Boys tennis: Scouting Northwest
Two years ago, Mack Galvin broke a long drought of sorts when he became the first singles player from the Mid-Suburban League to finish in the top four at the state tournament since 2001, when Tom Hanus of Palatine won himself a state title.
The Rolling Meadows star, who is now playing at the Air Force Academy, was a great ambassador for the sport and would always champion younger players in the league.
A couple of those younger players from Galvin's final year are now positioned to follow his winning example.
Both Dylan Er (Barrington) and Vera Iyer (Conant) earned Glavin's praise as they qualified into their first state tournament. And both are now among the best in the MSL as three-year standouts and leaders.
Galvin, a four-time state qualifier and fourth-place state medal winner, would be thrilled with what has developed in MSL boys tennis, with plenty of talented proven players as well as new arrivals ready to mark their mark.
"It's kind of the dawning of a new era in the conference," said Barrington coach John Roncone, who last season celebrated freshman Bradley Yu advancing to state, with another, Ammar Wazir, arriving to join a young Broncos starting lineup which will be in pursuit of a sixth consecutive MSL crown.
For the first time in several seasons, the divisonal races for the top spots are expected be fierce.
Here's a look at how the league shapes up, beginning with the MSL West, where Barrington has the core of its starting lineup back for another season.
The Broncos will play another first-rate tournament schedule in an attempt to ready themselves for the postseason grind. And with Yu, junior Dylan Er and MSL doubles champions Matt D'Amore, Aryan Sharma, Kyle Shuff, Joe Wolff and Suven Sinha all returning, it appears closest challengers Conant and Fremd will at least begin the year chasing the defending champs.
"We're obviously excited for the season to begin," Roncone said. "With Bradley developing into a very solid No. 1 after his terrific freshman season, plus Dylan, Aryan and our new player (Wazir) all capable of playing No. 1 as well, plus the improvement of others, we feel as though we can be right there for our sixth straight MSL title and a strong run at sectionals, both as a team and individually."
Of course, coach Dave Koleno's team at Conant might have something to say about that before it's over.
The Cougars won their third sectional title in a row a year ago and also bring back the bulk of their starting lineup.
That includes three-time state qualifier Nico Rosas and his doubles partner from last season, Kaahan Motwani. Also back in action are the Cougars' Nos. 1 and 2 singles players, Vera Iyer and Andrew Milas. Each of them advanced to state last year and helped Conant take second overall at the MSL tournament.
"The guys put a lot of serious work in during the off-season, and while Barrington is the team to beat right now, we feel we'll be in the mix with them and Fremd, win some weekend tournaments, and continue our sectional success before sending as many of our players to the state tourney," Koleno said.
Conant will be among the 32 teams in the field of the prestigious Pitchford 32.
Fremd was fourth overall at the league tourney, earning a pair of top-two finishes but featuring just one returning player at that level, Advay Mahajan.
However, the Vikings have a trio of USTA-rated players, giving coach Matt Duncan's super young roster a boost of energy and talent to strengthen the team from top to bottom.
"We have three top players back who gained plenty of experience at the varsity level, to go along with our three 'new' freshmen to make our top six positions as strong as they've been in a few years," says Duncan, who lost a valued four-year star at doubles in Justin Piotrowski, who is now playing at Illinios Wesleyan.
If all goes according to plan, it looks like Hersey and Prospect will battle it out for supremacy in the MSL East. But don't count out an ever-improving Rolling Meadows team, according to both Prospect coach Brad Rathe and Hersey coach Andy Walton.
"Our first goal is to repeat as division champs, then make a push for the overall MSL title later on," said Rathe. "But once again, Andy's guys will be right there with us, and I know that Gary (Brodnan, Rolling Meadows' head coach) has a young lineup filled with some very good freshmen this year."
The Prospect coach is excited about a rookie, John Gut. Back in place is sophomore Mikey Gavrincea, who won 13 times as a freshman.
The Knights have a total of nine player back, all with experience. The group includes 20-game winners Peter Velic (No. 1 doubles) and Noah Helstrom and Cam Gates, who were the club's No. 2 tandem.
Add MSL doubles champs at No. 4 Phil Kotis and Alex Weseman, and Rathe hopes to have enough to stave off a Hersey team which may have one of the top freshmen in the area joining this year's effort.
"It's been a lot of fun the past few seasons being in a fight to the finish with Brad's guys, including an epic dual with them last year to decide the division," said Walton. "Rolling Meadows might surprise everyone, and Rathe is the reigning top dog, but I feel as if we'll have a solid unit despite losing three really key and first-class guys from last year's team."
MSL coaches are eager to see the Huskies' new man in freshmen Max Sheldon, who is ranked top-30 in the USTA Midwest polls.
"Both Max and Kevin Mi give us a real nice one-two punch at singles," said Walton, while our top doubles teams of Jace Coffaro-Dom Antony and Dan Gankov-Sam Bay provide our lineup the extra firepower needed to compete in the MSL."
Sam Bay and Tommy Lumsden, conference runners-up at No. 4 doubles, add depth, along with senior Chris Jones.
"The MSL singles players by themselves will provide a presence across the area during weekend tournament play, as well as the postseason, in part to the quality players back for another season, as well as the terrific incoming freshmen on so many of our conference rosters," says Palatine coach Jim Lange.
