Center Grove junior Tyler Lane delivers a backhand return in a sectional match against Whiteland.
Daily Journal file photo
Strange as it might sound, missed court time can have its benefits.
Tyler Lane learned that lesson over the course of a topsy-turvy season in which he sat out some matches due to a combination of nausea and tightness in his stomach.
Even though Lane’s health wasn’t always the best, he was.
The junior, the Trojans’ No. 1 singles player since the start of his freshman season, is the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year in boys tennis, the third straight time Lane has won the honor.
Not accustomed to the role of spectator, Lane — through the benefit of hindsight — knows the adversity helped him grow as a leader.
“I felt like this season, even though I didn’t play as many matches, it made me more grateful for the matches I could play,” Lane said. “It got me away from the stress of rankings, and allowed my game to do what it’s trained to do.
“It was my most important season, but probably not my best.”
Lane finished with a 14-5 record, the losses all coming against the No. 1 players from perennial powers. North Central’s Alex Antonopolous defeated Columbus North’s Hank Lin in the individual state championship match; that pair accounted for three of Lane’s setbacks.
“Tyler started off the season feeling really healthy. No issues,” second-year Trojans’ coach David Beasley said. “He missed two really big matches at the end of the regular season, but he did a great job coming back for the postseason.
Lane will take a career mark of 45-21 into his senior year.
“With Tyler this season, it was about getting bigger and stronger,” Beasley said. “He’s really going to have to grow as a leader next year because there will be no Max Williams. He’s not a loud guy. Tyler has a quiet confidence.
“We’re really looking forward to next year. Maybe if he can get past Hank Lin, he can have a shot at being a state champion.”
ALL-COUNTY TEAM
The 2023 All-County team in boys tennis:
Singles
Spencer Gillespie, Whiteland junior: Warriors’ No. 1 singles player named second team All-State … Posted a 19-5 record … All-District 5.
Tyler Lane, Center Grove junior: County player of the year for a third consecutive season … Had a 14-5 record at No.1 singles … first team All-State … All-District 5.
Daksh Patel, Center Grove junior: Honorable mention All-State … 16-4 record as the Trojans’ No. 2 singles player … All-District 5.
Noah Paswater, Greenwood senior: Woodmen’s top singles player finished final prep season with 17-7 record … All-District 5 and honorable mention All-State.
Max Williams, Center Grove senior: Had a 15-6 record playing second and third singles for the Trojans … All-District and honorable mention All-State … Indiana All-Star.
Doubles
Chase Koester and Kai Koester, Whiteland: Completed season with record of 14-8 as the Warriors’ No. 1 doubles combo … All-District 5 and honorable mention All-State.
Carson Bush and Russell Dean, Center Grove: Top doubles combo for Trojans had 11-5 record … All-District 5 and second team All-State.
Trent Volz and Landon Sichting, Indian Creek: Posted 21-3 mark as Braves’ top doubles tandem … Sectional finalists … Went 8-0 against WIC doubles duos this season.
Honorable mention
Singles
Austin Brockman, Edinburgh; Carson Baumann, Whiteland; Carter Chatham, Greenwood; Reid Davidson, Franklin; Jeremiah Hurt, Whiteland; Nathan Neville, Franklin; Ian Ratliff, Greenwood; Bailey Totten, Edinburgh
Doubles
Tyler Jones and Brady Tucker, Franklin; Quinn Smith and Yuvraj Dasari, Center Grove; Isaac Phegley and Gavin Stubbe, Whiteland
