Squires dump Jay Co. in semis (10/04/06)

PERU - An outstanding season for the Patriots came to a screeching halt Tuesday.

Jay County's boys tennis team ended the 2006 campaign with a 5-0 loss to the Manchester Squires in the semifinal round at the Peru regional. Manchester (16-2) will play No. 18 Kokomo (16-5), which defeated Logansport 5-0 Tuesday, in the regional championship today.

The Patriots didn't win more than four games in any of the five matches, with the top efforts coming from their No. 1 players. Josh Ludy (14-7) lost his No. 1 singles match 6-2, 6-2 to Bryant Wiley, and Heath Rigby and Thomas McCowan (8-13) fell by a 6-3, 6-1 score at No. 1 doubles to David Cable and Andrew Gnagy (8-13).

At No. 2 singles Phil Powell (15-6) lost 6-1, 6-1 to Nate Cain, and Kyle Simmons (14-7) dropped his No. 3 singles match 6-0, 6-0 to Brandon Wiley. Mark Alberson and Adam Horn (11-7) took a 6-1, 6-2 loss to Gavin McNeeley and Steven Camp at No. 2 doubles.

Jay County's 13 wins on the year were just two short of the school record set last season. The Patriots, a squad with no seniors, also won their second straight sectional title and fourth in the last seven seasons.[[In-content Ad]]