. 1 singles the last half of the season and was 5-14 overall and 2-6 in the Mid-Southern Conference, earning all-conference honors. She was named the team’s most valuable player.

Brown, also a sophomore, received the mental attitude award. She played No. 1 doubles in the sectional.

Stangland said Brown always came to practice and matches with a good attitude and encouraged her teammates to play hard.

Stangland said voting for the mental attitude award was close with a half-vote separating three people.

Preston, a freshman, was named the most improved player. She played No. 2 doubles in the sectional.

“(Preston) has worked hard. She had to work hard to get up through the field to her position,” Stangland said. “There were a lot of people that were in the running for that. We had a lot of people who made great improvements. It was a nice year to see how far people improved from where they started.”

Leah Pottschmidt was the only senior on the roster this spring. She played No. 2 singles the last half of the season.

Stangland said she was fun to have around.

“It will be tough to come back next year and not have her around, but I know she is ready to move on to the next level, and she has big plans. She played four years, and congratulations,” he said.

The Braves were 7-9 overall and 2-6 in the MSC.

“That (7-9 record) was actually one of our better years. Congratulations on that,” Stangland said.

Preston and Audrey Scarlett received their first varsity letters. Other lettermen, besides the special award winners, were juniors Jenna Bolte and Kaitlyn Williams and sophomore Avery Harrison.

Burton, Brown, Williams and Harrison received their letter jackets.

Stangland and assistant coach Sabrina Wonning also presented three varsity participant awards and junior varsity awards to 10 girls.

Stangland, who teaches at Seymour High School, said on Seymour’s morning announcements the day after the sectional finals, it was announced that Seymour had won the tennis sectional for the third year in a row (they didn’t play in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic). Seymour also won the sectional in 2019.

“Next year, we have Scottsburg and Austin leaving our sectional and Jennings County and Bedford North Lawrence coming in, so we’re trading a 3A school and a 2A school for two 4A schools, and yet next year looks to be our best chance in years to fight and have a chance to win the sectional,” Stangland said.

“Ladies, if you work hard (this summer), it’s there for the taking,” he said. “The other teams are graduating an awful lot of talent. You have to catch up to a few girls that are ahead of you and stay ahead of the girls that are behind you if we want to get better and we want to have a season like Seymour has had for four years. There is nothing standing in your way except you.”

He said to the 20 returning players, “You have to make the conscious decision that you’re not going to (wait and) pick up your racket in March.”