Regional Royalty: Bull Dogs Sweep Panthers for Tennis Title

The Columbus North girls tennis team continues to roll through the postseason, and now they’ve added a regional title to their growing list of accomplishments. The 18th-ranked Bull Dogs were flawless on their home courts Wednesday, sweeping Jennings County 5-0 to claim the regional championship.

North wasted no time taking control of the match. Aya Saad cruised to victory at No. 1 singles, with Lucy Bergman and Ayane Umemura following suit at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. The Bull Dog doubles teams took care of business as well, with Annabelle Sun and Nino Akhalaya dominating at No. 1 doubles and seniors Grace Conner and Lizzie Bodart grinding out a win at No. 2.

The Panthers, who had put together a stellar 13-3 season, saw their tournament run end in Columbus. For North, it’s another regional crown for the senior class and a ticket to Saturday’s semistate showdown at Center Grove against the 17th-ranked Trojans. First serve is set for noon, with a trip to the state finals on the line.