Center Grove’s Tyler Lane hits a backhand during Wednesday’s sectional semifinal against Whiteland.
Chris Williams | For the Daily Journal
One way or another, Center Grove’s quest for a 36th sectional championship was almost certainly going to involve getting past 20th-ranked Whiteland.
Like falling leaves and cooling temperatures, it’s become tradition this time of year.
On Tuesday, the No. 12 Trojans needed good fortune — both with and without a ceiling — to defeat the Warriors, 4-1, in a semifinal match that began at Center Grove and concluded at the University of Indianapolis tennis center.
The win pushed the Trojans into today’s 5 p.m. title match against Greenwood. The Woodmen remained alive by virtue of their 3-2 decision over Franklin in the other semi.
Greenwood’s triumph concluded just before play was halted at 6:28 p.m. due to a thunderstorm moving through the Johnson County area.
A little more than an hour later, the four CG-Whiteland matches still undecided resumed — some requiring more work than others. Already in the books was the Warriors winning at No. 2 doubles, where Isaac Phegley and Gavin Stubbe picked up the first point with a 6-4, 6-2 win
At No. 1 singles, Center Grove’s Tyler Lane, already leading Whiteland’s Spencer Gillespie, 6-3, 5-1, applied the finishing touches. The No. 2 doubles tandem of Carson Bush and Dimitri Kandris, ahead 6-2, 5-3 when play was stopped, also prevailed to give the Trojans a 2-1 lead.
The second and third singles matches saw CG’s Max Williams and Jack Dybwad, respectively, rally to force a third set inside the bubble.
Requiring only one point to continue on in the postseason, the Trojans got it when Williams scored a 4-6, 6-0, 6-0 win over Whiteland senior Carson Baumann. Dybwad also did what needed to be done, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 to account for the final tally.
“I was pretty confident because I was up, 4-0, 40-love coming here (UIndy),” Williams said. “I had a lot of momentum. I knew I could win the match, and I just did what I had to do for the team.
“We knew it would be a challenge. There was a lot of hype before the match, so everybody knew it was going to be kind of intense. There were a lot of momentum shifts today. We knew it was going to be a fight.”
In the other semi, Greenwood avenged its shutout loss at Franklin during the regular season.
The Woodmen prevailed at all three singles positions, starting with Noah Paswater downing Reid Davidson at No. 1, 6-4, 6-2.
Junior Carter Chatham took care of business in the 2 spot, handing Nathan Neville a 6-1, 6-3 loss. Ian Ratliff prevailed at No. 3, 6-3, 6-2, over the Cubs’ Chase Alyea.
“I know for us, every single spot that we had lost in the regular season, it was close, so I knew we were right there,” Greenwood coach Jeremy Runge said. “We just needed to get over that hump.
“Part of it was a confidence thing. My guys wanted to avenge that loss. Across the board, singles was solid. I think Carter played one of his better matches at 2 this year, and 1 doubles (Brayden Holman and William Davidson), I know we lost at that spot, I thought they played phenomenal, particularly at the net.”
The Grizzly Cubs got their two points in doubles play. The No. 1 tandem of Tyler Jones and Brady Tucker kept itself alive in the individual sectional with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Jaxson Doddridge and Luke Sherry were a 6-3, 6-2 winner in the second spot.
