May 19, 2018 at 4:27 a.m.
Patriots lose third straight final
Hemmelgarn gets only victory in 4-1 loss to Winchester
Patriots lose third straight final
The Patriots never got their regular-season look at the Golden Falcons.
Weather canceled the match and it was never rescheduled.
The opportunity might have helped them prepare better in their attempt to stop the losing streak.
Klarisa Hemmelgarn picked up the only win for the Jay County High School girls tennis team as it lost to the Winchester Golden Falcons 4-1 in the sectional championship it hosted on Thursday.
“I would have liked to see them (in the regular season), yes,” JCHS coach Dave Cramer said.
Winchester, which squared off against Jay County in the sectional final for the fifth consecutive season, won its third straight title after losing to the Patriots in 2014 and 2015.
“I’m just happy,” said Winchester coach Dennis Streeter. The Golden Falcons advance to the regional Tuesday at Marion and will meet the winner of the match between Lapel and Alexandra-Monroe, which was moved to today because of rain Friday.
The same rain cell delayed the start of the Jay County and Winchester tilt. Originally scheduled to start at 5 p.m., the plan was to move it up to 4 p.m. in an attempt to dodge potential rain. But the showers came earlier than expected, and it took a dozen or so people more than 90 minutes to dry the courts.
By 5:30 p.m. the match was underway, and Hemmelgarn started working toward her victory over Briana Bogue at No. 2 singles.
Hemmelgarn won the first game and was out front 4-1. She and Bogue traded games before the JCHS junior took the first set 6-2.
With the second set tied at two games apiece, Hemmelgarn served the first four points of the fifth game before Bogue hit a cross-court forehanded winner. After Hemmelgarn hit the same shot from the right side of the baseline, Bogue returned the volley into the net to give Hemmelgarn the win and a 3-2 advantage.
She never trailed the rest of the way in taking the set 6-3 to claim the match.
“(Hemmelgarn) is a backboard, and (Bogue) is a stroker,” Streeter said. “She needs someone to really hit it at her and she didn’t do that. She just hit it back at her. That wasn’t very good for my girl. She’s not a bad player, it’s just not her style of game.”
Jay County, which finished its season with five wins, nearly got another victory out of cousins Audrey and Kayla Dirksen at No. 1 doubles.
Winchester’s experienced duo of juniors Riley Helms and Maci Frantz fought off the Dirksens in the first set, winning the tiebreaker 8-6 for a 7-6 set victory. But the Jay County senior cousins stole the second set 6-2 to force a decisive third.
The Dirksens broke Winchester’s serve to begin the set, eventually taking the first two games.
Weather canceled the match and it was never rescheduled.
The opportunity might have helped them prepare better in their attempt to stop the losing streak.
Klarisa Hemmelgarn picked up the only win for the Jay County High School girls tennis team as it lost to the Winchester Golden Falcons 4-1 in the sectional championship it hosted on Thursday.
“I would have liked to see them (in the regular season), yes,” JCHS coach Dave Cramer said.
Winchester, which squared off against Jay County in the sectional final for the fifth consecutive season, won its third straight title after losing to the Patriots in 2014 and 2015.
“I’m just happy,” said Winchester coach Dennis Streeter. The Golden Falcons advance to the regional Tuesday at Marion and will meet the winner of the match between Lapel and Alexandra-Monroe, which was moved to today because of rain Friday.
The same rain cell delayed the start of the Jay County and Winchester tilt. Originally scheduled to start at 5 p.m., the plan was to move it up to 4 p.m. in an attempt to dodge potential rain. But the showers came earlier than expected, and it took a dozen or so people more than 90 minutes to dry the courts.
By 5:30 p.m. the match was underway, and Hemmelgarn started working toward her victory over Briana Bogue at No. 2 singles.
Hemmelgarn won the first game and was out front 4-1. She and Bogue traded games before the JCHS junior took the first set 6-2.
With the second set tied at two games apiece, Hemmelgarn served the first four points of the fifth game before Bogue hit a cross-court forehanded winner. After Hemmelgarn hit the same shot from the right side of the baseline, Bogue returned the volley into the net to give Hemmelgarn the win and a 3-2 advantage.
