Schuck on a Truck: QND’s Cucuk discusses return to state tennis tournament

QUINCY — Marko Cucuk understands the competition intensifies this week. Still, the Quincy Notre Dame tennis player is heading to the Class 1A state tournament on quite a roll.

The recent QND graduate, who is making his third straight tournament appearance in the singles draw, won the singles bracket at the Class 1A Chatham Glenwood Sectional, losing just seven games over the course of four matches. He beat Glenwood’s Ubaydah Mahmood 6-2, 6-2 in the championship match.

Cucuk is seeded 13th in the singles draw at the state tournament, which begins Thursday in the Chicagoland suburbs with Palatine High School as the host site. He will face Chicago Brother Rice sophomore Dominic Leodoro in his opening match at Wheeling High School.

Before heading to the Windy City, Cucuk joined Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman on the tailgate of his pickup to discuss his tennis career, work ethic and the tight-knit group of friends he has at QND for this episode of “Schuck on a Truck,” brought to you by Area Distributors.