After a slow start, the Eagles turned up the gas and soared past Pendleton Heights 4-1 in a Hoosier Heritage Conference match on Wednesday evening.

Junior Kody Vest, in his first match at No. 1 singles, won 6-4, 6-0.

Senior Simon Marlow got back on the winning track with a 6-4, 6-2 victory at No. 2 singles.

Seniors Dalton Royal and Preston Shanayda won 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 doubles,

Sophomore Aaron Elliott and freshman Tyce Dishman dropped their opening set 2-6, but roared back to win the final two sets 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 doubles.

Pendleton collected its lone point at No. 3 singles where Delta’s Jake Bilby dropped a 4-6, 3-6 decision.

Delta is now 11-4 overall and 5-1 in the HHC. Here are the current conference standings:

1st — Mt. Vernon 6-0  (ranked 21st)
2nd — Greenfield-Central 6-1 (ranked 29th)
3rd — Delta 5-1 (ranked 33rd)
4th — New Palestine 4-3
5th — Shelbyville 2-4
6th — Pendleton Heights 1-5
7th — Yorktown 1-6
8th — New Castle 0-5

Delta will host Mt. Vernon at 5 p.m. Monday on Senior Night (ceremony at 4:30 p.m.)  If the Eagles win, they would not only regain the HHC traveling trophy but also would create a three-way tie for the league championship.

Delta won 9-3 at the JV level.  Owen Cupp and Caleb Hewitt won the top two singles slots.  Brady Williams and Will Kile, Kam Swoboda and James Root, and Ayden Mitchell and Kaden Crist won the top three doubles positions.  Senior James Engle, who missed much of the first part of the season with injury, gained his first victory of the year.

The Eagles (11-4) will play in two tournaments on Saturday. The varsity hosts the Delta Invitational, where they will start against Richmond at 8:45 a.m.  The JV travels to the FW Carroll Invite, where they will play against Homestead and Carroll.

Complete results 

Varsity
Singles

1. Kody Vest (D) def. A. Perny (PH), 6-4, 6-0
2. Simon Marlow (D) def. C. Ritchey (PH), 6-4, 6-2
3. Jake Bilby (D) lost to O. Keen (PH), 4-6, 3-6

Varsity
Doubles

1. Dalton Royal/Preston Shanayda (D) def. I, Chen / G, Morgan (PH), 6-3, 6-2
2. Tyce Dishman / Aaron Elliott (D) def. I. Haugh / T. Thorsen (PH), 2-6, 6-0, 6-2

JV Singles

1. Owen Cupp won 6-3
2. Caleb Hewitt won 6-0

JV Doubles

1. Will Kile / Brady Williams won 6-3
2. Kam Swoboda / James Root won 6-1
3. Ayden Mitchell / Kaden Crist won 6-4
4. Ben Miller / Colten Cruea lost 0-6
5. Jacob Williams ./ Alexander Smith lost 2-6
6. Daniel Tokar / Hanson Heintzelman won 8-2
7. Jason Ogle / Caden Moss lost 3-6
8. Charles Knapp / Brandon Wagner won 6-1
9. Maddox Weddle/ James Engle won 6-1
10. Grant Durkovich / Colten Cruea won 6-2