BREBEUF JESUIT, ZIONSVILLE PLAYERS TAKE SINGLES, DOUBLES STATE TITLES
Brebeuf Jesuit’s Dougie Barnard and the Zionsville team of Joe Hammond and Nick Laconi were crowned winners of the state singles and doubles tournaments on Saturday at Park Tudor School in Indianapolis.
After winning the state doubles tournament as juniors a year ago, Hammond and Laconi (21-2) returned as seniors having earned a bye into the state semifinals after they played with the rest of their Zionsville team in last week’s team tournament. The pair won both matches on Saturday including a 7-5, 6-4 decision over Brebeuf Jesuit’s Charlie Hurst and Chris Plump, in the final to become the first doubles team to win in consecutive years since 1970. Pike’s Steve Behrman and David Brents won titles together in 1969 and 1970. It was the first loss of the season for Hurst and Plump (26-1).
Hammond and Laconi turned away Lake Central’s previously undefeated team of Brad Spicer and Adam Wroughton in the semis, 7-6 (7-3), 6-0. Hurst and Plump beat Homestead’s Jordan Mauk and Brad White, 6-3, 6-1, in the other match Saturday morning.
In singles, Barnard had to rally from a set down but managed to hand Bloomington North’s Ray Leonard his first loss of the season, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, in the state championship match. A junior, Barnard finished 26-1, including seven straight tournament victories, taking 1 hour, 55 minutes to become the first Brebeuf Jesuit player to win the singles state tournament. Leonard, also a junior, finished 27-1 in his first trip to the state championship match.
Barnard had advanced past Homestead’s Connor Andrews, 6-2, 6-0, for his spot in the final. Leonard had defeated Merrillville’s Leonard Mathews, 6-1, 6-1, in the other semi.