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Boys Tennis: New Trier end up second at state tournament
New Trier's Alex Mang against Barrington in a doubles match in the IHSA State Tennis tournament Friday, May 25, 2012 in Buffalo Grove. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media
Updated: July 3, 2012 11:56AM
New Trier’s Alex Galoustin got an early start to the rest of his career during the boys tennis state meet last week.
Supporting the lineup at doubles to start the 2012 season, the sophomore rose to No. 1 singles by the end of the campaign. Galoustin made the most of his chance, advancing to the quarterfinals and finishing 5-2 in his first state tournament.
“He stuck his nose right in there,” said New Trier coach Tad Eckert. “There was a reason we were calling him ‘The Tank’ this season. He was tough for us.”
It was Hinsdale Central that boasted the most weapons, however.
Hinsdale Central, behind doubles champions Alex Hagermoser and Peter Heneghan, won the team crown with 50 points. Two-time defending state champion New Trier placed second with 36 points.
“We’re happy,” Eckert said. “Everybody on our team fought really hard. We came up short of our goal of getting first, but we are satisfied with second. That’s what we deserved. We did prove a lot.”
Not many teams could do what New Trier did after losing its two best singles players toward the end of the season.
Three of the team’s six tournament players were competing in their first state meet, including seniors Alex Mang and Arthur Ozga. The duo teamed up right before sectionals, and went on to take place third at the state tournament. They lost to Glenbrook South’s Michael Sellitto and Michael Levin 7-5, 6-3 in the semifinals before bouncing back in the third-place match. Mang and Ozga finished 6-1 overall at State.
“Of course, they would have liked to have beaten Sellitto and Levin,” Eckert said. “But we know those matches can go either way. It was a great way for them to cap off their careers.”
Doubles team David Laser and Nate Jacobson went 4-2, while Rob Jacobson also finished 4-2. The Jacobson twins played together at doubles in the previous two state tournaments before splitting up late this season. Laser, a senior, played in the state tournament as a freshman, when he attended North Shore Country Day.
“We are building a deep program that people want to be part of,” Eckert said. “It’s been really positive for our team and our coaches. It was a great finish.”
