The objective Friday for the Oak Park and River Forest High School senior badminton duo of Stella Ludwig and Olive Tepfer was to advance to play another day at the state tournament at DeKalb High School. The pair nearly made it to Saturday a year ago — for many teams the big prize — so that experience coupled with a full season of play gave them a decided advantage.
On Friday, Ludwig and Tepfer dropped a tough first-round championship bracket match to a Hoffman Estates team 11-21, 12-21. But they rallied to beat a New Trier team in three sets in the first round of the consolation bracket 18-21, 21-19, 21-16.
Momentum, until they ran into a stout Vernon Hills team in the second round, dropping that match 18-21, 10-21, foreclosing a Saturday berth.
“I think we were still sort of nervous and the nerves kind of got to us and we didn’t play our best,” Ludwig said. “We had that knowledge (from last year), but we weren’t able to execute the way we wanted to.”
But let’s home in on that New Trier match for a moment. A New Trier team knocked Ludwig and Tepfer out at state last year, so returning the favor was just desserts, in a manner of speaking.
“I think our heads were more in it,” Tepfer said of Friday’s New Trier match. “The nerves were shaken out. If this was my last match ever, I wanted to do my best.”
Despite not advancing, OPRF coach Paul Wright was proud.
“The first match against Hoffman Estates, we had a lot of unforced errors,” he said. “The second match we came out more alive. And versus Vernon Hills we were up by four or five. We had a lot of stuff that went out that we wish we could get back.”
In a few days, Ludwig and Tepfer will graduate from OPRF and head off to their respective colleges – Tepfer to George Washington University to study environmental science and Ludwig to the University of Illinois for civil engineering.
They’ll keep in touch, of course, but the memories will always be there.
“The teammates and friends I’ve made have been really great,” Ludwig said. “I think I’m going to miss playing with Olive. We played for four years and tennis before that. We shared the victories, the losses, all of it.”
Added Tepfer: “The coaches have been the best ever and it’s just really been a great experience.”
Wright, who had 16 seniors on his team, said Ludwig and Tepfer were special leaders.
“I think the great thing here is they have served as great role models for kids in this program,” he said. “You want older kids to be coachable and model the behaviors and expectations that you have.”
Conference boys tennis
The OPRF varsity boys tennis team placed second in the West Suburban Silver tournament last week at Hinsdale Central. The Huskies finished with 35 points, 12 behind champion Hinsdale Central.
Sophomore Naveen Rajagopal finished second in #1 singles, losing to Hinsdale Central’s David Waterman. Senior Matthew Ladesich got third at #3 singles, and sophomore Zach Glennie took fourth at #2 singles.
Sophomore Alek Rekucki and junior Nicky Vizzone finished second at #1 doubles, as did sophomore Charlie Bruce and senior George Barkidijija at #2 doubles. Seniors Jackson Baker and Nick Balestri were third at #3 doubles.
OPRF hosts a Class 2A sectional, May 22-23.
In the Chicago Catholic League tournament at XS Chicago, May 15, Fenwick placed fifth. Sophomore Michael Doherty, a River Forest resident, finished second at first singles, improving his record to 18-2, and junior Ryan Hiller was fourth at second singles.
“Michael and Ryan are pretty good. They’re consistent, competitive, and battle,” said Fenwick coach Ron Rogala, who thought his doubles teams, which all placed in the top six, played pretty well: seniors Scott Holliday and Cooper Jones, juniors Frank Lynch and Ronan Morrissey, and seniors Mack Hamilton and Ryan Brennan. Hamilton, a co-captain, is Fenwick’s nominee for the Tony Lawless Award.
Fenwick participates in the 1A Deerfield sectional, May 22-23. Rogala anticipates a tough, intense tournament.
“It’s a strong field. The sectional is loaded,” he said. “If we can get anyone through to Saturday, that’d be tremendous.”