Fremd nails down crown

Last season’s Mid-Suburban League co-champion Fremd Vikings got their tournament season off to a winning start courtesy of a perfect Saturday at the Hersey boys tennis invitational.

The Vikings cruised past Freeport and Prospect, before defeating York 6-1 in the finals to capture first-place honors, the first for new head coach Matt Duncan.

“Obviously, when you lose just one match, it’s a good day all the way around, but next weekend, when we take on state powers Deerfield and Stevenson, as well as Lake Forest, at the Deerfield Quad, we’ll have a better idea of where we stand against some of the best,” said Duncan, who was the assistant to former head coach Ken Goettsche.

Defending MSL East champ Prospect, defeated Cary-Grove 5-2 to finish third overall, while its divison rival Buffalo Grove came away with fifth place in the team standings after its 4-3 victory over Glenbard West.

Fremd senior Matt Burkhardt recorded a trio of straight-set victories at the No. 1 singles spot. His teammates at No. 1 doubles, Maciej Niemzyk and Nick Makowiecki, did the same, including a competitive match with the Prospect duo of Matt Werderich and Mike Hamman, which ended 6-3, 6-4.

“With the experience we have coming back, plus some new guys who can play, we should have a very competitive team this year,” said Burkhardt, who will attend Washington University in St. Louis next fall, following his third year with the big club.

Burkhardt, who began his career at No. 3 singles, found out he had a stress fracture (tibia) late in the soccer season. He would need six weeks of recovery and rehab before he was able to get out and hit once again to begin his quest for his first ever state appearance this May.

“I feel like I can get (there) — and that’s a goal that I’ve had ever since I began playing,” he said.

Makowiecki, who was out all of last season with a torn ACL, is excited about the chance both he and his doubles partner have to join Burkhardt, while helping the Vikings to another division title and more.

“I couldn’t stand to watch at all last year after my injury, but Maciej and I are good friends away from the sport, and we both feel that kind of communication and friendship will go a long way for us at doubles,” said the junior of Niemzyk, who was the Vikings No. 1 man at singles in 2010.

The top singles player in this tournament was easily Cary-Grove senior and Notre-Dame bound Chris Federighi. He was 3-0 on the day, to run his 2011 record to 8-0 for new head coach Amanda Schuetzle, who took over for retired long-time legend Bud Lachel.

The three-time state qualifier, and reigning Fox Valley Conference champ, earned a 17-32 last season at the state tournament, and would eventually go 4-2 over the two days, finally being eliminated by Naperville North’s sensation Gordan Zhang in straight sets.

“I gained a lot of experience with each trip to the state tournament, and my goal is to go even further this season,” said Federighi, who said his commitment to Notre Dame, was like an early Christmas present, as it has always been the place he’s wanted to go.

Federighi, who feels his offseason attention to conditioning and certain aspects of the technical and tactical side of things is key to another successful year, still remembers one particular match at the state tournament against Hinsdale Central star Rafe Mosetick.

“If I had a (do-over) that match with Rafe would have been the one,” said Federighi, who dropped the first set 6-4, before falling in the second 6-1 at the Rolling Meadows venue.

“Chris is a great kid, who works hard, and has worked hard to improve his game, including putting away opponents early, and not letting them (stay) around in a match,” offered Schuetzle, who played for Lachel and at Bethel College in Minnesota.

Kevin Schrammel’s Buffalo Grove Bison would end the day on a high note, despite missing for starters to ACT testing.

“All-in-all it wasn’t a bad day when you consider we had a few guys gone, so we’re anxious to get everyone together and our lineup set with the conference schedule beginning to really get going,” said Schrammel.

He threw his Nos. 1 and 2 singles guys together, Ari Kazan and Max Beylis in 2 of the 3 duals on this day, and watched the pair go 2-0, including a victory over York’s No. 1 of Jeremy Loescher and Kyle Kopinski.

“That was a very good team, with Loescher one-half of a state qualifiying team from last year, and the other kid a solid player as well,” said Schrammel.

The Bison, who like others in the division are chasing Rick Huffman’s club from Prospect, hope to stay in the race until they meet the Knights on May 3.

Huffman liked what he saw from the aforementioned Werderich and Hamman, as well as freshmen Carson Burke at No. 1 singles.

“Those two guys really battled Fremd’s (No. 1), which is a terrific team, with a lot of great points, and Carson didn’t play like a freshman, and showed some real potential as a No. 1 in the conference,” offered Huffman, whose club takes on Conant this Tuesday.

Tourney host Hersey was far too shorthanded to compete on this day, as ACT testing robbed new head coach CeCe Cahill of most of her starters.

Billy Borst and Kamil Plecki, the Huskies regular starters at No. 2 doubles, managed to defeat Cary-Grove’s No. 1 to record one of the few highlights on the day for Cahill.

“We knew it was going to be a tough day because we were missing so many guys,” Cahill said, “but the players here today got some experience, and for me, I got to see and learn a little bit more about what to work on when we get everyone back together on Monday at practice.”

Glenbard West junior Matt Hirsch ran his 2011 record to 6-1 after another strong day of play for the Hilltoppers, who face Downers Grove North on Tuesday before hosting state power Oak Park-River Forest on Thursday afternoon.

Hirsch, who made his first appearance at the state tournament last May, and went 1-2, says he learned a valuable lesson from his 3 matches, which were against Matt Bisbee of Marist, Brantner Jones from New Trier, and Sam Winkler of Lake Forest.

“You’ve got to come in and be ready to play, and to go all out with each game in order to compete with each round that you are in,” said Hirsch, who trained hard over the offseason, especially with his fitness, after a bout with leg cramps in the postseason affected his overall play.

“I know (now) how important my conditioning is, and how important it is to (be) and stay hydrated in order to stay healthy.”