The Pirates have one of those in their own lineup - Jackson Spurck, expected to contribute immediately in singles for Lange at Palatine.
Central Suburban NorthThe always upbeat and enthusiastic Derrick Swistak has even more reason to be feeling great about the Maine West program he'll be leading this spring.
That's because the long-time head coach welcomed a pair of talented freshmen to his team to go along with a quality veteran bunch. The upshot is that the Warriors have what appears to be a great mix.
"This might be the most talent I've had here in my 12 years," says Swistak. "On paper, there's depth, and some very good players with polish and a high work ethic. So there's reason to be optimistic about the upcoming year."
The Warriors' 6-12 overall record from a year ago is misleading in that the CSL is a power-packed tennis conference, meaning Swistak's team had to deal with five of the top 10 teams in the state on a weekly basis. And that doesn't even include Deerfield, which had a down year but would still rank among the top teams in northern Illinois.
"We did very well outside of our conference, winning the Willowbrook Invite and doing very well in our other weekend quads and tournaments," said Swistak.
A half-dozen seniors return, all of them either three- or four-year veterans.
Jason Elengical and Bretty Patterson were the Warriors' No. 1 doubles team last season until a broken arm suffered by Elengical before the CSL tourney spoiled their partnership.
Elengical will play some first and second singles, while Patterson, the Student Council President, is penciled in at No. 1 doubles.
Willie Le, who just missed advancing to state a year ago, is back. And so is Daivek Patel, the Warriors' big hitter.
Three-year players Cole Kelly (the Warriors' scholar-athlete) and Julio Diez give the club even more depth in its lineup. And Swistak is excited about the rookie duo of Kamil Kozerski and Declan Sinese.
"Kamil is a kid who just enjoy the game and being a part of a tennis team, so he brings that with him, as well as tons of USTA experience," Swistak said. "Declan is just a terrific athlete who can also play the game."
Kozerski will be the Warriors' No. 1, with Sinese checking in at both singles and doubles as Swistak and his valued assistant and good friend John Hauenstein sort things out.
East Suburban Catholic
When the IHSA went to a two-class system last spring for the first time in its tennis history, it opened the door for many teams frequently on the cusp of a top 10-15 finish behind the superpowers in the sport.
Benet, which has dominated the league since 1991 with 23 ESCC championships, took full advantage of the new format, staying in the Class A state race until the very end before finishing third overall behind Dunlap and Chicago Latin.
That change also benefited St. Viator, which finished second behind Benet at the ESCC tournament. The Lions send three entrants to the state tournament, including sophomore Jack Aiello, who qualified at doubles with Nick Gattuso (who has since graduated).
"We really have a deep team this year after the strong showing from our JV last year, which sent a number of those players up to the varsity this season," said St. Viator coach Amy Ritchie.
Ritchie will sometimes pair Aiello with Matt Firestone, a senior Ritchie says is one to watch after a strong off-season of work. Another senior, Andrew Kicinski appears to be in line as one of the Lions at No. 2 doubles players after placing second in conference at third doubles last year.
Ritchie thinks the doubles teams are the strength of the club this year, but junior Matthew McManaman will challenge his opponents as a lefty, and one who deploys a quality short game and attacking style in singles.
"Benet and Notre Dame will be tough, and Carmel is always another to keep an eye on, but our overall depth makes us a real contender as well," says Ritchie, who continues to ramp up the Lions' nonconference schedule.
Game, set . . .
Naperville Central held off an all-star cast last May to win its first team state title in storybook fashion, as the Redhawks closed out both New Trier and Hinsdale Central in the final two matches of the tournament.
Coach Dan Brown's team stopped a 10-year run in which either Hinsdale Centralor New Trier emerged on top (the Red Devils seven times, and the Trevians thrice).
This year the Redhawks will be considered a favorite to repeat - but not without a major fight from both New Trier and Hinsdale Central, with Glenbrook South and Stevenson likely having something to say about how the final standings shake out.
Hinsdale Central has two high-profile freshmen (Danny Schmelka and Ansh Shah) on its roster. The Red Devils recently finished second at the celebrated Deco Turf Invite in Chattanooga, with the Redhawks, led by 2017 third-place medalist Ryan Roegner, ending up a respectable fifth overall.
Five of the Redhawks' top six from a year ago are back, with Naveen Ramakrishnan joining an impressive freshman class ready to make its mark right from the start.
Max Bengstenn of New Trier is another member of that rookie class, and he along with most of the Trevians' starting lineup is back.
The list of elite singles players is far reaching this spring, with no less than 10 of the top 16 seeds from a year ago electing to return, including runner-up Danilo Kovacevic (Maine South), fifth-place medalist Jack Randall (Lockport), plus the dynamic duo from Stevenson, Sam Komis and Zach Kim, who combined for nearly 60 wins.
Prairie Ridge, led by coach Jim Benson, should be in the thick of things in the CLass 1A state title chase, against the likes of Hinsdale Central, Latin Academy, Metamora and third-place finisher Benet Academy.
The Wolves are led by the terrific doubles team of Patrick Nasta-Daniel Lamar. They were a dazzling 31-3 last season, with all three losses coming for the FVC champs at the hands of 2A teams Neuqua Valley, Barrington and Stevenson.