<p>The courts were different, but the result the same as the Franklin and Indian Creek girls tennis teams met for the second time in nine days.</p>
<p>Wednesday’s first-round match of the Johnson County tournament ended with the host Grizzly Cubs scoring a 5-0 victory. It qualifies them for Saturday’s 9 a.m. semifinal at Whiteland, where they face the host Warriors.</p>
<p>The other semifinal features Center Grove against Greenwood, which swept Edinburgh in Wednesday’s other first-round match.</p>
<p>Franklin’s shutout of the Braves mirrored the score of the match played between the teams in the April 9 season opener at Indian Creek. The closest matches this time were 6-1, 6-2 decisions in both No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles.</p>
<p>“I thought all across the board we played better tonight,” said Franklin coach Rusty Hughes, whose squad improved its record to 6-0. “Our kids worked hard in the offseason. Our strength is our depth. We have nine kids and we rotate them on the varsity.</p>
<p>“We might depend a little bit more on our top two or three girls, but for the most part our depth is what we run with.”</p>
<p>In the top singles match, Cubs junior Kate Heuchan downed Indian Creek junior Katie Burkman in straight sets. Franklin sophomores Alexa Wilkison and Emma Genter won the No. 2 and 3 singles matches, respectively.</p>
<p>In No. 1 doubles, senior Abi Smith teamed with Daryn Hyneman for a 6-1, 6-0 victory against Braves seniors Mya Piccone and Mekenzie Hunter. Haylie Rayl and Rachael Pinnick completed the sweep for Franklin with a 6-1, 6-2 triumph in the second doubles match.</p>
<p>Franklin and Whiteland have a history of playing 3-2 matches, and Hughes won’t be surprised if the same thing happens Saturday.</p>
<p>“Whiteland is really good. They’re a well-coached team,” Hughes said. “Mike Gillespie is one of the best coaches, I think, in the state. He gets the most out of his players, so we’ll have our hands full. It will be a good match.”</p>
<p>Indian Creek (0-3) is at Southwestern today.</p>
<p>“The girls we have are very coachable,” Braves coach Ryan Posey said. “I really thought everyone out there was giving their all tonight, and that’s all I’m looking for.”</p>
<p>Greenwood coach Jeremy Runge also expects a tougher test Saturday than his team faced against the Lancers.</p>
<p>“We’re really young across the board. Center Grove is a very good team with a lot of depth,” Runge said. “That’s hard to compete with sometimes, especially for a smaller school.</p>
<p>“I’m hoping we go out and play good tennis. We’re more or less trying to build for conference at this time.”</p>
<p>Recording singles wins for the Woodmen were Maddie Bright, Emily Chatham and Megan Johns. Doubles victories for Greenwood were by Alyssa Roscoe and Maecee Terhune at No. 1 and Brittney Mandabach and Ally Hussung at No. 2.</p>
