Boys tennis: St. Charles North edges Metea for sectional crown
St. Charles North coach Sean Masoncup knew by the end of Friday which of his players qualified for next weekend's state tournament - those who advanced to the semifinals - but he had to wait until late in Saturday's championships matches to see if his North Stars would win their first Class 2A sectional in five years.
North's No 1. doubles team of Reed Goldsworthy and Josh Joseph and No. 1 singles player Conor Bajuk played for third place while Alex Geivelis and Brett Walden, the No. 2 doubles duo, battled for the doubles championship.
The North Stars took both third place trophies to win their own sectional with 25 points, just a point ahead of Metea Valley.
"I knew we had won when I looked at the Goldsworthy and Joseph match and they were up 5-2 in the second set and then I looked over at Conor and he was up 4-1," Masoncup said. "To win a team title with some of the teams we have in this sectional, it is amazing. It's been a long time since we have won a sectional title and I can't be more proud of this group."
In addition, the North Stars will send the most players it ever has to state - both doubles teams and Bajuk.
Goldworthy and Joseph, who beat the St. Charles East duo of Colin Johnson and Zach Moss, 6-4, 6-2, will be making a return trip to state. So will Bajuk, who topped Metea Valley's Aleksander Schroeder, 6-4, 6-2.
"Both matches today were definitely challenging," Bajuk said. "They were both very different play styles so I had to adjust myself. I really had to stay on point and keep my serves in."
Johnson and Moss will represent East at the state tournament for the second year in a row. The Saints (10 points) tied with Yorkville for fourth.
"At the start of the season we are always looking forward to getting to the sectional tournament and qualifying so we are really proud of them for accomplishing that," East coach Rob Livermore said. "Doing so two years in a row is tough. This year in particular because there are a lot of good teams - a pair of No. 2 teams battled for the title."
For a second year in a row, the singles championship was an all Batavia affair pitting No 1. singles Brogan Pierce against No. 2 singles Chase Bremner. Pierce won the match in two sets, 6-3, 6-3. It will be Bremner's third trip to state and the second for Pierce. The Bulldogs took third in the sectional with 20 points.
"Last year I won in three sets," Pierce said. "The advantage is I know exactly how he plays, but he is also my teammate."
"It is amazing that we both made it to the finals," said Bremner. 'We are peaking at the right time."
"It was good to see both guys end up back in the finals," Batavia coach Brad Nelson said. "I'm certainly hoping that Brogan gets a seed. He has won, I think, 30 matches in a row. That was Chase's first singles loss of the year. He is 33-1. We are hoping to get those guys seeded in the top 16."
The doubles championship was halted by lightening during the third set and was moved to the Norris Center. The Metea Valley No. 2 sophomore duo of Shankar Janbunathan and Tanay Vutukuru beat Geivilous and Walden, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1.
"Mental toughness won it," said Metea Valley coach Cole Clousing said. "Finally getting over the hump - winning the first set then losing the second set and then winning the third."
Janbunathan and Vutukuru along with Schroeder will also play next weekend.