Piedmont High School’s Lucas Smolko made it to the North Coast Section Division 2 semifinals but had to retire due to illness during his match with Karam Dhawan of University-San Francisco.
Smolko was trailing in the match, 6-3, 4-0 when he retired. The semifinals were originally scheduled for May 4 at the Golden Gate Tennis Center in San Francisco, but were postponed due to rain to May 6. Dhawan ended up winning the title, defeating Saahil Mishra of Lick-Wilmerding-San Francisco in the final, 7-5, 7-5.
Smolko cruised through his first two matches on May 3, defeating Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa’s Davis Walsh in the first round, 6-1, 6-1. Smolko then beat Rex Rutchik of Marin Academy, 6-0, 6-3.
Piedmont’s Ben Breber also made the bracket. He was downed in the first round by Mishra, 6-1, 6-0.
The Highlanders Monte Imburg and Nate Welch made the doubles bracket, losing to Cole Boake and Eli Linn of University in the opening match, 6-3, 6-0.
Piedmont also earned a berth in the NCS team championships. The seventh-seeded Highlanders were scheduled to open the tournament on May 7 hosting Marin Catholic. The winner of that match faces the winner of No. 2 Branson-Ross against Middleton on May 9.