Barrington puts it all together at Larkin
The Barrington doubles team of David Martin and Cam McClelland sent the Broncos on their way to a sixth straight sectional championship, while teammates Jim Deroche and Doug Nordli and freshman George Coll helped add to the eventual victory total to help the Broncos overwhelm the competition Saturday afternoon at Larkin.
Streamwood senior Yuto Tsukida capped a brilliant regular season by capturing the singles title with a win over Coll in straight sets to earn his second consecutive trip to the state tournament, which begins Thursday morning.
Christian Lynn (Elgin Academy) and Tom Schreiner of Jacobs will also advance into the state tourney with the sophomore Lynn taking a marathon 3-set win to grab the third-place medal.
The host Royals sent both of their doubles teams through after securing the third and fourth spots after two days of tennis here.
The Broncos outscored Larkin and Elgin Academy 30-15, and Streamwood and Jacobs both finished with 14 points each.
Selwyn Hansana-Eddie Senesombarth (31-7) defeated teammates Jesse Kammerer-Casey Suevel long after the Broncos collected the silverware after the quartet first attended graduation ceremonies before returning to the courts to play the third-place match.
Martin-McClelland (27-6) were easy victors over Deroche-Nordli (24-8) in a battle between 2009 MSL champions and in what would be the fourth championship match in the last six years which featured Barrington doubles teams.
"One of our goals was to stay undefeated (after) the Pitchford and to go into the state tournament with confidence and momentum heading into an always important first match on Thursday at the state tournament," said Martin, who last season, along with Greg Mulligan went 3-2 at the tournament as the No. 2 team for coach John Roncone.
"Those two are quite capable of having a long run next week, but it's all about getting a strong start on that first day," said Roncone.
After a quick start in its semifinal Friday morning against the unseeded No. 2 team from Larkin (Kammerer-Suevel), the Broncos struggled some with its serve and a handful of close calls in the second set which initiated a few words from each side, yet it seemed to spark the Broncos into life and an eventual 7-5 tiebreaker win for the match.
"Barrington has always been a quality program and in that match you could see its experience come through when it counted," said Larkin coach Bob Young, who nonetheless will accompany his two teams to the tournament, the first time in 12 years the Royals have sent at least one doubles team into the final weekend.
Deroche-Nordli looked to be in dire straights in its semifinal with the Royals' top team (Hansana-Senesombath) in the first set after Senesombath held to give his club a 5-2 cushion.
However, after the Broncos held, they broke Hansana, held service with Nordli in control at the line to draw even at 5-5, then took the next 2 games for the set.
The Broncos cruised in the second set to book their place opposite their teammates.
"We switched things up and changed formations and its seemed to help turn things around for us," said Deroche.
The Upstate Eight singles champion Tsukida (31-1) was nearly flawless in his 6-1, 6-1 victory over Lynn in the semifinals and although the rookie Coll played some terrific points with the Sabres' star during the final, it was his veteran presence and nasty forehand which finally did in Coll in straight sets 6-1, 6-3.
At Stevenson: After Stevenson junior Blake Bazarnik defeated senior teammate Etham Frenkel 6-2, 6-3 in the championship match of the Stevenson sectional on Saturday, the two competitors shared a light moment.
As he walked toward the net to shake Bazarnik's hand, Frenkel playfully swatted a ball at Bazarnik.
"We had a lot of fun out there, and the best way to end it was by pegging Blake," Frenkel said with a chuckle.
The Patriots (34 points) earned the right to smile after qualifying Bazarnik, Frenkel and two doubles teams for next week's state tournament. Fremd (17 points) and Palatine (11 points) were second and third, respectively.
"We have a really good shot at state," Bazarnik said. "Everyone is playing well."
Bazarnik's Saturday began with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Michael Redlicki, a 6-foot-6 freshman lefty from Lake Zurich.
Redlicki had only lost four times this season, three of them to Bazarnik. His other loss came to Fremd junior Kenta Shimizu, his opponent in the third-place match.
This was the third time Redlicki faced Shimizu, and he controlled the entire match for a 6-0, 6-1 victory.
Frenkel advanced to the finals by defeating Shimizu 6-4, 6-3.
"I've been hitting a heavy forehand," Frenkel said.
Stevenson sophomores Ross Putterman and David Packowitz controlled the doubles final 6-1, 6-2. St. Viator juniors Taylor Blaney and Dean Tanglis had reached the title match by topping Stevenson's Nick Stephan/Alec Tunner 6-2, 7-5.
"They beat our (other doubles) team so we wanted revenge," Putterman said.
Blaney and Tanglis played singles throughout the season. They played two doubles match earlier this week before the sectional began. Although they are a newly-formed duo, they have a lot of confidence after their showing at sectionals.
"We didn't play doubles all year, and we got a couple of games off the best doubles team in the state," Tanglis said.
What makes Putterman and Packowitz so tough?
"They put every easy ball away," Tanglis said.
Palatine's Rafael Robles and Mikey Woolf won the third-place doubles match (6-1, 6-2).
None of the advancing players will have much time to celebrate. The IHSA state tournament begins Thursday.
"The big show is next week," Packowitz said.
- Bob Gosman