Spencer Fields has coached some powerful boys tennis high school teams through his years at the helm of traditional state powers North Central, Park Tudor and now Carmel.
This year’s Carmel team likely tops that list. The No. 1 Greyhounds completed a 22-0 season by beating No. 16 Jasper 5-0 Oct. 14 in the state championship match at North Central High School. The Greyhounds dropped nine games at the five spots. Earlier that day, the Greyhounds topped No. 5 Park Tudor 4-1 in the semifinals.
It was a repeat title for Carmel and the 10th state title in team history.
“This team had a whole different mojo to it and a different moxie about how they do things,” Fields said. “These guys are extremely high achievers in both the classroom and on court. This team had a real high GPA. Of all the teams I’ve coached, they have achieved the most in the classroom. They’re extremely coachable and extremely improved. In three years, the amount of improvement we’ve seen from these seniors is incredible. This team is going to rival some of those best teams ever.”
Fields played on one of those teams, the 1989 state champion North Central team.
As a coach, Fields has two state boys titles each at North Central and Carmel. He also coached the Carmel girls to a state title in the spring.
Senior Patrick Fletchall (18-0 at No. 1 singles), sophomore Presley Thieneman (18-0 at No. 2) and sophomore Nishanth Basavareddy (20-0 at No. 3) went unbeaten en route to the state title.
“We definitely were keeping each other sharp,” Thieneman said. “We’re always pushing each other. We’re all really competitive and we all want to be the best.”
The Greyhounds stayed on track despite the emotion of beating No. 2 North Central 4-1 in the Oct. 13 quarterfinals. The only letdown was the previously unbeaten doubles team of senior Drew Michael and junior Timmy Dixon losing to Park Tudor’s senior duo of Will Emhardt and Drew Wiegel.
Carmel’s No. 2 doubles team of junior Garrett Lloyd and sophomore Uday Lomada were 19-4.
“The two seniors (Fletchall and Michael) led us with the intensity of practice this season,” Fields said.
Thieneman, a transfer from Louisville Trinity, said the team was focused after beating North Central.
“We kept our eyes on the prize,” Thieneman said.
