Oct. 15, 2011
Top-Ranked Carmel Sweeps North Central for Second Straight Boys Tennis Title
Top-ranked Carmel swept all five matches in straight sets from No. 3 North Central to claim its second straight boys tennis state championship in Indianapolis on Saturday.
The Greyhounds quickly grabbed the first two points of the match as Sameer Kumar won his No. 2 singles match and Connor Dunn and Elliott Yee took care of their business at No. 1 doubles just moments apart. Kumar defeated North Central’s Andrew Stutz, 6-2, 6-2 while Dunn and Yee beat Luke Lohrstorfer and Jake Minner, 6-1, 6-0.
Carmel’s seventh state championship was clinched when Charlie Emhardt and Patrick Farrell took just over an hour to turn away Patrick McAuley and Will Reifeis, 6-2, 6-2.
Mihir Kumar defeated Riley Reist, 6-1, 6-3 at No. 1 singles and Chris Quammen beat Ari Gerstein, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 3 singles to close out the match.
It was the fourth state championship in nine years for Carmel coach Mike Bostic and put the Greyhounds in the conversation as one of the most talented boys tennis teams in state history. Carmel finished 18-0 and only lost three points all year, two of which occurred during a 3-2 semifinal victory over No. 4 Park Tudor. Carmel shut out Marion, 5-0 during Friday’s quarterfinal round. Sameer Kumar finished his season undefeated at 20-0 and Emhardt and Farrell remained perfect at 23-0. Mihir Kumar and Quammen along with the doubles team of Dunn and Yee each sustained a single loss all season.
North Central, coached by Dan Brunette, advanced to the championship match following Friday’s 5-0 win over Penn and a 4-1 victory over No. 6 Center Grove during Saturday’s semifinal round. North Central finished as the state runner-up for the third time (1974, 1975).
Carmel’s Connor Dunn Named Mental Attitude Award Winner
Following the state championship match, Connor Dunn of Carmel High School was announced as the winner of this year’s mental attitude award in boys tennis.
Dunn played No. 1 doubles for the Greyhounds, has been named to various all-state and all-conference teams and has been a part of two straight state championships and three consecutive undefeated regular seasons.
Academically, he maintains a 3.91 GPA and has received several awards for his classroom work including being named a National Merit Scholar Commended student this fall.
Dunn achieved the status of Eagle Scout earlier this year. He will attend DePauw University next year and plans to major in Pre-Med or GeoScience. He is the son of Steve and Rita Dunn of Carmel.
The mental attitude award is presented annually by the IHSAA Executive Committee to an outstanding senior participant in the boys tennis state finals. An individual must be nominated by his principal and coach, must excel in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in tennis.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA corporate partner, presented a $1,000 scholarship to the Carmel High School in the name of Dunn.