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Boys tennis: Hinsdale Central takes commanding lead at state

It's been a difficult season for every spring sport - particularly for tennis, where there's been plenty of rain and cold to either cancel or temporarily postpone play.

That's much to the disappointment of weary players who are forced to watch the weather forecast more often than serves headed their way.

Day No. 2 of the boys state tennis tournament provided area players much of the same in which they have endured this season with rain forcing a five-hour delay until play would resume in the early afternoon.

However, once on the courts, Hinsdale Central would flex its collective muscle to build a lead that to the rest of the 2A field seems to be insurmountable.

The Red Devils have all four of their teams still alive in the front draw to earn the maximum 40 points after two days, 14 more than second place New Trier, with Barrington (23), Fremd (21) and Hersey (17) all from the MSL in the hunt for a top-three trophy.

Top-seed Noah Hernandez (21-0) will play 5-8 Deven Carse (Barrington, 26-2) Saturday morning when semifinal action begins at 8 a.m. at tourney host Hersey High School in Arlington Heights. His singles teammate Mujtaba Ali-Khan (20-1), the No. 3-4 seed, faces No. 2 Andrew Spurck (26-1) of Fremd.

Over in doubles, it's more Red Devils as No. 2 Jai Vallurupalli-Anthony Lipari (17-0) and 3-4 Alex Kotarski-James Theriault (20-0) have a chance to make it an all Hinsdale Central final.

While it was a tough day around the area for 3-4 Blake Roegner (Naperville Central, 24-3) who was sent into the back-draw by the aforementioned Carse in his quarterfinal match, the same cannot be said for Benet Academy. Thanks to its terrific doubles teams, Benet find themselves in second place behind reigning state champion, Latin from Chicago.

No. 2 seed John Yahiro-Patrick Burke (31-0) needed a little extra time against Vernon Hills to advance into its semifinal against 5-8 Latin (Will Benford-Sam Cutinho following its 3-6, 7-6 (3), 10-3 super tiebreaker victory. Also, 2021 1A third place medal winners and teammates Noah Bobofchak-Andrew Donovan (21-3) went past league rival Carmel Catholic (Miles Whelan-Adrian Larrea) 6-0, 6-2 to send the 3-4 seed ahead to play the top seed from Champaign Centennial (Mike and James Braun).

Back in 2A, 9-16 Sullivan (Sully) Monteith (Glenbard West, 31-6) remains alive, albeit in the back-draw, as is the 1A doubles team of Zane and Zeke Bisharat from Hinsdale South.

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