University School's Hwang Tops Rival to Win Singles Title

Andrew Hwang and James Stark have been seeing a lot of each other this spring. And if things go as planned, the two will meet again in the state finals of the WIAA Division 2 tennis tournament.

Hwang, a senior at the University School of Milwaukee, and Stark, a senior at The Prairie School in Racine, put on a show at the Pleasant Valley Tennis Center in Jackson on Wednesday. Hwang lost the first set, 4-6, but came back to defeat Stark 6-1, 6-2, to win the No. 1 singles flight in the Brown Deer Sectional tournament. The tournament was moved indoors because of rain.

“It was a great match,” University School of Milwaukee coach Russ Trimble said. “Andrew was up 4-1, but you can’t relax against James Stark. He had a lull there, but he came back and won six straight games. Our strategy was to keep the pressure on him.”

Hwang and Stark have faced each other four times in the last two years. Stark won the first time, beating Hwang, 6-4, 6-1, in the state Division 2 title match last season. But this year, Hwang has beaten his rival three times. The two are rated as the top two players in Division 2 going into the state tournament.

Hwang expects a rematch in the state finals.

“I know I have to be at my best to beat him,” Hwang said.  “Last year I lost to him, but this year I have proved that I can beat him.”

Overall, University School won the regional title with 56 points. The Prairie School finished second with 33 points followed by Brookfield Academy with 30 points.

Also qualifying for University School was the top doubles team of Ty Parks and Brent Mackman, who defeated Catholic Memorial’s Matt Mirshberger and Mike Mirshberger, 6-3, 6-0.

“They were just put together this year,” Trimble said. “Our No. 1 doubles guy, Michael Lukas, was injured, so we had to put these guys together.  Ty was our No. 4 singles player, but we put him together with Brent. And those two have really clicked.”

Other singles winners for University School were Sam Walker at No. 2, Rishi Karri at No. 3 and Tommy Camilleri at No. 4. Other doubles winners for the Wildcats were Topher McGee and Andrew Stewartat No. 2 and Adam Salaymeh and Ethan Ardern at No. 3.

The Wildcats are shooting for their sixth consecutive state title. And Trimble said his team has prepared well for the challenge.

“I think we play the toughest schedule of anyone in D-1 or D-2,” Trimble said. “Sometime it gets a little tiresome, but the idea is to raise your level and play those tough teams. So when we play those D-2 guys, it seems like a cakewalk.”

Brookfield Academy had runners-up at No. 3 singles (Bjorn Norderhaug), No. 4 singles (Justin Saeian) and No. 2 doubles (Anmar Omari/Danny Trunzo).

Shorewood and Dominican participated in the subsectional but did not advance any players into the sectional round.