NorthWood’s varsity tennis team poses with a scoreboard signifying it’s 35-0 mark in the NLC this season after sweeping all seven matches of the round robin, the latest a 5-0 win Monday against Wawasee. (Photos by Mike Deak)

NAPPANEE – When NorthWood began its preseason training, setting a goal of winning the Northern Lakes Conference title was openly spoken. Little did the team realize, winning the conference could be so perfect.

NorthWood wrapped up a perfect 7-0 run through the NLC with a 5-0 win over Wawasee Monday afternoon. It wasn’t just a shutout, no no. It was the seventh shutout the varsity seven from Wanee pitched this fall. That’s right, 35-0 against the conference. League dignitaries over the weekend could not verify if it has ever been done in NLC boys tennis. NorthWood was ecstatic to stake their claim as possibly the first.

Either way, the feeling was pretty sweet Monday on its home court.

NorthWood’s Bryce Harner fires a shot at Wawasee in the No. 2 doubles match.

“Thirty five and oh, pretty crazy,” said NorthWood senior Jack Wysong. “Coming into our senior year Wes (Troyer), Landon (Holland) and I all played varsity, but we were always the younger team in the conference. But that experience came into play this year. We said to ourselves, we know we can play really well. We can’t take any nights for granted. That’s how you win championships.

“After we beat Culver Academy 3-2, to us, that’s unheard of,” continued Wysong of the Aug. 31 win. “But that really got us going. Then we beat Concord, and we really felt like we had something going.”

And with the pressure on to close the deal, NorthWood performed like seasoned veterans against an overmatched Wawasee squad. Starting the matches just after 4:45 p.m., all five courts were over by 5:47 p.m., the last being Wysong and Holland’s 6-1, 6-3 clincher over Grant Brooks and Blaine Baut. That court finished just over a minute after Bryce Harner and Treyton Martin closed out Colin Rhoades and Zeke Keim love and one.

The singles courts were over nearly as soon as they started. Ben Vincent closed out the No. 2 court in just over a half hour in disposing of Holden Babb via shutout, as did Chase Horner over Jack Gibbons at No. 3. Troyer gave up a point in the second set, but otherwise was flawless in a love and one win over Zach Leedy at No. 1.

“It’s really nice to get the win at 5-0, but even with all of this, this is just half of a goal in winning the NLC,” said NorthWood head coach Tif Schwartz. “Now we have to refocus and worry about three days of tournament play this week. We have to show what we can do in the tournament. We are halfway there, but we have a lot of work ahead.”

Wawasee’s Colin Rhoades takes aim at a return volley in the No. 2 doubles match.

The win for NorthWood not only locked up the team’s first-ever NLC regular season championship, but also ensured each of the five courts enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed in their respective brackets. Schwartz, who has coached at NorthWood for close to two decades, can’t remember a time any team has claimed that honor entering the conference tournament.

“We just kept saying that it’s tough to come in each night playing these conference schools that have so much history, and to shut all of them out really says something about the drive of our kids,” Schwartz said. “We did have some three setters and there was some work to do, but to be able to close everything out is pretty awesome.”

Wawasee head coach Vince Rhodes knew his team was up against it Monday with the white hot Panthers. With the NLC tournament starting up Wednesday in a return to the NorthWood courts, staying consistent is still the primary plan.

“I think our guys were focused a little better than they have been, but you have to credit NorthWood for coming out and just taking it to us,” Rhodes said, whose team finishes NLC play 1-6. “I think the conference is down not counting the best NorthWood team I’ve ever seen. There are opportunities out there for our guys to slide in and take a few courts. It’s not like year’s past where every bracket is loaded with superstars. We have a legitimate shot at winning some matches if we play consistent tennis.”

The Northern Lakes Conference Boys Tennis Championships begin Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at the NorthWood courts with bracket play. Play resumes Thursday at NorthWood with the continuation of bracket rundowns. Saturday play will shift to Concord for the championship and consolation finals. NorthWood is seeking its first-ever tournament championship to go with its first round robin title. Northridge finished second in the standings at 6-1, with Concord, Goshen and Plymouth all 4-3 in a tie for third.

NorthWood had a big crowd in support of its quest for history Monday, which included this sign created in anticipation of the moment.