For the first time in Shelbyville boys tennis history, a pair of Golden Bears will compete in the IHSAA Doubles Tournament State Finals.

Shelbyville senior Karson Schaf and sophomore Aiden Smith are one of six doubles teams still competing for the state championship.

On Friday at Park Tudor High School, 7200 N. College Avenue in Indianapolis, Schaf and Smith, 17-4 this season, will have a quarterfinal match at 2 p.m. against Fort Wayne Carroll’s Connor Gibson and Jaxson Sparks (18-4). The winner will earn a semifinal berth Saturday at 10 a.m. against Homestead’s Alex Graber and Eric Ji (20-2).

In the other quarterfinal match Friday, Evansville North’s Nathan Mitchell and Jacob Hafele (9-2) will face Munster’s Ethan Walker and Joseph Foster (10-3) with the winner meeting Columbus North’s Amrit Kar and Anvay Atram (19-1) in Saturday’s semifinal round.

The doubles state championship match is 2 p.m. Saturday.

Schaf admitted he was not thinking about ending his Golden Bears’ tennis career at the state finals simply just because it had never been done before.

“I never really believed anyone from Shelbyville tennis would make it to (the state finals). It’s crazy,” said Schaf. “We just practiced hard, go to work every day and put the work in.”

To overcome their quarterfinal match, Schaf (photo, left) and Smith (photo, right) have to keep their emotions in check while still feeding off the energy that has made them successful all season.

“Our  energy is kind of crazy right now,” said Schaf. “If we don’t have energy we are not going to win.”

Schaf and Smith were a new doubles pairing for Shelbyville tennis this season. Schaf had a successful No. 2 doubles run in 2022 with Reece Prickett while Smith was teamed with then fellow freshman Caden Claxton at No. 1 doubles and finished well below .500.

“Aiden’s height and his screams are amazing,” said Schaf of Smith’s best traits on the tennis court.

While Smith is emotional, Schaf has the ability to produce key shots at crucial points in matches.

“Karson brings a lot of clutch shots at really good times and in big moments,” said Smith. “When his serve is on, I think we are almost unbeatable.”

With rain in the forecast for today and Friday, there is the potential to move Friday’s quarterfinal singles and doubles matches to an indoor facility. With that in mind, the Golden Bears have practiced both outdoors at Shelbyville High School’s newly-resurfaced tennis courts and indoors at the University of Indianapolis facility.

“We have to work together and have the mentality that we are going to go in there and win,” said Smith. “You can’t have a losing mentality going into that at all.”

Whatever the outcome, Schaf appreciates becoming part of Shelbyville tennis history.

“I wanted to be undefeated but we couldn’t quite make it there,” said Schaf of his goals this season. “Going to ‘state’ is pretty crazy, though. Making it to ‘state’ my senior year is pretty good.”

Get the most recent Shelby County Post headlines delivered to your email. Go to shelbycountypost.com and click on the free daily email signup link at the top of the page.