Piedmont High School’s Lucas Smolko finished second at the North Coast Section Division 2 championships, dropping a tight three-set match to Head-Royce’s Dylan Donovan in the championship.
Smolko, a sophomore, also made the NCS tournament last year, losing the third-place match.
The tournament took place May 9-10 at Vintage High School-Napa. Smolko opened with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Alex Sac of Sonoma Academy on May 9. Smolko then defeated Jackson Stowell of Head-Royce 6-1, 6-2 to make the semifinals of the 16-person bracket.
The next day, Smolko outlasted Toby Sadzeck of San Domenico, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1. Piedmont coach Jim Landes said the three-set match in the morning may have taken something out of Smolko for the final. Smolko won the first set over Donovan, but ended up losing, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.
The Highlanders now turn their attention to the NCS Division 2 team playoffs. They received the No. 9 seed and will open at eighth-seeded Marin Academy on May 13. Piedmont defeated the Wildcats in a match on April 22 at Marin Academy, 5-2.
The winner will likely face No. 1 seed Head-Royce in the second round on May 15.