Jay short against Marion

Fans were out in full support, much more than for a typical tennis match.

Still reeling from the death of junior teammate Allen Dues on Aug. 26 in a single-vehicle accident, the streaking Patriots almost provided those in attendance with a treat.

Jay County High School’s boys tennis team saw its five-match winning streak come to an end with a 3-2 loss to the Marion Giants on Thursday.

“It’s a consolation,” Gillespie said of being able to take two matches from a traditionally tough Giant team, whose 32 sectional titles are tied for 13th-most in the state. (Marion’s 16 regional titles are tied for 15th.) “I personally thought we could have found that other point. I was a little disappointed in that because I thought we’d come out here and win 3-2.

“But I’m not going to take anything away from Marion and I won’t take anything away from my kids’ heart. It’s been a tough week. I think we know that and it’s still hard. It’s only been a week.”

The Patriots (6-5), particularly Simon Dirksen at No. 3 singles and the No. 2 doubles team of Isaac Miller and Austin Dirksen, never surrendered despite the gravity of still mourning the loss of a teammate.

Marion had taken control by winning at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, but Simon Dirksen kept his team alive. With a 6-3 win in the second set at No. 3 singles, he pushed his match to a third set.

And while Marion soon locked up the match with a victory at No. 1 doubles, Dirksen and the Patriots’ No. 2 doubles team of Austin Dirksen and Isaac Miller kept fighting.

Austin Dirksen and Miller were able to force a third set after falling in the first to Daniel Terhune and Telmo Lebrero 6-4. A 7-6 (7-5) margin in the second carried them to a super tiebreaker. There, they held off the Giants, 10-8, for the Patriots’ first win of the night.

Then over in the northern-most corner of the courts, with the sun dipping below the horizon, the lights shining down on the court and the once busy crowd dissipated, Simon Dirksen showed stronger wits than Spitzer in winning set three 6-4. It concluded a match that took nearly three hours.

“Simon is going to get (the ball) back (over the net),” Gillespie said “He wears the middle of the court out a little bit doing it, but he plays hard all the time.

“It’s tough. The (overall) match is decided but he’s out here by himself playing. You never see him give up and that’s what’s important. The kid has heart.”

And on his match-clinching point, a long, drawn-out affair as he and Spitzer liked to constantly trade volleys and hope the other made a mistake, his teammates outside the fence let out a raucous roar.

“I tell them all the time, you lose the first set, I always go up to them and say, ‘OK, you’re going three,’” Gillespie said. “And that’s what we want to instill in them. You’re not done. You’ve got to fight to the end. Tonight he did.

“Same way with (No. 2 doubles). (They) lost the first set and came back and won the next two. It was very happy with their performance.”

Jay County senior Crosby Heniser struggled against his Giant counterpart Alex Spitzer. Heniser had a strong start with two aces in the first game, but he eventually lost it and fell Spitzer 6-0, 6-1.

Abraham Dirksen dropped his No. 2 singles match to Ryan Sebastian 6-1, 6-2, while brothers Gavin and Sam Myers lost at No. 1 doubles 6-1, 6-2 to Elijah Maki and Taden Mezger.

Support for the Patriots during the match came in many symbols: the above-average fans in attendance, the Freedom Flyers group with its oversized American Flag, a sun dog high in the sky creating a pair of small rainbows and a bald eagle that flew over the courts shortly after the start of the match.

A handful of JCHS students watched from a truck bed. Even more were lined along the spectator area in lawn chairs. Zach Pryor, a 2015 JCHS graduate and former tennis player, watched from the parking lot with his parents, athletics secretary Kristi and Toney Pryor. Patriot boys basketball coach Jerry Bomholt and JCHS girls coach Kirk Comer watched, too.

Three girls donning Marion Local t-shirts made the trek from Maria Stein, Ohio, to show their support as well.

The boys on the court had plenty backers — typically just family and a handful of friends attend matches — in their first home contest since Dues’ death, and reflecting on the night left Gillespie a bit choked up talking about it.

“It hurts,” he said. “For these kids to stay focused … We went over (to the Muncie Central Invitational on) Saturday, had two wins, come back and play hard.

“The support tonight from the student body … unbelievable. I want to thank everyone who came out. Let’s be honest. the student body, those kids came out to support these kids.”