SEYMOUR – Brownstown advanced to the sectional championship match with a 4-1 victory over Bedford North Lawrence during boys high school tennis action on Thursday.
The Braves will meet Seymour (a 3-2 winner over Jennings County in the other semifinal) in the final. That winner will advance to the four-team regional at Columbus North on Oct. 3.
The Stars posted their lone win at No.2 doubles as senior Gavin Baker combined with Jackson Corey to rally for a 2-6, 7-6 (7-3 in the tiebreaker), 10-7 triumph over Max Peters and Brady Davis.
Brownstown, which also recorded a 4-1 win over BNL during the regular-season clash on Sept. 7, didn’t drop a set in the other four matches. Smith Hackman edged BNL senior Jayden Kemp 6-4, 6-4 at No.1 singles, Pierson Wheeler stopped Orion Hill 6-0, 6-0 at No.2, and Lane Steward defeated Isaac Bridges 6-0, 6-4 at No.3.
At No.1 doubles, Brownstown’s Evan Schneider and Chase Brock clipped senior Drew Stephenson and Neal Patel 6-3, 7-5.
“Tonight was tough, and our guys gave their best,” BNL coach Chris Kurtz said. “We just didn’t have quite enough to pull out the win.
“It’s always difficult to see the seniors play their last high school match, and that happened for three awesome young men tonight. I tried to remind them to take it in, enjoy the environment and the tennis, and all three did.”
The Stars finished the 2023 season with an 8-15 record.
IHSAA SECTIONAL
Semifinal round
Brownstown 4, BNL 1
Singles
1 Smith Hackman., Br d. Jayden Kemp 6-4, 6-4
2 Pierson Wheeler, Br d. Orion Hill 6-0, 6-0
3 Lane Steward, Br d. Isaac Bridges 6-0, 6-4
Doubles
1 Evan Schneider and Chase Brock, Br d. Drew Stephenson and Neal Patel 6-3, 7-5
2 Gavin Baker and Jackson Corey, BNL d. Max Peters and Brady Davis 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 10-7
