Griffith reaches second straight state tennis meet

Junior Hub wins both Friday matches at IHSA Class 1A Sectional

Russell Hodges
Posted 5/18/17

Noah Griffith did the best he could to calm himself down.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Griffith reaches second straight state tennis meet

Junior Hub wins both Friday matches at IHSA Class 1A Sectional

Posted

ROCKFORD — Noah Griffith did the best he could to calm himself down.

Falling behind 6-5 in the second set of his singles match against Freeport’s Aaron Krogull, with the winner automatically qualifying for the IHSA State Meet and the loser going home, Griffith took a few deep breaths and stepped back on the court for the next game. Saving his best tennis for last, the Rochelle junior evened the set and swept Krogull in the tiebreaker (7-0) to claim his second victory of the day and clinch a spot in the state meet for the second straight year after qualifying as a sophomore last season.

“It’s really an honor to go back again,” Griffith said. “I’ve been playing pretty well this year and I’m really excited to get back… I kept telling myself to relax and my coaches helped me relax and get through it. It was kind of scary but I got through and that’s all that matters.”

Griffith and the Hubs varsity tennis team traveled to Rockford Boylan’s Indoor Tennis Center on Friday to begin play in the IHSA Class 1A Sectional, with Griffith picking up a 6-0, 6-0 win over Belvidere North’s Sammy Gonzalez in the first round of the singles bracket. The junior started strong in his second match as well, taking the first set from Krogull by a score of 6-2.

“My ground strokes were good and my serves were iffy, but I just felt really relaxed and smooth,” Griffith said. “That helped me with my confidence and I just went right through it.”

Things may have gotten dicey at the end, but Griffith held on long enough to secure his spot in the state meet next weekend at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights. The junior will return to Boylan’s Indoor Tennis Center later this weekend to compete for the sectional singles title.

“The style of play at state is very elite,” Griffith said. “I just have to play to the best of my ability and play hard and give it everything I’ve got. I have to stay within myself and keep my composure and be strong mentally.”

Junior Kevin Zheng took the court as Rochelle’s No. 2 singles player on Friday, battling hard but falling to Keith Country Day’s Brandon Bodak by a score of 6-1, 6-0. Senior Bryan Garcia and sophomore Juan Montemayor faced Belvidere North’s Josh Cassaro and Thomas Linkenheld, with the Blue Thunder boys topping the Hubs 6-1, 6-1.

Sophomores Chris Jones and Hector Garcia rounded out the Rochelle competitors in the sectional meet, with both boys falling to Rockford Christian’s Alek Ivancich and Matthew Chaffin 6-1, 6-1.