Rick Reed News-Gazette Sports Editor Indians cruise to tennis county championship Union City's tennis team keeps rolling along, now having won 10 straight matches after a dominating performance at Saturday's Randolph County meet. The Indians won their first county championship since 2017 in dominating fashion by defeating Randolph Southern 4-1 and Winchester 4-1. Indians' coach Doug Jefferis didn't need to sweat most of the day, but said many of the matches were closer than the final score shows. "You just never know how things are going to turn out, but our guys were able to close out some of the games. I was happy with all of them." Union City had defeated both Winchester and Southern earlier this year, so the Indians were clearly the favored team entering Saturday's play. There were many supporters from the Hub City in attendance to cheer them on. The tourney opened up with Union City facing Randolph Southern, last year’s county champs. The Indians were able to take advantage of Southern’s youth and inexperience defeating the Rebels 4-1. Owen Dowler defeated Jaxson Latello at number one singles 6-0, 6-0. At number two singles, Zack Fulk beat Ian Vance 6-0, 6-0. Also winning 6-0, 6-0 was Parker Kerns who defeated Wyatt Brown at number three singles. In doubles play, Hagan Gambrel and Vance Taylor 6-2, 6-1 defeated Union City's tandem of Camden LaFuze and Corbin Richards. At number two, Brennan Hoggatt and Jake Thornburg won against Noah Allen and Braden Austin 6-2, 6-1. In Round Two, Winchester defeated Randolph Southern 3-2 to earn a ticket to Round 3, the championship match with Union City. Southern’s Latello defeated WC’s Trey Pullins at number one singles 6-1, 6-3. The Falcons’ Ethan McHolland won against Vance at number two singles 6-0, 6-0. At number three singles, Brown from Southern defeated Levi Hines 7-5, 6-4. Both doubles matches went to Winchester. At number one, Charlie Sauser and Drew Loyd defeated Gambrel and Taylor 6-1, 6-1. Cooper Hummel and Kam Preston won against Allen and Austin 6-0, 6-1. In the championship round, the Indians defeated the Falcons by winning four of the five matches. The Indians won all of the singles contests. Dowler defeated Pullins 6-1, 6-1, Fulk won against McHolland 6-1, 6-2, and Kerns defeated Hines 6-0, 6-0. Winchester’s Loyd and Sauser remained undefeated for the season winning at number one doubles over LaFuze and Richards 6-2, 6-1. The number two doubles contest was the most competitive of the tournament. UC’s Hoggatt and Thornburg won the first set against Hummel and Preston 8-6. Hummel and Preston won the second set 6-4, but Hoggatt and Thornburg won the deciding third set 6-1. "We had two goals at the beginning of the year, which was to win the County and win the Sectional," Jefferis said. "The kids knew what was at stake and they were very focused to get the job done." The Indians improve to 10-1 overall and undefeated in the Tri-Eastern Conference at 4-0. They finished second to Knightstown a year ago and will face off against the Panthers on Wednesday in a big match for what could determine the conference title. Randolph Southern hosts Northeastern tonight at 4:30. Winchester plays tonight at Knightstown at 4:30.