Panther, Bulldog serve notice

Font Size

Email

Bookmark

Black Text

White Text

BUFFALO GROVE -- While Oswego senior Collin McWethy capped his fourth consecutive appearance at the boys state tennis tournament Friday, Batavia freshman Josh Cogan enjoyed his first of possibly many more appearances.

McWethy and Cogan entered the state competition unseeded, but both left in the top 24 after they played three matches apiece Friday at Buffalo Grove High School.

"At the beginning of the season, there were some doubts in my mind (I would get to state), but I'm just so happy I was able to get this far," Cogan said. "This is a great way to end the season."

McWethy ended his senior year with a 30-2 record; both losses took place at the state tournament. He is heading to Washington University in St. Louis, where he hopes to walk onto the tennis team.

"This is the best showing he's ever had," Oswego coach Linda Keely said of McWethy, who is in the top 10 of his class academically. "He definitely proved a point today (not being seeded)."

"I missed my goal of making the top 16, but top 24 is still good," McWethy said. "I just played. I went out there, had fun and had nothing to lose."

After going 3-1 on Thursday, McWethy won his first two matches against Springfield's Patrick Gaffigan (6-3, 6-2) and Effingham's Kory Poland (6-2, 6-2). His first loss of the season was against top-seeded Michael Moore from Glenbrook South on Thursday, and his second and season-ending defeat was to Stagg's Tim Kopinski, 7-6 (1), 6-0.

"(McWethy) came to play against (Gaffigan and Poland)," Keely said. "Once you make it to the top 32, everyone is up against great players. Basically (against Kopinski), he ran out of gas."

As for Cogan, the he went 2-1 with wins against Crystal Lake South and Belleville West on Thursday and ended his first year of high school with 34-3 mark.

"He's just a freshman who had a great season," Batavia coach Bob Kummer said. "It's impressive. He'll get some sort of all-state honor this year. It's cool."

On Friday, Cogan first topped Normal's Andre Aung (6-2, 6-3), followed by a win over Fremd's Kenta Shimizu (7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-2). Stevenson's Etham Frenkel knocked Cogan out of the tournament, 6-3, 7-5.

"(The match against Shimizu) was impressive," Kummer said. "As a freshman, I think he plays a real smart game. He kept his composure, and on the court, he figures out how to beat the person and he goes out there and does it."

"The second match was very difficult," Cogan said. "It comes down to who has the best stamina. I outlasted (Shimizu), and that was the reason I was able to win. It was really tiring."

Keely said after four years, McWethy's biggest improvement has been his maturity.

"He's not your typical teenager," she said. "He's a very serious young man and has always set very high goals for himself. Maturity is what got him here for sure."

Cogan can only hope his tennis skills mature enough to make a state appearance the next three years.

"I'm pretty confident now I can do as well, or maybe even better, next year," he said.