By any standard, Warren tandem’s a winner
It’s not all about winning at Warren.
It’s not that longtime tennis coach Greg Cohen doesn’t enjoy placing a “W” next to his players’ names in the scoreboard to signal a victory, or that everyone in the know remembers the state singles titles both Dennis Nevolo and Denis Bogatov earned during their stay at the Gurnee high school.
What Cohen has had, and promotes, more than anything else is the all-around student-athlete, one who excels both on the court and in the classroom.
The Blue Devils have two such players who will be in the spotlight this weekend, as their remarkable prep careers near an end.
Nikola Trukov and Eric Seiler, the Blue Devils’ No. 1 doubles team for the past two seasons, are on course to qualify for a second consecutive trip to the state tournament in two weeks. Just as importantly, the duo has amassed a staggering amount of victories during the time under Cohen, while building reputations that are second to none.
“The more and more I talk about those two guys,” Cohen said, “the more that I am reminded of another fantastic doubles team that came through here just a couple of years ago and left with a ton of victories and achievements, while leaving behind a four-year career which saw (them) become two of our most treasured leaders, on and off the court. Which would pass along those same qualities to the next in line — that being Trukov and Seiler.”
Cohen was speaking about doubles partners Igor Federov and Konrad Siczek who helped the Blue Devils, along with state champ Bogatov finish sixth at state.
Cohen was on hand Tuesday to honor both Trukov and Seiler for amassing gigantic win totals — Trukov with 116 and Seiler with 106.
“The really great thing about these two guys is that they both came through our Junior Excellence Program, just as Igor and Konrad did, and they have helped lead our summer camps, helped organize trips and have been great role models for all of those younger kids,” Cohen said. “When they came into high school, they kind of took the lead after Konrad and Igor graduated. These two are really something else — just great kids, who have grown up to become terrific young men.”
Trukov, whose younger brother Kristiyan joined his big brother at the state tournament in 2010 as a freshmen, will be attending Minnesota next fall and will study engineering. He also might give club tennis a go.
His doubles partner is off to Ripon College in Wisconsin, where he has committed to play tennis. Trukov likely will have a few extra fans courtside, as a number of his extended family members once attended the Division III college.
Last spring, Trukov managed to go 3-2 overall at the state tourney alongside Paul Schlais, while Seiler and Noah Mandell finished 1-2.
This season, Trukov and Seiler enter the three-day NSC tournament, which starts today, at the No. 2 seed behind the best in the state — Stevenson’s David Packowitz and Ross Putterman.
“Their personalities are opposite of each other,” Cohen said. “Eric is the outgoing one and Nick more serious, but they complement each other so well, and it shows in the way they play.”
Cohen is reminded of a time back in the summer, when at Rock Island for a tournament, Trukov continued to hit balls in the sweltering heat during a practice session. He made an immediate impression on his coach and others who watched one of the Blue Devils’ top players work as hard as he could for 90-plus minutes.
“When his teammates saw the effort he was giving in the heat and humidity, they all had to know if (he) could work that hard, then we could also,” Cohen said. “It’s just the way it is with those two guys. We have 10 seniors on our roster this season, and they all look up to both Nick and Eric.
“In the end, regardless of what happens on the tennis side of things from here on out, they have created some many terrific memories in the seven years they have been around, beginning with our junior program. I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy watching them grow as players, students and as persons. I’ve been very lucky.”