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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 10:40 AM CDT
Johnson ready for state tennis

By MIKE MONAHAN, Staff Writer
mmonahan@jg-tc.com

CASEY -- Luke Johnson is closing out his senior year by participating in the Illinois High School Association state tennis tournament, which is to be at 14 different sites in the Chicagoland area beginning Thursday.

Johnson, coached by Peggy Gower, advanced by placing fourth in the Effingham Sectional Saturday. Johnson lost to Mattoon’s Landon Stewart 7-5, 6-0 after winning his first three matches and dropping a three-set match in the semifinals.

Johnson, who has played all four years, is the No. 2 player on the Warriors tennis team and he is 17-10.

“He keeps the ball in play and is a pretty consistent player,” said Gower, who is in her third year at the helm after serving as an assistant. “He makes the other person make mistakes.”

A total of 291 schools have tennis.

“He has improved a lot over the course of the season,” said Gower. “He has just picked up his game toward the last half and did an outstanding job this year.”

Johnson, who is making his first appearance at state and was the No. 2 player last year as well, is to play at Hoffman Estates against Galesburg senior Alex Foley. The winner is to play the victory of Champaign Central’s Joel Yambert and Morton’s Brock Rieman, both seniors. The first three championship rounds as was as the first three consolation rounds are to be played Thursday.

“My goal for him is to play his best,” said Gower. “He is pretty consistent on his forehand and backhand. Recently he has been doing a better job on his drop shots and on his angles. His placement has been pretty good lately.”

Johnson, an Illinois State Scholar, is the team’s co-captain along with classmate Hunter Gower, who are the only two seniors on the squad.

When facing a new opponent Gower said, “I tell the guys to watch them warming up and see if they have a stronger forehand and how their movement is. I tell them to find whatever weakness you can.”

The varsity team is going to watch Johnson as well as several members of Johnson’s family.

Johnson is believed to be the first Casey boy to participate in the state meet since 2003 when Ryan Blankenbaker, Keith Stuertz, Steve Hawkins and B.J. Crozier competed.

The meet, hosted by Hersey High School in Arlington Heights is to continue Friday and Saturday.

Contact Mike Monahan at mmonahan@jg-tc.com or 238-6854.

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