Patriots dethroned

Two weeks ago, the Patriots and Golden Falcons played in a rematch of last year’s sectional championship.
The host Golden Falcons came out on top with a 3-2 score, avenging the loss to the Patriots by the same score at sectional the previous season.
In Wednesday’s sectional semifinal, the Jay County High School boys tennis team hoped to have its turn at playing the role of avenger.
Instead, the Golden Falcons sent the tournament hosts home without a chance to repeat as champions.
Winchester improved on its regular season victory against Jay County, defeating the Patriots 4-1 to advance to the sectional championship for the sixth consecutive year, the fifth in a row at Jay County.
Union City defeated Randolph Southern 4-1 in the other semifinal. The championship is slated for 5 p.m. today.
“Winchester brought (its) A game today,” said second-year JCHS coach Scott Miller. “They played really well. All the credit goes to them tonight.
“Their boys looked confident, they looked ready to play and they came out and played a really great match.”
Winchester coach Dennis Streeter, whose team will play someone other than Jay County for the sectional championship for the first time in five years, said the experience of his team was the difference this year.
“I didn’t lose a kid last year,” said Streeter. All seven varsity players from 2014 returned this year. “I thought we’d have a good shot at (beating defending champion Jay County). Of course you never know, but I’m a happy coach tonight.”
On Sept. 17, the Golden Falcons won both doubles matches and the No. 1 singles match. Wednesday, Winchester was able to nab the No. 2 singles match as well with the same lineup.
Jay County junior Jay Houck defeated Aaron Wallace during the regular season 6-3, 6-1, but Wallace was able to make up for that loss with a 6-4, 6-4 win on Wednesday.
Houck fell behind in the opening set 5-2, but won consecutive games to pull to within 5-4. With the serve and a chance to tie it at five games apiece, consecutive double faults put Houck in a 30-love hole. Wallace’s play near the net and an unforced error by Houck gave the set to the Winchester junior.
Houck won the opening game of the second set, but lost three of the next four. Serving in the sixth game, he fell behind early, battled to deuce twice but lost the game after he hit long following a Wallace lob.
“(Wallace) came out and played really well today,” Miller said. “Jay would fight back, he would get it into a close score or maybe have the chance to turn it around, and every time he’d get to that point where he needed to win it (Wallace) had an answer.”
Winchester’s Mason Melton and Trey Graft defeated Jay County senior Sok Vormohr and sophomore Peyton Heniser at No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-4.
The two squads battled for three sets earlier in the season, with Winchester winning that one as well.
After losing the opening set, Vormohr and Heniser were in an early 4-1 hole in the second. But the tandem won three consecutive games, breaking Winchester’s serve twice. Graft and Melton returned the favor, though, winning the final three games to take the set.
“It could have gone either way,” Streeter said. “They played better and better as the match went on.”
Miller said he thought Vormohr and Heniser were going to win the set to force a third.
“We’d get some momentum and Winchester just fought right back,” Miller said. “As soon as we thought things might be breaking our way, Winchester would shut it down.”
At No. 2 doubles, Winchester’s Michael Georgi and Drake Moody beat Luke Weaver and Evan Van Cise 6-1, 6-0.
“I thought they played extremely well tonight,” Streeter said. “I don’t think Jay County was ever in that match.”
At No. 1 singles, Arick Miller of Winchester defeated Jay County’s Alex Clark 6-0, 6-0, a vast improvement from his 6-1, 6-3 win Sept. 17.
“The No. 1 singles player tonight was just phenomenal,” Scott Miller said. “His service game was on, he was hitting corners with his shots, down the line, back hands, forehands … that kid had it all working tonight.”
Jay County sophomore Garrett Rodgers defeated Hagan Lawson 7-5, 6-4 for the Patriots’ only victory. Rodgers didn’t lose a game to Lawson earlier in the season.
“I’m happy for Garrett,” Miller said. “Being a sophomore, two seasons left to play I’d rather him end a season individually as a winner. He’ll feel better all offseason knowing that he did that.
“Unfortunately, the team just got outplayed today.”