Cardinals fall to North Daviess in sectional final (Corn advances in singles tournament)

Bloomfield's No. 1 doubles team of Austin Schulte (left) and Holden Hamm take a break between games at the Loogootee Sectional. The Cardinals lost to North Daviess 4-1 in the championship match Saturday. (By B.J. Hargis/Greene County Daily World). [Order this photo]

But this year the Cards ended that streak as the defeated their nemesis 4-1 in the semifinals Friday then ran into the powerful North Daviess Cougars in the championship match here Saturday morning.

The Cougars won for the 23rd time in 24 matches as North Daviess beat the Cardinals 4-1 in a match that was similar to the regular-season match-up played earlier this week where Bloomfield won at No. 1 singles but lost two matches that went three sets.

It was just the second sectional title in boys tennis for the Cougars, whose only other championship came back in 1992.

Bloomfield, which was Southwestern Indiana Athletic Conference runner-up to North Daviess, finished the season with a 17-4 record. All but one of the losses came at the hands of the Cougars.

Bloomfield's only point came at the No. 1 singles position where Derek Corn easily defeated Blane Lawyer 6-2, 6-2.

Both of the other singles points were close. At No. 2 singles, Willy Scott dropped a 6-3, 6-4 decision to undefeated Logan Wagler (23-0) while Joel Oliphant lost a three setter to Lewis Nugent 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 at No. 3 singles.

Scott finished the season with a 16-5 record. He finished his career at BHS with 56 career victories, the most by any boys tennis player at Bloomfield, who has won sectional championships in 1992, 1995 and 1997.

In the top doubles spot, Holden Hamm and Austin Schulte were beaten by the Cougar duo of Thomas Nugent and Blake Burkhart 6-4, 6-1. Nugent and Burkhart will take a 20-1 record into the regional.

Bloomfield's No. 2 team of Jacob Chestnut and Mitch Hobson pushed the undefeated Cougar duo of Austin Lengacher and Tyler McDonald but lost 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Lengacher and McDonald now have a perfect 16-0 record.

Hamm and Scott are the two seniors that will be lost to graduation. Hamm made the most of his first varsity season, winning 14 of 17 matches.

North Daviess goes on to a regional match-up with the winner of the Jasper Sectional on Tuesday, Oct. 7 at Jasper.

Bloomfield's Derek Corn advances to the Individual Singles Sectional Tournament to be held Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m. at Jasper. Corn has only lost three times in 21 matches in 2008.

Loogootee Sectional Championship

North Daviess 4, Bloomfield 1

Singles:

1. Derek Corn, B, d. Blane Lawyer, 6-2, 6-2

2. Logan Wagler, ND, d. Willy Scott, 6-3, 6-4

3. Lewis Nugent, ND, d. Joel Oliphant, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5

Doubles:

1. Thomas Nugent and Blake Burkhart, ND, d. Holden Hamm and Austin Schulte, 6-4, 6-1

2. Austin Lengacher and Tyler McDonald, ND, d. Jacob Chestnut and Mitch Hobson, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2

Player Stats:

Derek Corn: 18-3

Willy Scott: 16-5

Joel Oliphant: 16-3

Holden Hamm: 14-7

Austin Schulte: 14-7

Jacob Chestnut: 7-13

Mitch Hobson: 4-11

Curtis Hasler: 3-2