Wheaton Warrenville South slips past Benet in sectional win

Wheaton Warrenville South's girls tennis team found out in dramatic fashion that every match counts, especially in a closely contested tournament like Saturday's Naperville North sectional.

The Tigers needed a victory in a Friday play-in match to put them in contention and a win in a third-place doubles match to secure the sectional championship.

In outscoring second-place Benet 21-20, the Tigers finished ahead of both DuPage Valley Conference champion Naperville North and runner-up Wheaton North, both of whom bested them in last week's conference tournament.

Stephanie Jenks and Melanie Milling, who had qualified for state earlier in the day, were locked in a third-place struggle with Sarah Eid and Ali Peters of Neuqua Valley and didn't know that the outcome of that match would mean the title for the Tigers.

"Everyone in the crowd knew," said Wheaton Warrenville South coach Patti Clousing. "They did a great job of beating a great team like the Neuqua girls."

Just as important as that final victory was the point Jaimi Inskeep and Erica Fenn picked up by winning their play-in doubles match Friday.

"Winning a sectional with so many teams of comparable ability gives you something to be proud of," Clousing said. "It will also give our player a lot of confidence going into state."

Tigers singles player Courtney Burek also qualified for state by finishing second to Benet's Lauren Gaspar, the sectionals singles champion.

"I'm happy for Courtney because she worked so hard and had so many big victories this season," Clousing said. "And I'm proud of Stephanie and Melanie, who proved that they're one of the top doubles teams in the area."

In addition to Burek and Gaspar, Naperville North's Katerina Bizios and Benet's Joyce Hanlon qualified for state by finishing third and fourth, respectively.

Gaspar started the day slowly, dropping her first set in a tiebreaker to Wheaton Warrenville South's Andrea Kerwin in the qualifying match and then falling behind in the second set.

But the Benet sophomore rallied to win the three-hour marathon 6-4, 6-2 and then went on to defeat Bizios and Burek to win the sectional.

"When I was losing I kept telling myself, 'I have to go to state,' " Gaspar said.

"Then as soon as I started hitting better and getting in more rallies, I got in a groove," she said.

"Lauren really came of age today," said Benet coach Bob Comerford. "She struggled early and won with only her 'B' game. But she didn't panic, overcame it and got better as the day went on."

-- Neil Shalin

West Aurora sectional:ŒSaturday's final round of the West Aurora sectional was full of familiar names, but a few of the combinations and some of the key results were significantly different from those of the past.

The Blackhawks won their 15th straight sectional title, but it was far from easy. They finished just a single point ahead of Waubonsie Valley.

"We got really fair draws and played well," West Aurora coach Brian Brooks said. "It was close the whole way, and we got some breaks."

The match that made the difference for West Aurora was the singles championship between Rosary's Emily Reuland and defending champ Bryna Nasenbeny of Waubonsie Valley.

Reuland, a sophomore, continued her rise toward top of the list of the area's best singles players by avenging last year's title-match loss, and advancing to the state tournament for the second year in a row.

"I'm playing a lot better and I'm more consistent than I was when I lost to (Nasenbeny) in the final last year," Reuland said. "I've being hitting the ball really well lately."

After winning a back-and-forth opening set, 6-3, Reuland got on a roll and wrapped up the second in a hurry, 6-1.

"I got into a groove and then was able to get more consistency in my shots," Reuland said.

That win was Reuland's 20th of the season, secured third place for Royals and knocked the Warriors out of contention for the top spot.

"We're getting better and better each year, and hopefully next season we'll be able to take the title," Rosary coach John Tsang said. "The girls did really well. Emily Reuland came in with a lot of confidence and did her thing here."

Overall, the Blackhawks finished with 23 points, followed by Waubonsie Valley with 22, Rosary had 20, and IMSA and Yorkville tied for fourth place with 12.

-- Henry Perez

Hinsdale Central sectional:ŒHinsdale Central continued two traditions of much different lengths.

As a team, the Red Devils captured their 23rd consecutive sectional title, having hoisted the plaque every year since 1985.

Individually, sophomores Hanna Mar, Courtney Dolehide and Nida Hamilton each extended their streak of trips downstate to two -- one for each year of high school eligibility.

And while the Hinsdale Central sophomores may be young, last year's state finals experience has added an extra bit of maturity.

"State takes a little getting used to," Mar, last year's third-place singles finisher, said. "Usually I'm just not used to the huge crowd that there is, and all that noise and cheering, so it was a little bit surprising for me last year. (This year) I know what's coming, and I think I'm ready for it."

Mar was definitely ready for her individual matchups Saturday, dispatching Glenbard East's Brittney Wingard 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals before ousting teammate Kate Klein to take home the individual title.

The Red Devils' first-string doubles pair mirrored Mar's success, defeating Glenbard West's top pair 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals. Just as in the singles bracket, the sectional title came down to two pairs of Hinsdale Central teammates, with Dolehide and Hamilton earning the doubles title.

Not surprisingly, the Red Devils are considered the favorite to take home the state crown.

"Throughout the whole season we've kind of been the favorite at invitationals and meets, so it's just kind of something I've felt maybe all season," Mar said.

Glenbard West earned a pair of third-place finishes, taking home those honors in both the singles and doubles bracket. Junior Audrey Young won her consolation match with Wingard, while the Hilltoppers' pair of Amanda Schwartz and Ashlyn Selzer took third in doubles.

Glenbard West coach Rob White praised his team for its disciplined style of play. The Hilltoppers played intelligently all morning, reinforcing White's belief that his team's potential is unlimited.

"I'm more proud of how they played correctly. They're up at the net, they're trying to force the action, they're hitting the right shots," White said. "Whether you win or lose, that's just a matter of what happens on the court. We'd rather play correctly, then play incorrectly and scab out some wins.

"When you play wrong, your potential is limited here. When you play correctly, you have unlimited potential."

-- Matthew McClarey