Bremen Tennis tennis sectional wins Regional finals
BREMEN — It’s a first for Bremen’s tennis program to have a regional championship.
The Lions grabbed a 4-1 win over the Culver Academy Eagles in the regional final Wednesday night at Peru running their record to 19-1. The only Lion loss was to Penn in NIC play earlier in the year.
“It’s a big thrill,” said Bremen coach Kevin Hickman of the title. “We’ve had some good teams in the past but we were able to get it done against CMA (Wednesday night).”
Bremen’s lineup of (#1 singles) Mark Bahr, (#2 singles) Carson Miller, (#3 singles) Dawson Hickman, the doubles teams of (#1) Shay Kyser and Mason Porter, and (#2)Mariano Deleon and Camden Hickman will take on top-ranked Carmel Saturday in the semi-state at the Leroy Courts in Kesling Park in Laporte.
While it is the program’s first regional title in tennis, the Lion program itself is no stranger to success.
“Historically we’ve been pretty good,”
said Hickman. “Frank Desantis started the program and coached it for 40 years or something along those lines.”
“If you know Frank at all, he is a very unique individual and he will not let anything go so if you aren’t doing it right he will make you do it right whether you want to or not,” said Hickman. “He coached both me and my assistant Tim Lawmaster. I think we’ve taken on some of his traits. Similar styles I would say.”
Desantis built the program from the ground up, building interest in the game and the Bremen program.
“Frank ran a really good summer program,” said Hickman. “That’s how it all got started back in the ‘70s. Mary Beth Hunter did pretty much the same thing in Plymouth.”
Bremen’s success is also built on more than just full-time tennis players. The Bremen tradition of multi-sport athletes is strong in tennis.
“There is nothing wrong, especially at the high school level to playing two or three sports,” said Hickman. “There are schools around that because of their size
or their history their players specialize. They can be hard to compete with but sometimes it’s just as good to have a good athlete on the court.”
“Three-sport athletes can do a lot of things that somebody who only plays tennis or soccer or some other sport can’t do,” said Hickman. “We have to (have multi-sport athletes) at a school our size. In the fall there are four sports and to even have teams you have to have kids willing to play two or three sports. We have only one kid who is only a tennis player. We have two or three kids who play three sports and everybody else plays two.”
The success started by Desantis was carried on by another Bremen coaching legend in Marc Wagner until his tenure as coach was tragically cut short by cancer.
“Everybody loved Marc,” said Hickman. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody say a bad thing about Marc. He was that kind of guy. I know he was looking forward to coaching this bunch of guys.”
Hickman is just the third Bremen coach since Desantis started the program taking over for Wagner.
“I think they were honestly trying to figure out who to put in there,” said Hickman. “Troy Holmes talked to me. I played at Butler and taught tennis lessons in Indianapolis, so it kind of fit.”
The Lions are also a young team. Their lone senior is also their leader.
“Mark Bahr is our only senior,” said Hickman. “He’s going out on an incredibly high note. He’s had a great season for us. He’s been at number one pretty much since his sophomore year. He has excelled over the last month.”
The team itself has excelled over the past two seasons. Last year the Lions claimed their first sectional title in quite some time.
“It was a big hurdle to get over,” said Hickman. “I think Plymouth had won 16 titles in a row in our sectional and I think 24 in a row overall.
Mentally that can be a hard hurdle to get over is beating somebody with a certain name or color on their shirt.”
“Last year we got it done and the kids were thrilled,” he said. “It gave us some confidence I think.”
They will need every bit of that confidence on Saturday as they face a tennis “Goliath” in round one.
“We’ve got Carmel and that’s a real treat if you have it on your ice cream but not if you’re playing them in tennis,” said Hickman. “I believe they have won the last four state championships and seven out of the last 10. I believe they are undefeated and looking at their scores they’ve beaten both the #2 and #3 ranked teams both 5-0.”
“I told the kids that they have nothing to lose and go and have some fun,” said Hickman. “They are going to see one of the best teams in the state if not the country and try to shake them up a little bit. Give them something unexpected and get them a little nervous. Tennis is a game where if you don’t keep your head it