Boys tennis: Glenbard South remains undefeated with win over Willowbrook
With his doubles partner graduated, Glenbard South senior Ryan Marco was unsure at first what to do this boys tennis season.
Marco even considered singles for a while.
The answer turned out to be really close - senior Jared Schwarz.
"We live like probably less than a five-minute walk from each other's houses," Marco said. "We've played together for fun a lot over the summer so we know each other's games."
On Monday their No. 1 victory was part of a doubles sweep in the undefeated Raiders' 6-1 nonconference victory over Willowbrook in Villa Park.
Glenbard South (6-0) got all of its match wins in straight sets. Senior Avi Panjwani and freshman Alex Bergendorf won at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively. Other doubles winners were juniors Ajay Kirtikar and Adam Puchalski at No. 2, senior Joey Chang and junior Sean Roth at No. 3 and juniors Yusuf Baggia and Adam Lange at No. 4.
For the Warriors (3-4), junior No. 3 singles player Mike Pieroni rallied for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph over senior Kenny Mendoza, a sub for ill Roy Miao. In doubles Willowbrook lost second-set tiebreakers at Nos. 3 and 4 and the second set 7-5 at No. 2.
Led by captains Marco, Schwarz and Panjwani, the Raiders appear in contention for another Metro Suburban Conference West Division title. On Saturday they were third at the Glenbard West Invite, their best finish in Mark Conrad's 14 years as coach or previously as an assistant.
With experience also comes flexibility. In 2015 Marco and Panjwani came one sectional doubles victory from state with different, since-graduated partners. After two straight conference titles at No. 1 doubles, Panjwani is at No. 1 singles, Schwarz's position in 2015.
"We have good senior leadership," Conrad said. "This year (Panjwani) came back strong and said, 'I'm going to be singles. I'm going to lead.' He runs the practices. I don't really do much."
Panjwani and Schwarz were No. 1 doubles partners as sophomores, but Panjwani really wants to give singles a try.
"My last season, I wanted to play singles," Panjwani said. "I feel like my serve is really a weapon now. And then also my backhand. I try to mind game almost. Players around here like to play fast, so I try to slow down the game a lot."
Schwarz is happy returning to doubles. He played with a couple of other partners before the pairing with Marco.
"I like doubles more. It's more fast-paced," said Schwarz, who will play at NCAA Division III Knox College. "We're aiming for state, but we're also aiming to win conference this year."
Willowbrook also has had lineup adjustments in a good way with seniors Khateeb Raza and Mike Sommers. Set to play NCAA Division II soccer at Northern Michigan, Sommers nearly didn't return. Raza prepared to take his No. 1 singles position from 2015.
Sommers returned for sure after his club soccer team decided against a spring season. Willowbrook coach Eddie De La Cruz also is an assistant boys soccer coach.
"Coach kind of got me back into it. I would have regretted it if I didn't play so I'm kind of glad I joined back," Sommers said. "After a couple of weeks of rust, I was all right."
Raza played No. 1 singles Monday but said he and Sommers probably will swap at Nos. 1-2 this season. At Saturday's Lake Park Quad, they won as a No. 1 doubles team in a dual with Glenbrook South.
"I think Mikey and I are pretty equal, though, but a lot of schools with first singles, it's their best player," Raza said. "It's been tough, but I think I've been adapting."