Bulldogs Blast Chillicothe 5-1, Win Third-Straight District Crown
R-T Photo/Seth Herrold
Trenton senior Nick Shields shoots a backhand shot during the Bulldogs 5-1 district-championship dual victory over Chillicothe on Thursday at the THS tennis courts. Shields combined with Creed Houghton for an 8-2 doubles victory and won his singles match 6-2, 6-0 as the Bulldogs claimed their third-straight district title.
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Submitted Photo
The Trenton High School boys tennis team defeated Chillicothe 5-1 on Thursday to claim the Class 1, District 15 championship for the third year in a row. Members of the team included, from left, Weston Otto, Isaac Harris, Nick Shields, Creed Houghton, Jeremy Elliott and Gabe Swann.
“It’s a great day to be a Trenton Bulldog.”
Trenton Head boys tennis Coach David Sager likes to use that phrase. He has said it a lot this season, in particular as the Bulldogs have rolled along and remained undefeated as a team at every turn.
When he said it following the championship dual of the Class 1, District 15 Tournament on Thursday at the THS tennis courts, it carried a little more weight than normal.
The Trenton Bulldogs clinched their third-straight district championship, doing so with a 5-1 rout of Chillicothe in the title dual.
“This has been a fantastic year for our boys and I want to say it’s incredible to win team districts three years in a row,” Sager said. “This group of men have put in a lot of work over the years and it’s great that they get to move on to the team state tournament.”
From the onset, the Bulldogs showed the district title was theirs to lose, taking two out of three doubles matches. Nick Shields and Creed Houghton combined to score an 8-2 victory in the number-one spot and the number-two doubles team of Gabe Swann and Jeremy Elliott had the same result, topping their Chillicothe foes by an 8-2 score as well.
The only hiccup in doubles play, and in the dual as a whole, came in the number-three match, where the Trenton duo of Isaac Harris and Weston Otto fell in a close battle, 8-6.
However, the lone victory for Chillicothe proved to be a mirage as the Bulldogs dominated singles play. Swann was a 6-0, 6-1 winner at number two and Elliott scored a 6-3, 6-3 win at number four.
R-T Photo/Seth Herrold
Gabe Swann hits a serve during Trenton’s 5-1 district championship victory over Chillicothe on Thursday in Trenton. Swann was an 8-2 doubles winner with Jeremy Elliott and won 6-0, 6-1 in singles action.
The two early wins put Trenton just one victory away from sealing the dual and district title. Shields delivered the knockout blow for Trenton, picking up a 6-2, 6-0 win at number one.
With five wins in hand and the district crown officially clinched for the third-straight year, all other matches were suspended.
While it was the third district title in a row for Trenton, this marks the first time that the Bulldogs have marched through districts with an unblemished record. Trenton now sits at 13-0 on the season.
Trenton will be in sectional action on Saturday, May 18 in Marshall. Trenton will face Savannah – whom Trenton defeated 5-4 in the Bulldogs’ first dual of the season. Should Trenton repeat its victory over Savannah on that date, it will advance to the state quarterfinals, which will be played that same day in Marshall for the second time in the last three years. The Bulldogs defeated LeBlond before bowing out of the state playoffs to Pembroke Hill in the quarterfinal round two years ago and lost to Pembroke Hill in the sectional round last season. A trip to the quarterfinals would likely result in another match-up with Pembroke Hill, which will take on host Marshall in sectional action on the 18th.
“I’m very proud of my team,” Sager said. “It’s a great day to be a Trenton Bulldog.”
