Laktash’s experience paying off

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WOODSTOCK – For Crystal Lake South’s Cam Laktash, the best part of playing at No. 1 singles as a sophomore is that he had a year’s experience at the position as a freshman.

“It definitely helps me,” Laktash said. “The experience is good.”

Not having to face dominant players such as Dundee-Crown’s Mike Williamson and Crystal Lake Central’s Jim Capalbo, who both graduated last year, also is an advantage. Laktash finished fifth at the Fox Valley Conference tournament last year but is hoping for better this year.

“He’s bigger and stronger,” Gators coach Don Nead said of his top player. “It was a heck of a conference last year.”

On Tuesday, Laktash defeated Brian Howatt, 6-2, 6-1, to lead South to a 6-1 win against Woodstock in FVC boys tennis action.

Laktash went up, 3-0, in the opening set, then lost consecutive games to Howatt. After that brief lapse, however, Laktash controlled the rest of the match.

“I started off strong, but he put the pressure on for a few games,” Laktash said. “I guess I wasn’t ready for it, [but] I pulled through and ended up playing better.”

Jared Favaro and Kenny Dolan lost the first set at No. 1 doubles for the Gators, but came back to win against Woodstock’s Ryan Miller and Luke Kunzie, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

The Blue Streaks’ Miller and Kunzie led, 5-4, in the second set and looked to close out the match with Kunzie serving. But Favaro and Dolan broke and forced the tiebreaker and the third set.

The Blue Streaks have been hampered by an inability to win crucial games this season, Woodstock coach Steve Bridges said.

“We have that one game we need to close things out,” Bridges said. “That’s been our Achilles’ heel.”  

Woodstock picked up its only win at No. 4 doubles with Jon Peschke and Kris Stack winning 6-2, 6-7 (1-7), 6-4.

Bridges said the team was enjoying the new facilities at Woodstock North for both practice and meets. North will field its own varsity teams in the 2009-10 school year, but Bridges said a decision had not been made yet on whether the schools would have separate teams for boys tennis.

“I know that we want to make these programs independent as soon as possible,” he said. “[But] I don’t know if we could field two teams right now.”