Boguslawski wins Lake Park crown
Score one for the sport of tennis versus Mother Nature ... almost.
During a spring season filled with dreadful weather that has created havoc all over weekend tournaments, officials at the annual Lake Park-Dan Hildebrandt boys tennis invitational nearly snuck one past the weather poobahs.
After seven hours of wind, rain delays and cold, Rolling Meadows was named unofficial team champion over MSL rival Schaumburg (14-13) on the strength of its doubles team, which were poised to meet in the finals until a hard rain finally end things late Saturday afternoon.
Glenbard North and singles champ Matt Boguslawski were third, while the host Lancers helped round out the top four.
The Mustangs' top doubles team of Mark Sansait and Joe Kim shared tournament honors along with teammates Tom Miller and Jeff Martini after going up 3-2 in the second set against Lake Park's Craig Cichowicz and Kenta Gato following the third of four rain delays.
The duo had already won the first set 6-2.
Miller and Martini advanced to the final by virtue of a victory over Glenbard North's Jeff Nadela and Jeff Scarpelli.
"I am really enjoying playing doubles this season," said UW-Whitewater bound Sansait, who has been the club's top singles player the past three seasons and will stay in that role for the final time in his career this weekend at the Mid-Suburban League tournament.
"Joe (Kim) and I has some success last weekend at the (Pitchford) 32, and with each game we play our chemistry has improved as has our play."
While the Mustangs flexed their collective muscles at doubles, runner-up Schaumburg did the same in the singles flights.
Freshman Izzi Balase advanced to the final opposite the senior Boguslawski, who was declared champion after taking the first set.
"I have not found there to be too many adjustments that I have had to make as a freshman and at the No. 1 singles position," said Balase, who drew raves from coaches and players alike, including his finals opponent who has competed against Balase at the Hanover Park Tennis Club.
"Izzi is a great athlete and someone who can get to balls that others are not able to," said Boguslawski, who improved to 19-0 this spring.
"I had to step up my play, keep the ball in play and do a good job of getting my second serve in because my first-serve percentage was down a little today."
Balase (20-5) shared the wealth at singles for the Saxons and with teammate Ryan Borst, who, after falling to Boguslawski in the quarterfinals, came back to defeat Scott McLaughlin of Rolling Meadows 6-3, 6-3 in the third-place match.
"I worked a lot during the off-season to improve my all-around game, including my serve," said Borst, who should expect a top-four seed at No. 2 singles in the MSL meet after raising his record to 19-7.
Streamwood coach Miriam Abe liked what she saw from the Sabres' No. 1 player, Yuto Tsukido, who worked his way back to the fifth-place match before the rains came.
"Yuto has been playing very well on the weekends and should earn the No. 4 seed in our conference tournament next weekend," Abe said.
Wheeling coach Paul Dzien praised his young club for its effort not only on this day, but all season leading up to this tournament -- and in particular his No. 1 doubles team of Randy Glover and Colin Ladd.
The Wildcats' duo won its first-round match in straight sets before dropping its second match to the top seed and eventual co-champion Sanseit-Kim.
"Randy and Colin played well all day, and had chances to do even better along the way," Dzien said. "But they, like the rest of the guys, need to build some confidence and win some close matches to help get them to another level. With that said, they are a great bunch to be around and coach."