1998 STATE FINALS
October 17, 1998
North Central High School, Indianapolis
PARK TUDOR COMPLETES THREE-PEAT IN BOYS TENNIS STATE FINALS
Park Tudor turned back both of its opponents and won its third straight team championship in the 32nd Annual IHSAA Boys Tennis State Finals at North Central High School in Indianapolis on Saturday.
Ranked ninth in the final coaches poll prior to the post-season tournament, the Panthers shutout No. 3-ranked Floyd Central, 5-0, in the semifinals and No. 12 Kokomo, 3-2, for the title. It was the fourth team championship overall for Park Tudor (20-3), which also won in 1990. With the victory, Park Tudor joins 15-time state champion North Central of Indianapolis as the only schools to win three or more consecutive state championships. North Central won three consecutive titles on seven occasions.
In the title match, Park Tudor got singles victories from John Pearson at No. 1 and Scott Sadove at No. 3 and added a doubles win from its No. 1 team of Wade Knall and Brandon Gill to seal the win. In last year's championship season, Pearson played No. 2 singles while Kevin Gill held down the No. 1 spot.
Kokomo (19-4), which was making its first appearance in the state finals, handed No. 6 Munster a 3-2 semifinal loss, its first of the year. Kokomo's John Myers defeated previously unbeaten David Young of Munster at the No. 3 spot, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2. Young entered the match at 23-0.
In the other semifinal match, Floyd Central's No. 1 player Cody Conley suffered his first loss of the year at the hands of Pearson, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Conley was 28-0 coming in and finished 29-1 at days end. The Highlanders' No. 1 doubles team of Drew Hoffer and Brent Monroe also slipped up for the first two times this season. The pair lost to Knall and Gill of Park Tudor, 6-4, 6-1, in the early match and later fell to Munster's Ryan Bulan and Bill Gray, 6-3, 6-2, to finish the season 18-2.
In the consolation match, Floyd Central (22-2) took a 4-1 decision from Munster (22-2).
MUNSTER'S GREG ZECK NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD RECIPIENT
The IHSAA Executive Committee selected Greg Zeck of Munster High School as the winner of the Mental Attitude Award in Boys Tennis. Zeck ranks first in his senior class of 293 students with a 5.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. He currently serves as vice-president of Student Government and president of Speech and Debate. Zeck teamed with junior Zack Jones as Munster's No. 2 doubles team and finished 15-6. He becomes the third Munster player to win the award joining Greg Oslan in 1977 and Mark Oberlander in 1985. Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Munster High School in Zeck's name.
STATE FINALS RESULTS
North Central H.S., Indianapolis
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Park Tudor 3, Kokomo 2
Singles
1. John Pearson, Park Tudor, def. Constantine Alexander, Kokomo, 6-2, 6-2
2. Matt Schuck, Kokomo, def. Kevin Gill, Park Tudor, 6-7 (7-5), 6-4, 3-2 retired
3. Scott Sadove, Park Tudor, def. John Myers, Kokomo, 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
1. Wade Knall/Brandon Gill, Park Tudor, def. Kyle McCroskey/Michael Sale, Kokomo, 6-3, 6-3
2. Travis Taflinger/Michael Mygrant, Kokomo, def. Casey McGaughey/John Krol, Park Tudor, 6-2, 6-4
CONSOLATION MATCH
Floyd Central 4, Munster 1
Singles
1. Cody Conley, Floyd Central, def. Jeff French, Munster, 7-5, 6-1
2. Josh Surowski, Floyd Central, def. Rob Rothschild, Munster, 6-3, 6-0
3. Stephen Wilkins, Floyd Central, def. David Young, Munster, 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
1. Ryan Bulan/Bill Gray, Munster, def. Drew Hoffer/Brent Monroe, Floyd Central, 6-3, 6-2
2. Robert Briscoe/Ryan Denison, Floyd Central, def. Greg Zeck/Zack Jones, Munster, 6-4, 6-2
SEMIFINALS
Kokomo 3, Munster 2
Singles
1. Jeff French, Munster, def. Constantine Alexander, Kokomo, 6-3, 6-2
2. Matt Schuck, Kokomo def. Rob Rothschild, Munster, 6-1, 6-3
3. John Myers, Kokomo, def. David Young, Munster, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
Doubles
1. Ryan Bulan/Bill Gray, Munster, def. Kyle McCroskey/Michael Sale, Kokomo, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
2. Travis Taflinger/Michael Mygrant, Kokomo def. Greg Zeck/Zack Jones, Munster, 6-2, 6-4
Park Tudor 5, Floyd Central 0
Singles
1. John Pearson, Park Tudor, def. Cody Conley, Floyd Central, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Kevin Gill, Park Tudor, def. Josh Surowski, Floyd Central, 6-2, 6-2
3. Scott Sadove, Park Tudor, def. Stephen Wilkins, Floyd Central, 6-0, 6-7 (7-4), 6-1
Doubles
1. Wade Knall/Brandon Gill, Park Tudor, def. Drew Hoffer/Brent Monroe, Floyd Central, 6-4, 6-1
2. Casey McGaughey/John Krol, Park Tudor, def. Robert Briscoe/Ryan Denison, Floyd Central, 7-5, 6-4