For years, Clinton has been a giant roadblock in Warren Central’s tennis season.

Warren Central usually fields competitive teams, easily makes the playoffs, and then runs into the Arrows at the end and winds up traveling to some far-flung destination for the first round.

This year is different.

The Vikings won four matches in straight sets, only dropping a total of 11 games in the process, to beat Clinton 4-3 on Wednesday and clinch the MHSAA Region 4-6A championship.

“We lose to Clinton every year. But not this year,” Warren Central coach Steve Summers said with a smile. “It’s unbelievable. This is what we strive for every year, and every year it’s a disappointment when we lose to them. This year we have experience, and that was the difference.”

The Vikings improved their record to 11-3 — already five victories better than last season — and earned more than a region championship trophy. They’ll host a first-round match in the Class 6A team playoffs that start on April 15. The opponent has not yet been determined, but will be the second-place team from Region 1-6A.

Warren Central will also host the Region 4-6A individual tournament on Tuesday at Halls Ferry Park, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The top two finishers in each bracket advance to the Class 6A individual state tournament April 29-May 1 in Oxford.

“We qualified for the playoffs. Now we get to host and show off these facilities and our talent. I can’t wait,” Summers said.

The Vikings got past Clinton on a day where there were few close matches.
Greyson Parman beat Clinton’s Zachary Gray 6-0, 6-1 in boys singles, while the No. 2 girls doubles team of Madison Embry and Audrey Jennings ripped Andi Price and Jillian Campbell 6-1, 6-0.

Summers said Parman and Embry have been strong all year and came through in a key spot.

“Greyson Parman has been a set it and forget it court all year. Every match we play, I feel like I’m up 1-0 already. He’s been the MVP for the boys all year,” Summers said. “And Madison Embry is undefeated on the girls court in that No. 2 doubles spot.”

The Vikings’ other points came in No. 2 boys doubles, where Ian Gordon and John Jabour beat Lathan Burchfield and Ernest Tate 6-4, 6-1; and mixed doubles, where Brayden Robinson and Elaina Bailey topped J.D. Camillo and Madeline Manuel 6-1, 6-3.

The only one of the seven matches to go the full three sets was No. 1 girls doubles. Clinton’s Jade Bland and Kameryn Trejo defeated Warren Central’s Jane Hopson and Laney Smith 6-2, 4-6, 10-4.

In Clinton’s other two wins, Morgan Ross (girls singles) and the No. 1 boys doubles team of Kevin Zhang and Jordan Paul only lost a total of one game.

Summers, though, said the depth of his roster carried the day.

“Every team match, you only have to find a way to win four matches. There are some holes in our team, but we can win four,” he said.