Red Devils face challenge

Updated: May 10, 2011 11:26PM

Hinsdale Central isn’t ready to concede a boys tennis conference title just yet. Oak Park-River Forest is the favorite to win Saturday’s West Suburban Silver meet at Hinsdale Central, but the Red Devils could spring the upset by getting five wins in the tournament’s seven flights

“(Huskies) coach John Morlidge says one out of every 10 years (Oak Park-River Forest) wins the title. This might be their year,” Hinsdale Central head coach John Naisbitt acknowledged

But OPRF won the dual-meet battle only by 4-3 on its home court April 12

The Huskies defeated the Red Devils 80-76 Saturday to win the Naper Valley Invitational at Benet

Hinsdale Central’s strength has been at Nos. 1 and 2 singles with Sam Bloom (13-8) and Rafe Mosetick (15-2). OPRF’s top singles players, Jake Wilson and Jeremy Dixon, are expected to battle Bloom and Mosetick for the conference crown

Bloom finished fourth at Hersey’s Pitchford 32 Invitational after losing to returning state runner-up Tim Kopinski of Stagg 6-2, 6-2. Mosetick won the No. 2 singles title over Deerfield’s Toby Ma 6-3, 6-2

Mosetick’s only two losses this season have come against Deerfield’s Jason Brown and New Trier’s Jared Hiltzik. Brown finished third in singles at last year’s state meet. Hiltzik placed third in doubles with former partner Calvin Mang

“Mosetick has been on a roll all season,” Naisbitt said. “He has been taking care of business.”

Last year’s No. 1 doubles team of Dan Ballantine and Ian Desmond, each a 2010 graduate, won the state title for Hinsdale Central. Peter Heneghan and Alex Hagermoser have taken over that spot and finished sixth at Pitchford

With Lyons’ Danny Schuster and Jake Elliott likely playing singles in the conference meet, Heneghan and Hagermoser could battle OPRF’s Luke Trinka and Devin Jones for the crown

“They are a young team that has been up and down,” Naisbitt said of Heneghan and Hagermoser. “They have played as well as anyone in the state. With a few victories, they should be seeded in the top eight or top 12.”

Naisbitt warns that Bloom’s season record is misleading. Bloom has played a grueling schedule against the state’s top teams and singles players

“Sam has constantly been going up against the best in the state,” Naisbitt said. “He’s a top eight seed in the state even if his record does not look like a top eight seed.”

Hinsdale Central’s No. 2 doubles team of Griffin Johns and Brian Johnson finished fourth at Pitchford

“We are focused on winning at state,” Naisbitt said. “Yes, it would be nice to win conference. Our focus is on the last weekend of May instead of the second weekend of May.”

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