Four in a row

It’s a good thing the IHSAA gives out a trophy instead of rings to the sectional champions, because the Patriots might be starting to run out of fingers.

The Jay County High School boys tennis team defended its home court in Thursday’s final, upending the Randolph Southern Rebels 4-1 on Thursday to claim its fourth straight sectional crown.

“It feels amazing,” said Patriot No. 1 doubles player Alex Miller. “Honestly, we worked really hard for this … I’m just so proud of my guys for pushing through and eventually ending up with the win.”

Jay County advances to play Alexandria, which beat Frankton 4-1 in its sectional championship match, in Tuesday’s regional semifinal at Noblesville. The Patriots lost 4-1 to Alexandria when they met on Aug. 19.

No. 13 Delta will take on No. 11 Westfield in the other semifinal.

Miller and doubles partner Nick Snow may have had more to push through than anyone, rallying from down a set to claim the 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Grady Coyle and Diego Soria that sealed the title. The duo’s mental tenacity was vital in the comeback.

“My teammate and I, we talked a lot about composure today — stay level,” Miller said. “And it all worked out in the end.”

Making the triumph even more notable was the fact that it was just Miller and Snow’s third match together at the No. 1 doubles spot, with Miller’s typical partner Kadyn Carpenter out with an injury. Despite being thrust into the spotlight, the sophomore Snow continued to fuse effectively with Miller and finished off the match with a pair of thunderous overheads.

“As long as I can do anything that helps the team, I’m there,” Snow said. “I’ll step in whenever and wherever they need me. Singles, doubles, triples, I’m there.”

Before the piecemeal pairing at No. 1 doubles finished off the Patriot victory, the Rebels seemed poised to earn their first sectional crown and terminate Jay County’s season. Henry Dirksen was trailing throughout to Braden Austin in a match he’d eventually lose, 6-2, 6-1 at the same time the top doubles pair was reeling.

“Well, I really didn’t think, for a long time, we were going to pull it off,” said Jay County assistant coach Andrea Garringer, who was the acting head coach with Donald Gillespie sidelined by an illness. “And I never thought Randolph Southern was that competitive, so they’ve really improved since we played at their place a couple weeks ago.”

A dominant Jay County performance at No. 2 doubles went a long way in assuaging those concerns. Brock Wasson and Gabe Overton steamrolled Randolph Southern’s Jacob Flaugh and Kohwen Pegg, 6-0, 6-0.

“We’ve improved a lot over the season, and I felt like today, we definitely showed that,” Overton said.

While the pair of doubles victories and a forfeit win for Clark Wellman at No. 3 singles ultimately rendered the No. 1 singles match irrelevant to the outcome, Paul Dirksen tacked on the extra point with a flourish. The freshman took down senior Noah Allen, 6-4, 6-4.

“Paul played amazingly,” said Gillespie, who arrived toward the end of the contest to celebrate with his team. “I know he wasn’t the determining win, but that’s the best I’ve ever seen Paul Dirksen play.”

It’s no coincidence that Paul Dirksen and the No. 2 doubles tandem were among the Patriots showcasing their growth late in the season. Continued improvement has been a point of emphasis.

“I knew they could do it … They just had to put their mind to it,” Garringer said. “They got better toward the end of the year. I thought they kept getting better each match.”

That improvement was vital for a Patriot team that had a brand-new look from last season’s squad. Only six total players returned from Jay County’s 2024 roster, with only two of those playing at the varsity level.

“I was really concerned with our lineup this year, but we pulled it off,” Garringer said.

While Jay County might not have had as much experience as in years past, the result was the same. Now, the Patriots will set their sights on the regional, but not before taking a moment to celebrate their achievement.

“Four in a row,” Gillespie said. “That’s something to be proud of, and these kids know it, and we don’t want to stop now.”