Boys tennis: 2022 Northwest Herald All-Area Team

Meet the 2022 Northwest Herald All-Area boys tennis team.

FIRST TEAM

Thomas Nelson, Jacobs, sr.

Nelson, the 2022 Northwest Herald Boys Tennis Player of the Year, won the Fox Valley Conference singles championship for the second straight year with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 victory against Crystal Lake South’s Jackson Schuetzle. Nelson won his first three matches at the Class 2A state tournament, going 4-2 with a loss in the consolation semifinals. Nelson will play next year at NCAA Division I Marquette.

Jackson Schuetzle, Crystal Lake South, sr.

Schuetzle, who played through a stress fracture in his back, placed second at the FVC Tournament and won the singles championship bracket at the Class 1A Lakes Sectional. He won his first two matches at the state tournament before losing in the consolation quarterfinals. Schuetzle will play at D-III Case Western Reserve, which has one of the top tennis programs in the country.

Luke Welker, Burlington Central, sr.

Welker won his first two matches at the Class 1A state tournament, finishing 2-2. The Rockets senior placed second at the Rochelle Sectional. Welker was an an All-Area second-team pick last season.

Justin Cunningham and Jed Sia, Jacobs, sr./sr.

Cunningham and Sia won the FVC No. 1 doubles championship with a 6-0, 6-4 win against Huntley’s Matthew Grubbs and Ben Hein and took second at sectionals. The Golden Eagles’ top pairing won its first match at the Class 2A state tournament and finished 4-2.

Matthew Grubbs and Ben Hein, Huntley, sr./jr.

The Red Raiders’ No. 1 doubles team took second at the FVC Tournament and were champions at the Class 2A Auburn Sectional, losing only five games in their four matches. Hein and Grubbs won their first match at state and finished 1-2.

Justin Brzeski and August Nelson, Jacobs, sr./fr.

Brzeski and Nelson won the No. 2 doubles title at the FVC Tournament, took fourth at sectionals and went 0-2 at state, losing their first match and defaulting their second as Brzeski had surgery to repair a torn labrum that he played with throughout the season.

Cole Palese and Jaylan Tucker, Prairie Ridge, fr./jr.

Palese and Tucker won the doubles championship at the Lakes Sectional as the Wolves tied for the sectional title as a team. The Wolves’ No. 1 team advanced to state and won its first match, finishing 2-2 in their debut.

SECOND TEAM

Sam Kedzior, Cary-Grove, sr.

Aryaan Khalil, Huntley, sr.

Logan Wasilk, Crystal Lake Central, jr.

Erik Hermansson and Erik Sarabia, Woodstock North, sr./sr.

Patrick Kumm and Matthew Garrelts, Marian Central, sr./sr.

Brandon Japkowski and Sam Knuerr, Jacobs, sr./sr.

Ethan Bass and Ben Weichman, Crystal Lake Central, sr./sr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Jason Burg, Woodstock North, sr.

Brandon Burtschi and Bryce Shechtman, Cary-Grove, sr./fr.

Nolan Carlson and Cole Bone, McHenry, sr./sr.

Billy Collins, Marian Central, sr.

Jack Dacy, Crystal Lake South, so.

Austin Dinh and Ryan Fulton, Jacobs, so./fr.

Tom Fornelli and Daniel Jauch, Cary-Grove, sr./sr.

Nolan Frey, Prairie Ridge, jr.

Jacob Kim, Prairie Ridge, fr.

Noah Marrano, Cary-Grove, so.

Nathan Neufeld, McHenry, so.

Mohsin Rizvi, McHenry, fr.

Lukas Thomas and Jack Waters, McHenry, sr./sr.

Connor Trepanier, Richmond-Burton, so.

Jacob Trepanier, Richmond-Burton, so.