It came down to counting games.  Midtown-Chicago (#1)  played against North Shore (#4) and won 65-59 in games. Likewise, Lakeshore (#2)  played against Glenbrook (#3) and eeked out a win in games 65-63.  In both cases, the matches were tied 3-3 and the sets were tied 7-7.  If the games were tied, a team from each club would have had to play a 10-point match tie-breaker as the decider.     The finals will take place at Midtown-Bannockburn on May 7th at 11 A.M.

The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff and Midtown-Palatine advance to the finals of the NC Women’s 3.5 league.  RCLB (#3) played against Midtown-Chicago (#2) and won 4-2; Midtown-Palatine (#4) played against CPAC-East (#1) and also won 4-2.  Both match-ups had several matches go to 3 sets with one match’s 3rd set going to a tie-breaker.  The finals will take place on May 7th at Glenbrook Racquet Club at 10 A.M.

The NC Women’s Open Red league completed their last regular season match on 4/25/14.  Nrothbrook had a Bye and had to wait to see what the outcome would be.  Glenbrook was extremely tough and dashed Lincolnshire’s hopes of making it to the playoffs.  Glenbrook will be playing against College Park East and North Shore will play against Northbrook.  The playoffs are on May 2nd.

The NC Women’s Open Green league completed their last regular season match on 4/25/14.  Midtown-Palatine held on to their #1 spot and will be playing against River Trails.  The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff will be playing against Midtown-Bannockburn 2.  Last year’s defending champion, Libertyville just missed the cut.  The playoffs will take place on May 2nd.

The NC Women’s 3.0 Doubles league concluded their regular season on 4/24/14.  This league is different that the other North/Central leagues in that there are two separate playoffs.  One is the Trophy Playoffs where the top four teams compete for Championship status and for the trophy.  The other is what we call the for the “Experience” Playoffs where the bottom four teams compete in the same playoff format but for the experience of what it is like to be in the playoffs.  There is no trophy in the Experience Playoffs but each team gets an introduction to what the playoffs are all about.  The four teams competing in the Trophy Playoffs on May 1st are College Park East 1 vs. North Shore Racquet Club and College Park West vs. College Park 2.  The four teams competing in the Experience Playoffs are Midtown-Palatine vs. Midtown-Bannockburn and The Libertyville Club vs. Glenbrook Racquet Club.

The NC Women’s 4.0-4.5 Singles league played their last regular match on 4/24.  With the reformating of our singles league into 3 separate 4 court leagues, this league has the most teams – 10 in all.  On May 1st the playoffs will take place with four of those 10 team.  The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff playing against Midtown-Palatine and Midtown-Bannockburn 2 playing against North Shore Racquet Club.

The NC Women’s 4.0 Wednesday Doubles league had their last regular season match on 4/23/14.  This league is a very competitive league with 6 teams within points of one another.  But in the end, only four teams make it to the playoffs.  Midtown-Chicago took the top spot and will be playing against 4th place North Shore.  Lakeshore came in 2nd and will play against 3rd place Glenbrook.  Playoff matches take place on Wednesday, April 30th.

The Men’s 4.0-4.5+ Singles league had their last regular season match on 4/13/14.  The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff is once again in the top spot.  Who will challenge them this year?  Will it be Lincolnshire who will play them in the playoffs?   Or will it be the winner between Libertyville and North Shore, the other playoff contenders.  Stay tuned.  Playoffs are on April 27th.

The last regular season match for the NC Men’s 4.5 Doubles league occurred on 4/12.  River Trails 1 is currently in the top spot and will play against defending champion North Shore.  Last year North Shore was in 4th place and came away as the champions, so you never know what will happen this year.  In 2nd place, Midtown-Palatine will play against the third place team The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff.  The playoffs are on May 3rd.

The NC Men’s 3.5 Doubles league ended their regular season matches on 4/12.  River Trails, a newcomer, dominated this league and is currently in the #1 spot.  They will play against the team from The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff (#4).  North Shore (#2) will play against defending champion Midtown-Palatine (#3).  The playoffs are on May 3rd.

The NC Women’s 4.5 Red league ended their regular season on 4/11/14.  Nearly all the clubs are represented in this league and most of the teams are fairly competitive with one another.  In the top spot, River Trails (#1) will play against North Shore (#4).  Lakeshore (#2) will play against Midtown-Chicago (#3).  As an interesting aside. when MTC and LSSF first played each other on 9/27/13 MTC beat LSSF 13-5.  On 4/11/14, LSSF beat MTC 16-2.  It will be anyone’s guess who will come out on top in the next matchup which will be the playoffs on May 2nd.

The NC Women’s 4.5 Green teams had their final regular season match on 4/11/14.  All four teams who made it to the playoffs were within points on one another and the playoffs should prove to be very competitive.  Midtown-Palatine, currently in 1st place, will play against The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff, who is currently in 4th place.  North Shore, currently in 2nd place, will play against 3rd place Lincolnshire.  The playoffs will be on May 2nd.

The NCW 4.0 Red Friday Doubles league had their final match on 4/11/14.  The RCLB and MTC were tied for first place.  To determine who would start the playoffs at the number 1 spot, we look at head-to-head matches.  On 12/13/13, RCLB edged out MTC 9.5-8.5.  Therefore, the team from The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff will play against Midtown-Palatine who is currently in 4th place; and the current 2nd place team from Midtown-Chicago will play against River Trails.  The playoffs will occur on May 2nd.

