Indiana Preps | On The Line — IHSAA Boys Tennis Postseason

New Palestine has already made program history.

Now the Dragons get the best team in the state.

New Palestine swept New Castle 5-0 Tuesday in the Mt. Vernon regional semifinal, improving to 18-1 and extending its winning streak to 16 matches. The 18 wins set a school record for victories in a season.

The reward is Hamilton Southeastern.

No. 23 New Palestine faces No. 1 HSE at 5 p.m. Wednesday for the regional championship at Mt. Vernon. That is about as clean a measuring stick as October can provide.

The Dragons have spent the last six weeks stacking wins and building one of the best seasons in school history. They beat Mt. Vernon 4-1 in the sectional semifinal, then survived Greenfield-Central 3-2 for the program’s 20th sectional championship and second in three years.

Tuesday was less complicated.

Carson Rush won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. Tyler Walter did not drop a game at No. 2. Brock Hehmann recovered from losing the first set to win in three at No. 3. Jackson Clark and Davis Harrison won at No. 1 doubles, and Brady Groce and Jack Hehmann completed a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 2.

Five courts. Five wins. Move on.

The bigger part of the story is what comes next.

Hamilton Southeastern brings the ranking, the depth and the recent postseason history. HSE won a regional championship last season and advanced through Center Grove in the semi-state round before reaching the state finals.

New Palestine does not need to manufacture stakes. They are already there.

The Dragons have won 16 straight. They have a school-record 18 victories. They have already survived the pressure of a 3-2 sectional championship. Now they get a direct look at where they stand against No. 1.

That is what makes Wednesday different from everything before it.

This is no longer about whether New Palestine’s season belongs among the best in program history. That part is settled. The question now is whether the Dragons can extend it against the standard at the top of the state.

New Palestine has already changed its record book.

Wednesday gives it a chance to change the bracket too.