Cooksey, Shambaugh pull out No. 1 doubles in 3 sets
BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Rochester senior Tanner Reinartz might only play tennis during tennis season, and he might have had an equipment issue against Tippecanoe Valley Tuesday, but he made the case that he might be the best player in the area anyway.
Reinartz won his season opening match against Tristyn Ragon 6-0, 6-2 and helped lead the Zebras to a 4-1 win over the Vikings.
Reinartz led a Rochester singles sweep. Brady Morgan won 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 in a marathon at No. 2 over William Mellott, and Jack Reffett beat Noah Mellott 6-3, 7-5 at No. 3.
Both Morgan and Reffett are former doubles players playing singles for the first time.
Rochester’s other point came at No. 2 doubles, where Carter Merideth and Ashton Musselman knocked off Liam Newcomer and Hayden Stookey 7-5, 6-3.
Valley’s point came at No. 1 doubles, where Ian Cooksey and Thad Shambaugh beat Wade Bowers and Harrison Dunwoody 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
“Well, they’re older… and they were just using their experience,” Valley second-year coach Thadd Mellott said.
Reinartz was also first-team all-Three Rivers Conference in both basketball and baseball last year as a junior. He was also the RTC Baseball Player of the Year.
Still, his powerful serve-and-volley style is formidable in tennis too, according to Rochester coach Mason Heyde.
“Tanner’s an athlete,” Heyde said. “He doesn’t touch a racket until tennis season, but once it’s tennis season, he picks it back up real fast. The thing today was, he was trying to break his strings last night because they were about broken, and he wanted to me to restring it, and he ended up breaking his strings warming up today when we first got here. He has no backup racket, so he was pulling a few other kids’ (rackets) and broke a few more. They were already broken, and he was trying to play with some broken rackets. … Each racket is different, the weight, all of that. But he played well. He’s a strong player. He’s got real strong groundstrokes, a good serve. So I’m not surprised that he comes out strong. I expect it out of him, and he expects it out of himself.”
Morgan’s match with William Mellott often featured an exchange of lobs with both players careful to stay in the center of the court.
Reffett and Musselman have essentially switched spots in the lineup.
Heyde said he waited until Monday before picking a lineup.
“Really I ended up with my lineup last night after practice,” Heyde said. “I’ve been talking to guys. Who wants to play singles? Who’s indifferent? All that stuff and just moving people around based on that. But I liked the lineup tonight. I think Ashton is working through his groundstrokes. I think by next year he’ll want to play singles, and doubles gives him the chance not to solely rely on that, so it gives him a little break and just gives him a little more confidence.”
While this was a home match for Rochester, the courts are also temporary digs for Valley. Valley’s courts are currently being renovated, and they will not play a home match until Sept. 9. All previously scheduled home matches prior to Sept. 9 will now be played on the road.
They will practice at Rochester until the renovation is complete.
“So I will say that I’m happy that the tennis courts are being redone because they desperately needed it,” coach Mellott said. “The timing is maybe not the best. We have to drive to Rochester every day to use their courts after they get done, which I do really appreciate them allowing us to do. But it’s hard to get in a rhythm. It’s just hard.”
Rochester drops LaVille from schedule, adds Twin Lakes
The LaVille-Rochester boys tennis dual scheduled for Tuesday has been canceled as LaVille does not have a team. The scheduled match between the teams for Aug. 26, 2025, has also been canceled.
Rochester has added a match with Twin Lakes to the schedule. Start time is 5 p.m. Monday at Rochester.
Results: Rochester 4, Tippecanoe Valley 1
Singles
Tanner Reinartz (RHS) def. Tristyn Ragon (TV), 6-0, 6-2
Brady Morgan (RHS) def. Will Mellott (TV), 4-6, 6-0, 7-5
Jack Reffett (RHS) def. Noah Mellott (TV), 6-3, 7-5
Doubles
Ian Cooksey-Thad Shambaugh (TV) def. Wade Bowers-Harrison Dunwoody (RHS), 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
Carter Merideth-Ashton Musselman (RHS) def. Liam Newcomer-Hayden Stookey (TV), 7-5, 6-3
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