With help of Noah Guillermo and Rob May, Marquette gets the best of a loaded sectional

GREENDALE – The partnership between Noah Guillermo and Rob May has been years in the making. It just didn't happen on the tennis court.

Friends before high school, the Marquette seniors developed an almost instant chemistry when they were paired as the Hilltoppers' No. 1 doubles team this year.

 “We’ve been friends for a while, so I feel we have good trust on the court,” May said. “And also, I feel like we’re able to get each other out of funks. We’re pretty intense, so we’re always able to be competitive.”

Facing many of the state’s top teams, the two have not dropped a set to an area tandem all year. Each of their three setbacks could have easily been a win if a few points here and there had gone their way.

Wednesday they played their way to what likely will be a high seed at the WIAA state individual tournament May 31-June 2 at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison. Pitted against the champion (Nicolet) and third-place team (Whitefish Bay) from the North Shore Conference in the semifinals and finals, Guillermo and May advanced in convincing fashion.

“On the court we’re not trying to prove ourselves to each other,” Guillermo said. “We already know how good the other one is, so I think it’s more we’re trying to win collectively together versus who can be better.”

That’s a common theme for Marquette tennis, the three-time defending Division 1 state champion. Though the individual tournament is the one that arguably draws the most interest, it is the team tournament that has been the focus of the Hilltoppers program.

Guillermo and May along with senior Nick Yang led Marquette out of the state’s toughest sectional to earn their 12th straight team berth. The field of the Greendale Sectional at the Village Club also included fourth-ranked Nicolet and fifth-ranked Whitefish Bay, but neither came close to the top-ranked Hilltoppers. Marquette finished with 53 points, 20 better than second-place Bay, to win the sectional and the state berth that came with it.

In addition to their No. 1 doubles team and Yang, who took third at No. 1 singles, the Hilltoppers automatically qualified sophomore Joel Pan, who won No. 2 singles, and the No. 2 doubles team of juniors Jake Stockhausen and Teddy Brodzinski.

The top four finishers in Flight 1 singles and doubles automatically advanced as did the top finisher in Flight 2 singles and doubles. The WIAA will announce additional qualifiers this weekend, and a handful of Marquette players could be on the list.

The Hilltoppers always have a wealth of talent and this year most of it had to adjust to new roles. Guillermo is the only player who has the same spot in the lineup this year as he did last. May and Stockhausen made the switch from singles to doubles.

Days like Wednesday provided the payoff. Marquette won every flight except No. 1 singles and will again be the team to beat at team state June 8-9.

When you’re a Hilltopper, it’s the one and only state tournament that matters.

“It’s always team first. Coach (David) Frank is always stressing that even in individual state,” Yang said. “Just having your team up there cheering for you, that’s always a lot better than being there alone. The team aspect is always better than individual talent.”