As the only Mid-State Conference team ranked in the top 20, Franklin girls tennis had nothing to prove on Wednesday.
The Grizzly Cubs did anyway.
Qualified for all five championship matches at the conference tournament at Plainfield, the Cubs won every one — including four in straight-set fashion.
Franklin takes an 8-0 record into its next match, a Friday date at Seymour. Including this week’s dominance at conference, Grizzly Cub players have won all 55 of their individual matches this season.
“At the start of the year, our goals were to win conference and win sectional,” Franklin coach Rusty Hughes said. “I’m real proud of the girls because of their work ethic and the support they show for each other.
“It’s just a good atmosphere to be in. Hopefully, we just keep getting better.”
The Grizzly Cubs’ No. 1 singles player, sophomore Rylie Wilkison, defeated Audrey Harper of Plainfield, 6-0, 6-0. The second singles match went to another sophomore, Chelsie Rayl, by a 6-3, 6-1 score over Plainfield’s Ruby Woodson, while Emma Williams downed Greenwood’s Maggie Boyce, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 3 singles.
Franklin’s No. 1 doubles tandem of Ailyn Hendricks and Haley Haldeman rallied for a 2-6, 6-1 (10-7) triumph against Emma Kessinger and Camille Clark of Plainfield. The second doubles match went to the Cubs’ Kennedy Urban and Emma Sappenfield, who defeated the Whiteland pairing of Kinsey Shipp and Cathy Nguyen, 6-2, 6-0.
Johnson County picked up a pair of third-place performances as well, with Greenwood’s Marissa Linville winning the No. 2 singles consolation match. Whiteland’s Kailyn Sheridan and Brenna Atchison accomplished thes at No. 1 doubles.
