THREE FOR JC

There was no doubt that Faith Parr and Emily Westgerdes knew the weight was on their shoulders.
It was the third set of their No. 1 doubles match Friday, and whether or not the Jay County High School tennis team captured its third consecutive sectional championship came down to them.
“(There was) so much pressure,” said Parr, one of four JCHS seniors playing in their final sectional tournament. “Obviously we knew that if we didn’t win this, the whole team didn’t win.
“It was one of those where you’re so close, but you still kind of have control of the game. We knew we could get through it, we just had to focus.”
Two points away from victory against Winchester’s Makenzie Winger and Leah Wren, Parr hit the potential winner into the net. Westgerdes, who had been dominating throughout most of the match at the net, hit her match-point serve to Wren.
The Winchester sophomore returned the serve back to Westgerdes, and the left-handed Patriot sent a forehand shot back across the court toward Wren, who stretched to make a play on it but wasn’t able to reach.
Westgerdes’ winner gave her and Parr a come-from-behind victory, and her team the hardware.
Jay County defeated Winchester 3-2, and it was the second time in three years the Patriots handed the Golden Falcons a loss in the sectional title match.
Minutes after taking pictures with friends, family and teammates, Westgerdes still had a smile on her face.
“It feels awesome,” she said. “It’s a great way to end our senior year.”
Jay County advances to the regional tournament against Marion. The semifinal is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Despite a strong third set — they won 6-4 — the senior tandem had to battle during the first two.
Wren and Winger took a quick 5-0 lead in the opening set thanks to a string of mistakes by the Patriots’ top doubles pair. Westgerdes and Parr rattled off victories in the next two games, but eventually dropped the set 6-2 to the Golden Falcons.
Westgerdes said winning those two games gave them motivation they needed for the remainder of the match. Parr added that they got together, said a prayer amongst themselves and were refreshed for the second set.
That went back and forth, with neither team able to lead by more than one game. Jay County had a 4-3 advantage, but Winchester won three of the final five games to force a tiebreaker.
“By the time we got to the second (set) it was neck and neck, but we still weren’t playing our best,” Westgerdes said. “We got to the tiebreaker and we got it together and won.”
Parr and Westgerdes took the tiebreaker 7-3 for a 7-6 win in the set, and rode the momentum in the third.
“They are both mentally strong and that’s how they are able to stay in these matches,” said JCHS coach Susan Garringer. “That is how they are able to drop a set and win.”
At No. 2 doubles, Abby Reier and Abby Saxman defeated Megan Brown and Shelby Moreland in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. It gave Jay County an early 1-0 lead.
But soon after the loss at No. 2 doubles, Winchester took a 2-1 lead in the match with wins at No. 1 and 3 singles.
Grace Retter defeated Jessica Kerrigan at No. 1 singles 6-0, 7-5, and at No. 3 singles Miranda Winningham beat Michelle Wellman 6-3, 6-2.
Jay County’s shot at a three-peat was left up to the No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles matches.
Kyra Braun of Jay County battled Emily White in the first set at No. 2 singles. Just like White’s No. 1 doubles teammates, she won three of the final five games in the second set against Braun to force a tiebreaker.
The tiebreaker was as hotly contested as the set. White had a 6-4 lead, until Braun won four of the final seven points to take the set.
The marathon first set appeared to wear White out, as Braun took the second easily — 6-1 — to tie the match at two wins apiece.
Jay County defeated Winchester 4-1 on April 20, and WCHS coach Dennis Streeter said his team was able to make it closer this time around by attacking the Patriots’ aggressiveness.
“We knew they like to take the net,” he said. “We were trying to work on lobbing it over their heads. When they do get it at the net they do hit the ball pretty hard.”