Patriots force compliance

In the sectional opener of the 2023 season, the Patriots were in a 2-2 deadlock before a court freed up for No. 3 singles player Maggie Dillon.

With her contest acting as the rubber match, Dillon needed to win for the Patriots to advance.

In 2024, she didn’t have that pressure, as the Patriots secured three wins before she ever got fully going.

The Jay County High School girls tennis team took down the Randolph Southern Rebels 4-1 in the IHSAA Sectional 53 opener on Wednesday.

The victory sets up a date with Union City — it beat Winchester 3-2 in the other sectional semifinal — on Thursday for a chance at a fourth straight sectional title.

“I’m very excited,” said first-year JCHS coach Andrea Garringer. “I thought they played amazingly. I was very shocked that Sophia (Sprunger) and Meredith (Dirksen) didn’t pull that out, but it happens.”

With Winchester and Union City facing off on the north courts, only the No. 1 and 2 singles and No. 1 and 2 doubles matches could be held between Jay County (8-6) and Randolph Southern (7-7), forcing Dillon and Noemi Pelico to wait to start the No. 3 singles contest.

Last year, Dillon’s match ended up being the deciding factor on which team made it to the sectional championship. In 2024, she didn’t have that pressure as the Patriots secured three quick wins, capped off by Zion Beiswanger and Lucie Henneaux’s victory in the No. 2 doubles match.

“I’m glad we were the deciding factor,” Beiswanger said. “That’s a good thing so that the pressure’s not all on Maggie, but she would have pulled through anyway.”

Beiswanger and Henneaux cruised through the first set against freshmen Kehlan Baker and Joselyn Smith 6-0. Beiswanger mentioned that their focus, concentration and stamina played a major role in the early success.

The second set wasn’t as smooth. They built a 3-1 lead, but as they tired out, it started to slip. Fortunately for the Patriot netters, a 5-3 deficit was the worst that the match set ever got. They even worked their way back into a 6-5 lead with a chance to end the match.

Beiswanger and Henneaux couldn’t seal the deal as Joselyn Smith gave them trouble with a barrage of volleys.

The tiebreaker went back and forth between the teams. Ultimately, Jay County’s duo found a way to outlast the Rebels with the final two points coming on a long hit by Baker and a forehand by Beiswanger that Joselyn Smith attempted to volley but hit into the net.

“We never really gave up or got mad at each other,” said Henneaux, an exchange student from Belgium that recently got moved to the No. 2 doubles team to replace the injured Chloe Ruiz. “I’m just really happy, really proud of us and I’m excited for tomorrow.”

The final of the No. 2 doubles match ended up being 6-0, 7-6 (8-6) in favor of JCHS.

All three Jay County singles players breezed through their opponents.

Brenna Bailey secured the first victory of the day for the Patriots with a 6-1, 6-0 beating of Jordan Black in the No. 2 singles contest. Bailey mentioned that she may have been too aggressive in the fifth game of the first set (her only loss) as a few too many shots sailed long.

Jay County No. 2 singles player Brenna Bailey hits a backhand during Wednesday’s sectional opener against Randolph Southern. Bailey beat Jordan Black 6-1, 6-0  to secure the first win of the match. (The Commercial Review/Andrew Balko)

 

Beyond the hiccup, Bailey found success by working with short placements and forcing Black into long rallies that eventually ended with a mistake.

“One of my best qualities in tennis is just covering the court,” Bailey said. “So every shot I can at least get a touch on it. It might not be a good shot, but usually I get a touch on it because I can get so much court coverage.”

Dillon dominated the No. 3 singles match in a similar fashion, defeating Pelico 6-1, 6-1. Garringer pointed out that Dillon’s serves have improved over the past two weeks, and that played a role in the dominant performance.

Brenna Haines gave up a few extra games to Alexis Stump in the No. 1 singles contest, but still managed a 6-2, 6-3 victory.

No. 1 doubles duo Dirksen and Sprunger dropped the only match of the day for JCHS to Sophi Chenoweth and Brianna Smith (Joselyn’ older sister). The Patriots got down early in the first set and never recovered, while letting a late lead slip away in the second set. The final ended up 6-4, 6-4 in favor of the senior Rebels.

The win also advances them to the individual sectional at Noblesville.

“I’m excited for them and they’ve earned that,” RSHS coach Kyle Good said. “I told them, ‘Just enjoy the ride.’

“We don’t get kids advancing individually every year so it’s a big deal.”

Jay County previously played against Union City on April 23, which resulted in a 4-1 win for the Patriots. The only loss came from Beiswanger and Ruiz to Shelby Arnold and Addison Thornburg. (The pair got promoted to No. 1 doubles in the match against Winchester in the sectional opener.)