By Jeff Robison
For the Daily Journal
Center Grove’s boys tennis team concluded its 2021 season with a 4-1 home loss to seventh-ranked Zionsville in semistate action on Saturday.
The No. 11 Trojans were able to extend the length of the majority of the matches, but were unable to turn back a talented Zionsville lineup that won two of three singles and both doubles matches on the day.
Zionsville claimed one point decisively at the No. 1 singles position, where senior Cole Chappell overpowered Center Grove freshman Tyler Lane 6-1, 6-1. The Trojans continued battling on the other courts before Zionsville also claimed a three-set win at No. 1 doubles, where William Cramer and Ryan Betz topped Trojans sophomore Max Williams and senior Bennett Strain 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.
Soon after, freshman Daksh Patel captured the Trojans’ lone point at second singles against Samuel Rushton, 6-3, 6-1. Zionsville, though, finally got its clinching third point when the No. 2 doubles team of Jonah Everson and Emerson Holifield defeated Center Grove’s pairing of senior Connor Smith and freshman Carson Bush in two tight sets.
Zionsville got an extra point when senior Peyton Guider finally got past Center Grove sophomore Loc Pham 6-3, 6-3 at third singles.
Center Grove coach Ivan Smith admitted his young team came in as the underdog.
“We knew coming in that we needed to win a couple of matches that we were not supposed to against a team that may be a little better than us,” Smith said. “We only had one guy back from last year and started three freshmen, two sophomores, and two seniors against a very good team.”
With Zionsville holding its biggest advantage at No. 1 singles with Chappell, it put extra pressure across the rest of the Trojans’ lineup. And when four of the five courts opened with 3-0 or 2-1 leads for Zionsville, things just were not going Center Grove’s way.
“We did not get the start we would have liked to have,” Smith said, “but we played our way back into most of the matches.”
It was at the doubles courts where most of the cheering could be heard throughout.
Smith and Bush rallied to take Center Grove’s first match lead of the day. The Trojans and Eagles battled to the end of an even first set and went to a tiebreaker. Everson and Holifield pulled that out, 7-5, giving themselves a marked advantage.
Meanwhile, Williams and Strain were nearly swept out of their first set, but turned the tables in a rapid-fire 6-2 second set win.
Ultimately, though, both doubles matches went to Zionsville.
Center Grove’s brightest spot was Patel, whose ground strokes proved steadier than his opponent through some lengthy swing rallies.
“We had a scouting report, and Daksh stuck to the plan,” Smith said.
Smith shared his thoughts about his two seniors, Strain and Smith, who provided leadership throughout this campaign.
“Bennett had a great season for us,” Smith said. “He was the only guy back and moved up to No. 1 doubles, which is a different game, but played well. Smith was a reserve last year, but he proved a good teammate, a steadying influence for his freshman teammates.”
