Game! Set! State crown!

In a test of endurance, will and superb tennis skill, Denis Bogatov proved his credentials in the high school tennis world Saturday.

Before an enthusiastic throng at the boys state tennis tournament at Hersey, the Warren junior exhibited a dazzling display to defeat top-seeded Eric Spector of Glenbrook North 7-6 (5), 7-5 and bring home the state championship.

Bogatov (33-2) prevailed over Spector (27-3) in a match that took nearly 3 hours in conditions that were easily the best in several years of the finals.

In a stunning turn of events, Stevenson -- which appeared poised to win its first-ever team title -- watched defending state champion Hinsdale Central carry off the hardware after gaining 2 important points in the backdraw.

The Red Devils edged the Patriots 37-36, with New Trier (35) taking third.

Highland Park (31), whose doubles team was crowned champion, was fourth. Warren (24) tied for sixth with Chicago Latin.

"Today was just a great day for Warren tennis," said Blue Devils coach Greg Cohen, who was thrilled to see the "best player he's ever coached" -- four-year standout Igor Simcek -- accept the prestigious IHSTCA Tom Pitchford Sportsmanship Award shortly after Bogatov hoisted his award.

"It was like a heavyweight fight out there between Denis & Eric, with each player taking the other's best shots until only one was standing. Fortunately for us, it was Denis who was still standing."

The two giants mirrored each other in technical genius as well as style of play, finely-tuned athletes trained to hit forever from the back line with near perfection, power, strength and speed.

After 6-4, 7-5 victory over 5-8 seed Mac McAnutly of Latin in Saturday morning's semi-final, Bogatov spent time with a trainer in his regular routine of icing and stretching to counter what has become a nagging lower back.

At times, Bogatov needed an additional stretch or two during the final match, while Spector suffered several painful bouts of cramping in his back and leg during the second set.

"We didn't want to get into a third set at anytime today," said Warren assistant Jeff Bernales. "That was the theme, with (Denis) when we were playing McAnulty (who was serving to force a third set), and especially against Eric, who is so mentally strong and capable of overcoming just about anything."

"NO, I didn't want to get into a third set," Bogatov said. "I was already tired because each point was a 12-, 14-, 16-ball rally, and because Eric hits with so much topspin he just wears you down."

"That's why I tried to start moving him side-to-side to make it harder to get into the game he plays so well."

The first set was masterfully played, went to 5-4, then 6-5 Spector until Bogatov broke his opponent to force a tiebreaker. Bogatov, who saw a 5-0 lead evaporate, took the set 7-5.

The second set started brightly enough, before both players went through 10 service breaks, several injury stoppages and a sequence in which an unhappy Spector directed a constant flow of negative dialogue toward both line judges.

While the pace and flow of the match began to wane, Bogatov's desire to close it out did not.

Sensing his foe's obvious discomfort and inability to hit with power and direction, Bogatov went after Spector hoping to finish off the 2006 state medalist for good.

Bogatov broke Spector to go ahead at 6-5, then moments later he won when a return sailed wide.

"This is all like a dream," said Bogatov, who in an uncharacteristic show of emotion pumped his fist high over his head to celebrate his title.

"After Denis finished third last year, he immediately wanted to go out and hit," said Bernales, who was courtside in 2006 when Dennis Nevolo was crowned state champ. "I guess his preparation for today started then."

Stevenson's fantastic freshman tandem of Ross Putterman and David Packowitz fell short in a bid for the state doubles title.

The pair was defeated by the top-ranked Highland Park pair of Ben Woldenberg-Sam Barnett 6-1, 6-1 in a match that fans had to wait 3 hours to watch but took just under an hour to complete.

Demonstrating a flair for the dramatic during the entire tournament, the 5-8-seeded Patriots (31-4) had little answer for the pace, the first-serve accuracy and the signature ability to return as the senior Giants (21-0) brought home their second doubles title in three years.

"This match wasn't about two seniors against two freshmen, it was the fact that our guys played near-flawless tennis while never allowing (Stevenson) to get into any kind of rhythm right from the start," said Giants coach Steve Rudman.

Putterman-Packowitz, who won a three-set masterpiece against 3-4 seed Rockford Guilford (Scott Shephardson-Danny Park) 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 to reach the finals, were unfazed by becoming the first-ever all-freshman team to play for a state title.

"It's pretty amazing, isn't it?' Putterman said after he and his partner withstood a fierce comeback by Guilford and especially Shephardson, who took over on nearly every Guilford point.

A pair of incredible lobs which found the back-line paint helped the Patriots go up 4-2 before Putterman held serve to make it 6-5. Park was broken to end it.

"It was just a great, great match to watch, and there's no shame in losing to a team like Stevenson's," said Guilford coach Mike Muldowney.

Hinsdale Central's Augie Bloom finished third in singles, as did the doubles duo of Dan Ballatine-Ian Tesmond to help the Red Devils edge the Patriots for the team title.

"My assistant, Jeff Zanchelli, said the guys were probably too tired from having to carry us all weekend," said Patriots coach Mark Linnenburger. "It might have been true. Let's face it, without them, we never have a chance to be in the hunt for the team title. As it is, we were able to get a second consecutive second place, and that's something to be proud of."