She never trailed the rest of the way in taking the set 6-3 to claim the match.
“(Hemmelgarn) is a backboard, and (Bogue) is a stroker,” Streeter said. “She needs someone to really hit it at her and she didn’t do that. She just hit it back at her. That wasn’t very good for my girl. She’s not a bad player, it’s just not her style of game.”
Jay County, which finished its season with five wins, nearly got another victory out of cousins Audrey and Kayla Dirksen at No. 1 doubles.
Winchester’s experienced duo of juniors Riley Helms and Maci Frantz fought off the Dirksens in the first set, winning the tiebreaker 8-6 for a 7-6 set victory. But the Jay County senior cousins stole the second set 6-2 to force a decisive third.
The Dirksens broke Winchester’s serve to begin the set, eventually taking the first two games.
But Helms and Frantz grabbed six of the next seven to win 6-3 in the final match of the night with the championship already decided.
“I feel sorry for them, seniors to lose like that,” Cramer said.
Streeter commended his juniors and the chemistry they have playing with one another.
“You see one of them takes the net, the other one has the cross-court shot,” he said. “They play well together.”
Winchester junior Mariah Roberts overpowered Jay County senior Shelby McClain to a 6-1, 6-1 victory. After winning the first set, Roberts got more and more aggressive with her attacks, often catching McClain out of position after making the JCHS junior continually cross the court.
Roberts moved to 21-1 on the year.
Despite her loss, Katy Hamilton didn’t go down without a fight against sophomore Kate Hendrickson at No. 3 singles.
After losing the first set 6-3, she never let Hendrickson get more than a one-game lead in set two. Heading to the 10th game Hamilton trailed 5-4, but the senior rattled off consecutive wins to go out front 6-5. She wasn’t able to put the set away, and they went into a tiebreaker.
Hamilton won the first point as Hendrickson’s attack sailed long. It was Hamilton’s only lead as she lost the tiebreaker 7-4 and the set 7-6 in the final match of her career.
“She fought hard,” Cramer said. “(Hendrickson) was very, very good. Katy fought her hard.”
Jay County’s No. 2 doubles team of Emily Reier and Betsy Muhlenkamp appeared to be on their way to a win in the opening set as they led Kate Riggin and Stacey Cox 5-2, but Winchester’s tandem surged to win the next five games for a 7-5 victory.
They won the second 6-2.
“It was a disappointing night,” Cramer said. “Winchester is pretty good and they’re going to be pretty good next year.”
“I feel sorry for them, seniors to lose like that,” Cramer said.
Streeter commended his juniors and the chemistry they have playing with one another.
“You see one of them takes the net, the other one has the cross-court shot,” he said. “They play well together.”
Winchester junior Mariah Roberts overpowered Jay County senior Shelby McClain to a 6-1, 6-1 victory. After winning the first set, Roberts got more and more aggressive with her attacks, often catching McClain out of position after making the JCHS junior continually cross the court.
Roberts moved to 21-1 on the year.
Despite her loss, Katy Hamilton didn’t go down without a fight against sophomore Kate Hendrickson at No. 3 singles.
After losing the first set 6-3, she never let Hendrickson get more than a one-game lead in set two. Heading to the 10th game Hamilton trailed 5-4, but the senior rattled off consecutive wins to go out front 6-5. She wasn’t able to put the set away, and they went into a tiebreaker.
Hamilton won the first point as Hendrickson’s attack sailed long. It was Hamilton’s only lead as she lost the tiebreaker 7-4 and the set 7-6 in the final match of her career.
“She fought hard,” Cramer said. “(Hendrickson) was very, very good. Katy fought her hard.”
Jay County’s No. 2 doubles team of Emily Reier and Betsy Muhlenkamp appeared to be on their way to a win in the opening set as they led Kate Riggin and Stacey Cox 5-2, but Winchester’s tandem surged to win the next five games for a 7-5 victory.
They won the second 6-2.
“It was a disappointing night,” Cramer said. “Winchester is pretty good and they’re going to be pretty good next year.”
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