Riverside Brookfield High School senior Nathaniel Smolarek is working on improving his serve this tennis season. For his fourth season and third on varsity, there’s still a feeling of starting anew, especially with the Bulldogs joining the Upstate Eight Conference.
“I’m excited to practice with my friends, as well as hopefully get more matches with the new conference. And hopefully win some matches,” said Smolarek before the Bulldogs’ 3-2 season-opening victory March 21. “I’ve had some pretty good records over the years. Last year was a little rough. [But] losses are just learning experiences for the future.”
The Bulldogs have just three seniors but seven returning starters — Smolarek, projected to play No. 3 singles this season, sophomore Humza Ahmad (No. 1 singles), sophomore Linden Leander and junior Charles DeButch (No. 1 doubles), junior James McKinney (No. 2 singles), sophomore Jake Carollo (No. 2 doubles) and senior Matthew Mohica (No. 3 doubles). Junior Gavin Armstrong and sophomores Maxwell Kaplan and Jack Sandusky are key newcomers.
They were without a conference in 2024, but the Bulldogs now have a three singles-four doubles dual format with the UEC.
“We have great depth this year, which will be key for conference,” RBHS coach Sam Weiss responded. “[Our goals are] win conference, be aggressive, improve tennis IQ, play the percentages. [Our keys are] consistency and improving our match strategy and mental toughness.”
Ahmad and Leander played No. 1 doubles much of 2024. At the 2A Lyons Township Sectional, they won their first match 7-6 (9), 6-3 before losing in the round of 16.
“The biggest thing I’m looking for this year is improvement,” Ahmad said. “I’m just excited to improve my serve, my ground strokes and just become a better player. And hopefully the results will follow.”
Also returning this season is Ahmad’s father, Umer Ahmad, who works as a volunteer assistant coach.
“He’s really helping out the program and everyone wants to succeed with him,” said McKinney, personally going after his first winning record. “We’ve got a lot of improvements, everyone wanting to try their best.”
With the expanded lineup, others like Armstrong are trying to make the most of their first varsity chances.
“I feel like everyone on the team likes each other so that makes it easier to play,” Armstrong said. “I’ll want to win most of my matches and I want to be competitive.”
LTHS boys tennis
After earning Class 2A all-state doubles honors in 2024, Lyons Township junior Shay Sweigard most likely is headed back to singles.
“I’m definitely better at singles than doubles,” Sweigard said. “I just enjoy playing doubles. In doubles overall it’s easier to win at state.”
Sweigard, junior Rohan Nagale and senior Fred Chen return from last year’s lineup, which finished fifth in 2A (19 points), 7-2 in duals and second to state champion Hinsdale Central in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division and the LT Sectional.
Seniors Quentin Bourgeois, juniors Jackson Albee and Manny Gonzalez and seniors Aidan Schilling and Aidan Hahn also are returning letter winners. Freshman Mateja Nokic is among varsity newcomers.
“[Sweigard, Nagale and Chen] are leaders and hard workers who help motivate the entire team to improve and have success,” said second-year LTHS coach Clint Buetikofer. The Lions graduated the 2024 state runner-up doubles lineup of Jack McLane and Mason Mazzone.
Sweigard tied for seventh in state doubles with Luke Howell, who also graduated, with a 19-6 overall record. That has Sweigard returning to singles, where he qualified for state as a freshman, going 2-2, after also playing No. 1 singles.
“I mostly just hit two hours after school every day,” Sweigard said. “[My keys are] conditioning, staying healthy. It’s a lot of matches.”
Nagale played singles at last year’s sectional, winning one match and coming one victory from state before losing 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals. At last year’s Silver Meet, Sweigard-Powell (No. 1 doubles) and Chen-Mazzone (No. 2 doubles) were champions. Nagale was second at No. 2 singles.
“[Our keys are] hard work and staying mentally tough in difficult situations. Also seeing which new players [in the varsity lineup] will step up and excel,” Buetikofer said.