D-C's Williamson falls into consolation bracket
Mike Williamson's mission to remain alive for another day in the championship round of the IHSA state boys tennis tournament fell short Thursday afternoon.
After a pair of victories, the Dundee-Crown star dropped a straight-sets match to Stevenson senior Chris Speer in the third round.
The brilliant four-time state qualifier was oh-so-close to grabbing a first-set victory over the Patriots' 9-16 seed -- but after a 7-5 defeat, Williamson rarely threatened in the second set.
With the loss, Williamson (30-1) fell into the backdraw, where he will play today at 8 a.m. at Buffalo Grove.
"I was in position to win that first set, when it was 5-3 (and) I was up 40-5," said Williamson, the reigning Fox Valley Conference champion. "But I wasn't able to close things out, and you could feel the momentum switch in that second set, and (Speer) proved to be a ball (hitting) machine who was just too much for me to handle."
After Speer (23-2) drew even at 5-5, he held serve to win a love game and go up 6-5 before using a highlight-reel backhand to close out the set.
Speer went up for good in the second set when a long third game went in his favor. Later, in the decisive game for the match, Williamson was unable to convert a trio of deuce opportunities to break through.
"I felt good and still had a lot of energy (left) in me, but (he) was able to get to just about everything and was a very tough opponent," Williamson said.
"(Williamson) was a really strong player, and it wasn't until my coach told me to try to start moving him side to side did the match begin to swing my way," said Speer, who will meet 3-4 seed Michael Moore of Glenbrook South today in a 9 a.m. round-of-32 match at Hersey in Arlington Heights.
Williamson, who entered as a 17-32 seed, cruised through his first two matches of the day, defeating Matt McGowan of Plainfield Central 6-2, 6-0 and beating Downers Grove South sophomore Kyle Freischlag 6-1, 6-2.
"It's too bad Mike wasn't able to close out that first set," said Chargers coach Harlan Miller. "(Speer) seemed to take control in that second set, and when Mike struggled early, you could sense that (Speer) was ready to take advantage. Mike just needs to refocus and go out tomorrow and have a great run in the backdraw."
Last season, Williamson went 3-2, and is 7-6 overall at the tournament.
Williamson's teammate, Andy Schuessler, here for the second consecutive year, lost his opening match to 9-16 seed Krishna Ravella (Hinsdale Central).
Streamwood junior Yuto Tsukida enjoyed a first-round victory in three sets over Nick Drez of Lemont before being dispatched into the backdraw by 17-32 seed Robert Foley of New Trier.
Sophomore David Kaufman of Elgin and Bartlett senior Kevin Veatch did not survive their first-round tests.
In doubles, Larkin's Scott Shriver-Tyler Compere both lost to 17-32 seeds, while the same fate befell the Elgin duo of Eric Meuangkhot-Kevin Baccam.
Cary-Grove's Jake Szybowicz and Chris Federighi, the Trojans' Nos. 1 and 2 singles stars all season long, were victorious in round one in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 before a 6-3, 6-1 loss to 17-32 seed Warren ended their day in the championship round.
Today's action will feature backdraw play at four sites. The singles championship round continues at Hersey at 9 a.m., while the doubles survivors play on at Prospect.
The semifinals are Saturday morning at Hersey.