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The top-ranked Carmel girls team regained its place on the top of the Indiana tennis mountain on Saturday with arguably one of its best teams ever.

The Greyhounds (19-0) swept the state championship match with a 5-0 victory over fourth-ranked Providence (21-1), which was making the school's first appearance in the state finals in 40 years and its first stop in the final match.

After falling to Indianapolis Cathedral in last year's state quarterfinals, the Greyhounds turned away the second-ranked defending state champions for the second time this season with a 4-1 victory in Saturday morning's semifinal round. Carmel had taken their April 25 meeting, 3-2. After capturing both doubles matches, the big win came in the No. 1 singles showdown which saw Lauren Lemonds defeat last year's singles state champion Maeve Koscielski, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) and eliminate her from defending her crown in the individual tournament. Lemonds, along with doubles teammates Grace Marchese and Julia Miller, will be the top seeds in next week's individual state finals.

It was the school's fourth girls crown in five seasons and ninth overall. For Carmel coach Spencer Fields, who doubles as the school's boys coach, it was his first championship guiding a girls team to the top after winning three previously with boys teams including Carmel's boys earlier this year and two North Central (Indianapolis) boys teams in past years.

Providence, which defeated Center Grove 3-2 on Friday and South Bend St. Joseph by the same score on Saturday morning, was coached by Scott Gurgol.

Center Grove's Maddie Weeks Earns Mental Attitude Award
Center Grove High School's Maddie Weeks, the team's No. 3 singles player, was recognized following the championship match, as this year's winner of the Mental Attitude Award sponsored by Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance.

Weeks maintained a 4.09 GPA, ranked in the top 10 percent of her graduating class and earned four varsity letters in tennis. She was Honorable Mention All-State pick last year and All-County the last three seasons on the courts. Among several student activities, she was involved in the Ping Pong Club, the Photography Club and Editor for the school's publication class and earned second place in Sports Writing at the National Youth Journalism Convention. She also was selected as one of Center Grove's representatives for the 75th Anniversary Hoosier Girls State in 2016.

She is the daughter of Tim and Kim Weeks of Greenwood and plans to attend Indiana University where she is a direct admit to its Media School.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, will present $1,000 to the general scholarship fund to Center Grove High School in the name of Maddie.