Jacob K. (Melanie Q./Staff)

With five matches last week and a doubleheader on Saturday, April 20, the Vikes main first in the Central Buckeye League with a 6-2 record and 75% win rate.

To begin, Academy hosted Wellington on Monday, April 15. Jacob K. in second singles, along with Ian C. and Nason L. in first doubles, swept 6-0, 6-0 on their courts. Extending the team score to 4-1, Rowen L. in third singles (6-0, 6-2) and duo Sujay B. and Jayden T. in second doubles (6-4, 6-1) secured wins over the Jaguars. 

The Vikes continued their winning streak on the following day, sweeping 5-0 against Ready. Leading the team in first singles, Sujay dominated 6-1, 6-0. Bennett K. and Saurav M. played second and third singles, following suit with 6-1, 6-0, and 6-0, 6-0, respectively. Duo Aanav K. and Jayden secured a 6-1, 6-1 victory in first doubles, while Jackson A. and Sarthak A. achieved 6-1, 6-0 in second doubles.

To honor former teammate Jack Madison, the team hosted its first Jack Madison Cup on Thursday, April 18. With crowds of family, friends, and teachers showing support, it was a close match against rival Bexley. In second singles, Lucas defeated his opponent with a tiebreaker in the second set, securing a 6-3, 7-6 victory. Rowen and Jayden played second doubles for a 6-3, 6-3 win. With losses in first singles (Nason) and first doubles (Sujay and Ian), all eyes turned to Jacob in third singles. Losing to the Lions in the first set (4-6), Jacob rebounded in the second set (6-3). However, his opponent won the third set (3-6), rounding off the team score (2-3) and delivering the first loss of the season. 

Returning to Academy for a doubleheader on Saturday, the Vikings battled Indian Hill in the morning and Lexington in the afternoon. Evenly matched with his opponent in second singles, Lucas won the first set (6-3), but his opponent claimed the second in a tiebreaker (5-7) and edged him out (6-3) in the third set. Despite wins from Jacob in third singles (6-1, 6-0) and Sujay and Jayden in second doubles (6-1, 6-3), the team suffered a 2-3 loss. 

Back in the afternoon against Lexington, Nason led in first singles, 6-3, 6-3. First doubles duo Ian and Lucas clinched a 7-6 win in the first set tiebreaker and swept out their opponents 6-3 in the second set. For a 3-2 team victory, Sujay and Jayden tallied the final 6-1, 6-3 win in second doubles.

With another busy week ahead, the Vikings will host a game against Buckeye Valley on Tuesday, April 23. They will travel to Olentangy on Wednesday, April 24, Grandview Heights on Thursday, April 25, and Findlay on Friday, April 26. With another doubleheader on Saturday, April 27, they will play St. John’s Jesuit at Shadow Valley Tennis Club in the morning and Ottawa Hills in the afternoon.