Seymour opened defense of its Seymour Sectional Tennis tournament title by defeating Trinity Lutheran 4-1 on Thursday afternoon.

The Owls (17-4) will battle Brownstown Central at 4:45 p.m. today for the sectional championship after the Braves eliminated Jennings County 4-1, also on Thursday.

Seymour advanced as Carter Stein and Dane Thompson won their singles matches in straight sets, and Braydon Busby and Xavier DuBois at No. 2 doubles also won in straight sets.

Stein topped Luke Schepman 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 singles, Thompson won 6-0, 6-0 over Ross Bevers at No. 3 singles, and Busby and DuBois teamed up to win 6-4, 6-1 against Reed Roeder and Brody Brown.

Shun Takeuchi and Joel Stevens picked up the Owls’ other point, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 against Nathan Finke and Jonathan Neawedde at No. 1 doubles.

Cougar Jack Stuckwisch defeated Parker Thompson 6-0, 6-4 at No. 1 singles for Trinity’s point.

“It was a little bit closer than we would have liked but Trinity has made some good improvements with their team,” Owl Coach P.J. Stein said. “We didn’t play our best tennis tonight. Sometimes you get lucky and don’t play your best tennis and you still win, and hopefully we’ve saved our best tennis for (today).”

Takeuchi said it felt great to win a sectional match.

“I think we did well on communicating with each other and never giving up, not looking down,” he said. “We just looked positive and forward to the next point. On the second set we won the first five games and got things rolling and I think that boosted our confidence with serving and stuff.

“It will take a good team effort (against Brownstown) and locking in on every game and being confident.”

Stuckwisch raised his season record to 17-3 with his win.

“It was a good match,” he said, “I had to stay confident with my game, and move the ball around, and put them in the corners and just make him run.

“My forehand was pretty good. I had to make that consistent, and with my backhand I just kept it in play and hit the corners again. That was a big part of it. My serve was all right. I pulled my oblique on Monday, so I have been dealing with that. That was tough, so my goal was even if it wasn’t 100% serve, just make sure was getting that first serve in consistently.”

With the win, Stuckwisch advances in the individual singles tournament and will have a match next week.

“Jack was fired up,” Cougar Coach Brad Emerson said. “He was ready to go. He was out there competing hard and getting many balls back.

“I know Parker was a little lame with his right foot. Jack did a good job of moving him around, changing directions and keeping him off-balance.”

Emerson said Finke and Neawedde competed well.

“They had their opportunities; they just didn’t quite come through,” he said. “They did well throughout the season.”

Emerson also talked about the rise of the Trinity tennis program.

“We’re proud of the boys the way they competed today. We showed that Trinity can be a viable opponent now,” he said. “We competed well (at the other positions). Seymour just won a few more points, we just made a few more mistakes and usually that is the outcome of a tennis match.”

Seymour defeated Brownstown 4-1 on August 24.

“We hope to get off to good starts in all our matches,” Coach Stein said. “We lost one doubles, so we know that’s going to be a tough match. The rest of those matches we look to jump out front and keep the momentum rolling.

“We don’t want to take anything for granted. We have had matches here in the last couple of weeks where we did not play our best tennis. This is not the time of year you want that to happen. I’m confident our group is going to bounce back with a strong performance.”

The Owls are 17-4 and Trinity finished with a record of 9-8.

Seymour Sectional Semifinal — Thursday

Seymour 4, Trinity Lutheran 1

No. 1 singles-Jack Stuckwisch (TL) def. Parker Thompson (S), 6-0, 6-4

No. 2 singles-Carter Stein (S) def. Luke Schepman (TL), 6-1, 6-4

No. 3 singles-Dane Thompson (S def. Ross Bevers (TL), 6-0, 6-0

No. 1 doubles-Shun Takeuchi-Joel Stevens(S) def. Nathan Finke-Jonathan Neawedde (TL), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4

No. 2 doubles-Braydon Busby-Xavier DuBois (S) def. Reed Roeder-Brody Brown (TL), 6-4, 6-1