Tough state foes lead to many early exits
The IHSA did the local male tennis entrants few favors on the opening day of the state finals.
The three-day boys state tournament commenced on Thursday at 14 different sites throughout the northwest suburbs, and St. Francis' Kyle Dawson is the only player still standing.
Provided the St. Charles resident is able to continue play with a bum hip.
Dawson won his opening matches in comfortable fashion at Harper College, and a Sweet 16 berth was on the line against Chicago Latin senior Mac McAnulty.
But the Spartans' sophomore aggravated an injury, first incurred at the Naperville North sectional singles final last Saturday, and fell to the 5-8-seeded McAnulty 4-6, 3-6.
"I wasn't 100 percent since last Saturday," Dawson said. "But it felt good enough to play on it. It was on running shots that I had to reach a little bit or lunge for the ball. Mac is big and strong, and he has a big serve and forehand. Certain shots didn't hurt at all, and some did."
St. Francis coach Marcia Bussey said Dawson would need medical clearance to perform in the consolation draw this morning.
There were two other area singles qualifiers and a trio of doubles teams whose seasons came to a close.
Marmion senior Tom Weiler was also assigned to Harper, and he prevailed 6-3, 6-4 in his opening-round match against Alton Marquette senior Max Vest.
"I wasn't really nervous," Weiler said. "I'm happy being here and I just wanted to leave everything on the court."
Making his debut at state, Weiler met the same fate as a number of his fellow area competitors: an unenviable draw.
The Weiler opening victory set the stage for a second-round match with Warren junior Denis Bagatov, the No. 2 overall seed who only dropped three games in advancing to the final 16.
"I was just playing very well," Bagatov said. "I was controlling the ball, and my whole game was on."
Weiler then dropped out of the double-elimination tournament with a consolation loss against Lyons Township freshman Danny Schuster.
Geneva doubles teammates Pat Coveny and Wes Kappel also had the misfortune of meeting staunch Highland Park counterparts Josh Berman and Tyler Manci in opening action at Schaumburg.
The Vikings' pair dropped a quick match to the second-seeded partners, only to come back with consecutive wins in the back draw.
"We were pretty confident after the first couple of games," Coveny said of their marathon three-set win over Champaign Centennial in the third-round consolation bracket. "It was really about perseverance."
Coveny and Kappel had their doubles campaign end abruptly with a one-sided loss to Barrington.
St. Charles North partners David Johnson and Christian Hoskey exited after two matches, as did St. Charles East teammates Sam Gunther and Kirk Nelson.
"That's just part of the draw," St. Charles North coach Tim Mastacio said. "You're never sure what you're going to get. (The North Stars' consolation-round doubles opponents from Fremd) were actually better than their (championship-bracket foes from Effingham St. Anthony). It was two teams who didn't want to be (in consolation play)."
St. Charles North freshman John Mittvick was knocked out at Elk Grove after going 1-2 in singles play.