Boys tennis: Schmidt, Cooke a winning combination for St. Charles North
St. Charles North senior David Schmidt let his smile do the talking.
These days, Schmidt and Jim Cooke are a vital reason why St. Charles North is within reach of its goal of winning the DuKane Conference boys tennis regular-season title. At No. 3 doubles Schmidt and Cooke have won two tourney titles and improved to 20-2 following Tuesday's dual meet against Batavia. They defeated their Bulldogs counterparts 7-5, 7-6.
The meet wasn't completed due to three matches postponed due to darkness. The makeup date for the key conference match is still undetermined.
The two seniors have a natural vibe on the court, not arguing or mistakes or showing any frustration over missed shots.
Three years ago, at the start of their freshman year, Schmidt convinced his friend from sixth grade to join him on the tennis team. Schmidt smiled when asked who was the better player during their first year together.
"We go way back and have known each other a long time," Schmidt said. "We picked up the rackets in our freshman year and been having a good time. Even though Jim had no experience, I would say we were about the same (in talent). I helped him a lot."
Cooke said their close bond is a factor in their recent success. The North Stars are 15-1 overall and 5-1 in the conference. Wheaton North, which plays Batavia on Wednesday, is 6-0 and the Bulldogs are 5-0 in a crowded conference race.
"It's probably our dynamic," Cooke said. "It helps that we always talk to each other and that's why we've always clicked on the court. David has never been mad at me, and I've never been mad at him. It helps in those stressful situations. You don't want that negative energy. We're always positive on the court."
St. Charles North coach Sean Masoncup praised the Schmidt-Cooke combination for solidifying the lineup.
"Both kids have worked so hard the last few years, so it's so fun to watch them improve and be successful this year," he said. "Both of them have huge serves and work well together. They've known each other a long time and are great friends. It's one of those combos that they are fun to coach, they have fun and are great leaders and work their tail off.
"They are sort of our rock in the middle of our lineup, where I can count on them to get things done. They have really streamrolled through the conference. They have made great improvements."
Cooke said he's improved on his net play to help the duo win more matches. Cooke is set to attend Butler and Schmidt is headed to Northern Illinois next season. With their pairing slated to break apart later this month, Schmidt said they have unfinished business left on the court.
"It's great going on these winning streaks as a senior, just knowing you want to go out and give it our all," he said. "Being with Jim has been a lot of fun and it's been a great ride. We still have conference coming up and want to finish strong."