For the Daily Journal
Indian Creek boys tennis coach Mike Perry figures it was a good idea to relish the success for awhile.
“To get a sectional win for Indian Creek is always a good thing,” Perry said.
The Braves won all three singles matches to edge Franklin 3-2 Wednesday in the first round of the Center Grove Sectional. The Braves (13-5) will play Whiteland in a semifinal at 4:30 p.m. today.
Greenwood and the host Trojans meet in the other semifinal.
Wednesday represented the rubber match between the Braves and Grizzly Cubs. Franklin won the first meeting 3-2 in the Johnson County tournament earlier in September. Indian Creek won the second meeting 3-2 last week.
“We won at No. 2 and 3 singles last time and at No. 2 doubles,” Perry said. “(Franklin coach Rusty Hughes) changed up his lineup and it favored us this time. The boys played their butts off like they have all year. They have had a great season and it’s an opportunity to get another win.”
Hughes said he made the lineup switch before the draw.
“We tried to make a lineup switch which was good for any time we played,” Hughes said. “Every team in the sectional had a winning record but us, so whoever we played.”
Franklin junior Silas Smith, who beat senior Jaden Schrougham at No. 1 singles in the first two meetings, was moved to No. 2 doubles. Sophomore Price Rucker, who played No. 3 singles for Franklin in the last meeting, moved to No. 1, where he lost to Schrougham 6-2, 6-4.
“It was a new player so I had to learn all of his skills, what he did well and what he was weak at,” Schrougham said. “So I just kind play counter on that.”
At No. 2 singles, Indian Creek sophomore Brendan Conner toped senior Luke Rockey 6-4, 6-4. Braves sophomore Aiden Pemberton won at No. 3 singles, topping senior Jackson Hedges 6-2, 6-2.
Franklin’s first doubles team, senior Jackson Klem and junior Samuel Auger, won 6-2, 6-2 over senior Jake Mitchell and junior Cass Mitchell. The Grizzly Cubs’ No. 2 doubles duo of Smith and junior Zion Parkhurst didn’t drop a game in beating junior Cole Allison and freshman Trent Volz. Klem and Auger will continue on in the individual doubles sectional.
“Our No. 1 doubles team gets to move on, so that’s a positive out of it,” Hughes said.
Now the Braves get a rematch against No. 22 Whiteland after a 5-0 defeat last week.
“It’s going to be a challenge, for sure,” Perry said. “Whiteland is a top-notch team so we know what we’re up against.”
Schrougham said he thinks the momentum of Wednesday’s big victory will carry into today’s match.
“If we lose, we lose,” he said. “But if we win, that would be great.”
