(NOTE: Photos from this match coming shortly.)
INDIANAPOLIS
On a day where the rest of his teammates cruised to straight-set victories, Center Grove senior Tyler Lane needed a little more time.
Lane rallied to defeat Chris Chen 1-6, 6-0, 6-4 at No. 1 singles to cap No. 4 Center Grove’s 5-0 victory over No. 16 Penn in Friday’s state quarterfinal match at North Central. The Trojans (22-3) will play No. 6 Jasper for the third time this season in Saturday’s 10 a.m. semifinal, also at North Central.
The two teams split the first two meetings. The survivor will play the winner of No. 1 Brebeuf Jesuit and No. 15 South Bend St. Joseph in the championship, tentatively set for 2 p.m.
“Tyler had a massive battle and pulled that out and that’s hard to do,” Center Grove coach David Beasley said. “To be able to come back and stay eligible for the state (singles) tournament is gigantic for him.”
Lane was trailing 3-1 in the third set when Chen needed a medical timeout for an ankle injury. From there, Lane won five of the last six games.
“It was definitely one of my best comebacks of the year, and maybe even one of my best in all four years,” Lane said. “I came out slow and didn’t play to the best of my abilities, but it was good I could finish hard.”
The difference was clear between the first and second set.
“I stopped making every mistake,” said Lane, who improved his record to 17-3. “I kept the ball in more rather than going for too much and missing and beating myself. I was just more consistent.”
Lane said even though his team had already clinched the victory, he was able to keep his focus with everyone watching his match.
The Trojans have not dropped a point in the postseason.
“I’m very impressed with how the boys played,” Beasley said. “The doubles teams got off the court really quick.”
The Trojans’ top doubles team of Carson Bush and Daksh Patel improved to 24-1 with a 6-3, 6-3 over Noah Sytsma and Josh Weaver. At No. 2 doubles, Russell Dean and Jack Dybwad dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Jacob Kyle and Ben Stambaugh.
At second singles, Yuvraj Dasari defeated Evan Knapp, 6-0, 6-4. Quinn Smith was victorious over Quinn Lippert, 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3 singles.
“Yuvraj probably played the best first set I’ve ever seen him play in his life and Quinn was rock solid,” Beasley said. “We’re hitting our stride at the right time and it’s great. Singles are firing and doubles are firing. They’re doing phenomenal.”
Beasley said the 5-0 scores doesn’t always tell the whole story of a match.
“Tyler could have lost today, but our guys are doing a great job,” Beasley said.
Jasper advanced with a 4-1 victory over No. 18 Noblesville.
Beasley said the Trojans have been lucky to play Jasper multiple times this season. Host Jasper won 3-2 Aug. 31 and host Center Grove won the rematch 3-2 on Sept. 27 with Lane out of the lineup due to illness.
“We have to play well,” Beasley said. “Their doubles teams are phenomenal. We are going to have a tough time with their doubles, we already know. Their singles players are tough, too; their No. 2 singles player (Elliott Rowling) is 25-2. He’s going to play Yuvraj and he’s going to have his hands full, I hope.”
