The competition match season is only nine days old, but Delta players already have played 12 three-set matches. Unfortunately the Eagles have won only three of those 12 extended matches, and the result was costly in varsity and JV matches on Saturday at Culver Military Academy.
The varsity dropped a 4-1 decision, losing in three sets at No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles.
The JV fell in a close 9-8 decision, losing three-setters at No. 2 singles and No. 1 and No. 2 doubles.
The good news is that all nine of the three-set losses have come at the hands of state-ranked opponents: Zionsville, Guerin Catholic, Jasper, Columbus North and Culver. With three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior among the top eight players, Delta is competing well with the state’s top teams and soon will likely start pulling out more victories in these close matches.
Overall, the Culver trip was a tremendous experience with everyone getting to play on a gorgeous 75-degree sunny afternoon and then enjoying pizza, s’mores, swimming, yard games and Rubik’s Cube battles at Lake Maxinkuckee, second only to Lake Wawasee among Indiana’s biggest natural lakes.
The team and family members also enjoyed tours from Culver coach Alan Loehr, who showed the 100-horse indoor equestrian center and the nation’s only indoor rowing center on a high school campus. The equestrian center is where the academy plays 3v3 polo in addition to traditional dressage competitions. About 125 academy students participate in crew at the rowing center and on Lake Maxinkuckee.
Culver, which has an enrollment of about 840 students from throughout the United States and internationally, specializes in leadership and character development. Room and board and tuition is about $67,000 per year.
This season’s Culver varsity team consisted of two players from Chicago, one from Seattle, Wash., one from El Paso, Texas, one from South Bend, Ind., and two from Mexico. Since their roster changes quite a bit from year to year and they start the season later than most other schools, they often are under-ranked in the first poll. They were ranked 27th in the first poll but are likely to be closer to 10-15 in the next poll. Delta was ranked 15th entering the match.
Delta freshman Jackson Darby won at No. 1 singles, 6-2, 6-4 to move his season record to 5-1.
Freshman Charlie Vannatter and sophomore Luke Atkinson each fell to singles players from Mexico. Atkinson’s match went three sets. Vannatter and Atkinson each are 4-2 this fall.
Freshman Brandon Grubbs and junior Tyce Dishman played No. 1 doubles and lost in three sets. Dishman is 3-3 this season at No. 1 doubles with all three losses coming in three sets to state-ranked teams. Grubbs is 2-2 varsity and has played three-set matches in all four of his opportunities, going 2-2 in those decisions.
Seniors Aaron Elliott and Ben Miller ran into a very difficult hard-hitting opponent at No. 2 doubles. Elliott is 3-3 this fall while Miller is 3-1.
Delta and Culver first met in the 2014 state finals and have been playing annual regular-season matches ever since. Delta leads the all-time series 7-5, although Culver has won in recent years, including last year when Delta did not win a set in the varsity match.
In yesterday’s JV match, junior Colten Cruea collected a nice 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 1 singles. Colten now is 5-1 this fall.
Other winners were the doubles teams of John Atkinson/Kiptyn Schwartz, Maddox Weddle/Reid Cardemon, Drew Durkovich/Jacob Tokar, Kiptyn Berry/Jensen Moody, Grant Durkovich/Jason Ogle, Stanley Hutchens/Jaylen Tracy and Graham Hartman/Austin Carrigan.
Unbeaten so far this fall are Kiptyn Berry (6-0), Jensen Moody (6-0), Jacob Tokar (5-0), Grant Durkovich (4-0), Jacob Williams (3-0), Jaylen Tracy (3-0) and John Atkinson (2-0)
In addition to Cruea, holding 5-1 records are Kaden Crist, Kiptyn Schwartz, and Drew Durkovich.
The Eagles will play at Greenfield-Central at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday in a key Hoosier Heritage Conference match.
Complete Results
Varsity
CULVER MILITARY ACADEMY 4, DELTA 1
Varsity Singles
- Jackson Darby won 6-2, 6-4
- Charlie Vannatter lost 3-6, 0-6
- Luke Atkinson lost 6-3, 0-6, 3-6
Varsity Doubles
- Tyce Dishman / Brandon Grubbs lost 6-3, 5-7, 2-6
- Aaron Elliott / Ben Miller lost 2-6, 2-6
JV
CULVER MILITARY ACADEMY 9, DELTA 8
JV Singles
- Cruea won 6-4, 6-4
- Ashcraft lost 7-6, 2-6, (5-10)
- Zacek lost 6-7, 3-6
- D. Tokar lost 4-8
- Alexander lost 2-8
- Coutinho lost 2-8
JV Doubles
- Crist / Williams lost 2-6, 6-4, (3-10)
- Carmichael / Mitchell lost 6-2, 4-6, (6-10)
- J Atkinson / Schwartz won 8-1
- Weddle / Cardemon won 8-2
- D Durkovich / J Tokar won 8-3
- Moody / Berry won 8-5
- Ogle / G Durkovich won 8-2
- Case / Mick lost 6-8
- Hutchens / Terry won 8-2
- Hartman / Carrigan won 8-0
- Swift / Reed lost 5-8