Gill, Carmel duo capture
IHSAA state championships
Senior Brandon Gill of Park Tudor made history by winning the singles title, while juniors Tristan Beach and Billy Elliott of Carmel captured the doubles crown today in the IHSAA Singles & Doubles State Finals at Five Seasons Sports Country Club in Indianapolis.
Gill downed senior Brad Rhodes of Mooresville 6-2, 6-2 to finish 8-0 in IHSAA tournament competition and 24-1 overall this season. Rhodes ended the season 9-1 in IHSAA tournament play and 26-1 overall.
Since the adoption of the current IHSAA tournament format in 1980, Gill became the first player to win a singles title and a doubles title during his career. As a sophomore in 1998, Gill combined with Wade Knall to win the doubles title for Park Tudor. He also played on Park Tudor’s IHSAA team state champions in 1997 and 1998.
The left-hander survived a 2-hour, 35-minute semifinals battle with Clint Keithley of Valparaiso to advance to the singles finals. Gill prevailed 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 against Keithley, who went on to take third-place honors. Rhodes reached the state championship match in similar fashion, taking a 2-hour, 40-minute victory over sophomore Ryan Keckley, 7-5, 6-7 (7-5), 6-4.
In the doubles competition, Beach and Elliott of Carmel cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 championship victory over John Kolb and Nick Murphy of Vincennes Lincoln.
The Carmel tandem finished 8-0 in IHSAA tournament competition and 22-0 overall this season. They survived a strong semifinals challenge from Floyd Central’s Robert Briscoe and Brent Monroe before prevailing 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-0. Kolb and Murphy of Vincennes Lincoln topped Elkhart Central’s Cody Hawkins and Matthew Tyhach 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals.
Floyd Central took third-place honors in doubles with a 6-0, 6-3 triumph over Elkhart Central.
2000 IHSAA SINGLES & DOUBLES STATE FINALS
October 20-21, 2000
Five Seasons Sports Country Club, Indianapolis
SINGLES
Records: Regular-season records listed first, post-season tournament records listed second.
First Round
Thursday, Oct. 19
Brad Rhodes, Mooresville def. Josh Johnson, Vincennes Lincoln, 6-0, 6-2.
Clint Keithley, Valparaiso def. Matt Zollman, Yorktown, 6-3, 6-2.
Quarterfinals
Friday, Oct. 20
Brad Rhodes, Mooresville def. Ryan Recht, Homestead, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Ryan Keckley, South Bend St. Joseph’s def. Josh Surowski, Floyd Central, 7-5, 7-6 (16-14).
Brandon Gill, Park Tudor def. Matt Bell, Kokomo, 6-1, 6-0.
Clint Keithley, Valparaiso def. Tony Epkey, Center Grove, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).
Semifinals
Saturday, Oct. 21
Brad Rhodes, Mooresville, def. Ryan Keckley, South Bend St. Joseph’s, 7-5, 6-7 (7-5), 6-4.
Brandon Gill, Park Tudor, def. Clint Keithley, Valparaiso 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
Championship & Consolation
Saturday, Oct. 21
Consolation -- Clint Keithley, senior, Valparaiso (17-0, 9-1) def. Ryan Keckley, sophomore, South Bend St. Joseph’s (24-0, 8-2), 6-2, 6-3.
Championship -- Brandon Gill, senior, Park Tudor (16-1, 8-0), def. Brad Rhodes, senior, Mooresville (17-1, 8-1), 6-2, 6-2.
DOUBLES
Records: Regular-season records listed first, post-season tournament records listed second.
First Round
Friday, Oct. 20
John Kolb/Nick Murphy, Vincennes Lincoln def. David Kelvin/Kansei Umeno, Zionsville 6-4, 6-4.
Tristan Beach/Billy Elliott, Carmel, def. Nathan Gordon/Landon Lauber, Plymouth 6-4, 6-0.
Semifinals
Saturday, Oct. 21
John Kolb, junior/Nick Murphy, senior, Vincennes Lincoln def. Cody Hawkins, senior/Matthew Tyhach, senior, Elkhart Central, 6-1, 6-3.
Tristan Beach, junior/Billy Elliott, junior, Carmel, def. Robert Briscoe, senior/Brent Monroe, senior, Floyd Central 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-0.
Championship & Consolation
Saturday, Oct. 21
Consolation -- Robert Briscoe, senior/Brent Monroe, senior, Floyd Central (22-0, 7-1) def. Cody Hawkins, senior/Matthew Tyhach, senior, Elkhart Central (19-3, 5-2), 6-0, 6-3.
Championship -- Tristan Beach, junior/Billy Elliott, junior, Carmel, (14-0, 8-0), def. John Kolb, junior/Nick Murphy, senior, Vincennes Lincoln (13-4, 8-1), 6-1, 6-0.