The Women’s 4.5-Open Singles league had their last regular season match on 4/10/14.  The top four teams advance into the playoffs.  In first place, Northbrook Racquet Club’s team will play against Midtown-Bannockburn’s Team 1, who had a strong win  on 4/10.  Midtown-Bannockburn’s Team 2 who had a Bye on 4/10/14, and who are now well rested and perhaps well-practiced, will play against 3rd place team Glenbrook Racquet Club.  Playoff matches will occur on May1st.

The last regular season Women’s 3.0-3.5 Singles match took place on 4/10/14.  The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff’s team took the top spot and will play against 4th place Glenbrook Racquet Club’s team.  North Shore Racquet Club’s team slipped to 2nd place and will play against 3rd place College Park West.  The playoffs will occur on May 1st.

The NC Women’s 3.5 teams played their final regular season match on 4/9.  The top four teams, College Park East, Midtown-Chicago, The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff and Midtown-Palatine, advance to the playoffs.  CPAC-E will play against MTP and MTC will play against RCLB on 4/30/14.

The Boys High School League finals took place at Glenbrook Racquet Club on Saturday, February 1st with Glenbrook’s team lead by Captain Chris Thomas pitted against College Park East 3’s team lead by Captain Ofir Weintraub.  College Park East 3 had a great start by winning the first set on all four courts which gave them an edge in confidence. On court 1, CPAC-E 3’s  Jake Rubin and Timmy Yap served and volleyed their way to a 6-0, 6-2 win over GRC’s Daniel Meek and Will Reisner.  On court 2, CPAC-E 3’s Brendan Gold and Benji Kugelman started both sets trailing but came back to win 6-4, 6-4 against GRC’s Van Fairbanks and Jacob Najafi.  This match was a very close match which could have gone either way.  On court 3, GRC’s Cecil Mella and Tripp Schulte started out strong with a 3-0 lead but gave up the lead and lost the 1st set 6-3 against CPAC-E 3’s Dillon Gross and Josh Fine.  GRC regrouped and won the 2nd and 3rd sets 6-4 and 6-2.  On court 4, CPAC-E 3’s Tristan Reynolds and Jared Boss played a tight 1st set against GRC’s Ethan Park and Ben Kramer managing to break for a 6-5 lead and win 7-5.  In the 2nd set, Ethan and Ben battled back and won 6-3 but couldn’t hold back the aggressive play Tristan and Jared displayed in the 3rd set which CPAC-E 3 won 6-4.  Overall, the competition was good and fun with parents giving support to their respective teams.

The Boys High School Playoffs took place last Saturday.  First place Glenbrook played against The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff.  The playoffs are an untimed event, two out of three sets.  In the event of a match tie, sets are counted.  if the sets are tied, then the games are counted.  This is what occurred in this match  RCLB won courts 1 and 2 and GRC won courts 3 and 4.  Both teams won in straight sets.  Glenbrook treaked out a 4 game win with 33 games to RCLB’s 29 games.  College Park 3 played against North Shore.  North Shore won courts 1 and 2 and CPAC 3 won courts 3 and 4.  CPAC 3 won by taking a set on court 1 while all other courts were completed in straight sets.  CPAC 3 won in sets 5-4.

The Boys High School League Finals will take place at Glenbrook Racquet Club at 6pm.

Seven teams started the season in September with the hope of making it to the playoffs.  Our High School leagues are designed to help players develop a greater understanding of the game of doubles.  It is the team effort, playing to each partner’s strengths, finding a way to change the outcome when you are down or keeping the momentum when you are up.  Coaches are allowed in this league to facilitate the player’s learning.  Four teams have made it to the playoffs.  BHSL Team Glenbrook will play against BHSL Team Racquet Club of Lake Bluff (last year’s Champions) at Glenbrook Racquet Club at 6pm and BHSL Team CPAC-E 3 will play against BHSL Team North Shore  at College Park Athletic Club East also at 6pm.  Both playoff matches will take place  on January 25th.  Good luck to all!

This week all the North Central leagues are in the midst of battling out who will get to the finals.  A team who makes it to the playoffs can suddenly find themselves without one or two key players and that can make the difference between winning and not winning.  The 4th place team may suddenly find themselves in the Finals.

Please come and watch the matches and cheer on the players.  The following is the location and times of the Finals:

Girls High School League – May 4 @ 6pm @ The Lincolnshire Club

Men’s 4.0-4.5+ Singles – May 5 @ 7:30am @ The Lincolnshire Club

Women’s 3.5 – May 8 @ 11:30am @ Glenbrook Racquet Club

Women’s 4.0 – May 8 @ 9:30am @ Glenbrook Racquet Club

Women’s 3.0 – May 9 @ 11am @ The Libertyville Club (Championship Finals) & May 9 @ 11am @ Glenbrook Racquet Club (Experience Finals)

Women’s 3.0-4.0 Singles – May 9 @ 11am @ The Racquet Club of Lake Bluff

Women’s 4.0-4.5+ Singles – May 9 @ 12:30pm @ Northbrook Racquet Club

Women’s 4.0 Red Friday – May 10 @ 12pm @ Northbrook Racquet Club

Women’s 4.5 Green – May 10 @ 10am @ Glenbrook Racquet Club

Womens’ 4.5 Red – May 10 @ 12pm @ Glenbrook Racquet Club

Women’s Open Green – May 10 @ 11am @ Five Seasons Sports Club

Women’s Open Red – May 10 @ 10:30am @ College Park Athletic Club East

Men’s 3.5 – May 11 @ 10am @ College Park Athletic Club East

Men’s 4.0 – May 11 @ 12pm @ College Park Athletic Club East

Men’s 4.5 – May 11 @ 2pm @ College Park Athletic Club East

Men’s Open – May 11 @ 4pm @ College Park Athletic Club East