Boys tennis: Glenbard North sweeps Fenton
Glenbard North freshman Sean Boland waited a long time for his first high school boys tennis match - and a few extra days thanks to bad weather.
The end result from Monday's season opener against Fenton was enthusiasm, a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 1 singles and no first-time jitters.
"Not really because I've done (United States Tennis Association play) so I've played a lot of matches before," Boland said. "I've really been looking forward to it ever since middle school. It's a blast right now, starting off with a win."
Boland had plenty of company as the Panthers defeated the Bison 7-0 in Carol Stream with six victories in straight sets.
Other winners were junior Nathan Powers and seniors Ohm Shukla and Kyle Stankoskey at Nos. 2-3-4 singles and the doubles teams of seniors Seth Baligod and Karan Mehtra, juniors J.J. Dhingra and Vraj Patel and junior Sahil Patel and sophomore Ishan Rai, who won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3.
The Bison (0-3) competed without their regular No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles players. In first sets they won one, lost a tiebreaker and claimed at least three games in two others.
The Panthers did as well or better in every match's second set.
"Part of it is adjustments, part of it is just (the season opener)," Glenbard North coach Doug Clark said. "It's kind of hard to tell, even though you've practiced for a month, how well they're going to play. They get into a match situation and they tend to get really nervous."
Boland has taken to tennis ever since starting lessons when he was 4. Older sister Casey, a 2015 graduate, was a standout player for the girls team. Sophomore sister Kelly is on the girls team.
"He's a seasoned player for a freshman. I've known of Sean since probably fourth grade," Clark said.
The Panthers' last strong incoming freshman was three-time state qualifier and 2013 graduate Matt Krzyzaniak. Because of a stronger lineup, he was able to play No. 3 singles as a freshman.
Boland doesn't get that luxury when the Panthers begin rugged DuPage Valley Conference play today at league newcomer Waubonsie Valley. Last week's scheduled DVC opener with Naperville Central was canceled twice.
"He's going to be playing some of the best kids in the state. (And) he knows a lot of those kids," Clark said.
"It'll be great experience for me," Boland said. "(My goal is) just to win as many matches as I can and try to make it to state maybe."
Last season Shukla came one sectional doubles victory from qualifying for state with Mahmood Khan. Shukla also is a co-captain with Stankoskey, who rallied to win 0-6, 6-4, 12-10 over junior Mirko Janjanin.
With the graduation of Khan, his partner the past two season, Shukla has moved to No. 3 singles, where he won 6-2, 6-0.
"I figured since it would be difficult to forge that kind of chemistry with another person, singles would be the place for me," Shukla said. "Freshman year I played singles. Breaking back into singles was kind of like trying to get onto an old horse. It was hard at first, but I'm enjoying it."
Tennis is a whole new experience for Fenton freshman Jeff Andrews at No. 2 singles. Junior brother Joe Andrews is at No. 1 singles and a three-year team member.
In 2015 Jeff came to Glenbard North to watch Joe play tennis but was a baseball player until last spring.
"This is my first year of playing tennis. I've just kind of hit it around with my brother before, but I'm liking it," Jeff Andrews said. "It's not as stressful as most other sports so I like that."
The brothers were teammates near the end of the varsity basketball season after Jeff was promoted. Fenton coach Adam Peterson said he wants Jeff to acclimate to the sport this season but may have him play doubles with Joe in 2017.
In the meantime Joe lets Jeff improve on his own.
"He's stubborn, but I think one thing is we play two different styles of tennis so I kind of let him do his thing. Don't step on his feet too much and we get along," Joe said.