Falcons sweep Patriots in final

The Golden Falcons entered the match as favorites.
Friday night they proved why.
Winchester won all five matches to defeat the host Jay County High School boys tennis team 5-0 and repeat as sectional champion.
It was the fourth title in program history and the Golden Falcons’ third in the last four years. They advance to the regional tournament Tuesday at Marion.
“I don’t feel the case was effort tonight,” said JCHS coach Scott Miller, whose team lost to Winchester by the same margin earlier in the season. “The kids went out there, they gave it everything they had. They played hard.
“Tonight Winchester played better tennis than we did.”
At No. 3 singles. Mason Melton cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Jay County sophomore Conner Benter in the quickest match of the night at just under an hour.
The Golden Falcons (13-3) got a victory by the same score from No. 2 doubles players Justin McAllister and Thad Legear. They knocked off sophomores Xavier Ninde and Gabe Blankenship 6-0, 6-1. That win gave Winchester a 2-0 lead in the match, with one more needed to secure back-to-back titles.
That’s when the No. 1 doubles team of Michael Georgi and Drake Moody defeated JCHS seniors Luke Weaver and Kyler Hudson 6-3, 6-4, in the closest match of the evening.
“The Winchester team, when they needed to make a great shot they made a great shot,” Miller said. “When we needed to make a great shot we were just off a little bit. That doesn’t reflect at all on their effort or their intent. They came out to play today, sometimes that’s just the way it goes.”
Then in a matter of moments, Winchester secured the sweep with wins at No. 1 and No. 2 singles.
Jay County junior Garrett Rodgers played aggressively against Aaron Wallace in their No. 1 singles match. Wallace’s 6-2, 6-2 victory was not indicative of the match’s flow. Both players had to fight for each point.
“I was really pleased with the way he played tonight,” Miller said of Rodgers.
At No. 2 singles, Trey Graft defeated JCHS junior Payton Heniser 6-3, 6-2 despite falling behind 2-1 early in the first set.
“Payton Heniser came out strong in his match,” Miller said.
The careers of two players — Weaver and Hudson — came to a close Friday night, and while Miller was happy with the leadership of those two throughout the season, he is pleased with what he has returning in the five other varsity players.
“We’re sad and I’m disappointed the season is over,” he said. “We had a lot of fun this year. But I also know with the guys we have coming back next year and the attitudes they had walking away from the courts tonight I couldn’t be much happier with where things are right now in terms of where we’re headed for the future.
“We’ll see where things go from here.”