Tennis team drops tough match,
ends up EM runners-up
WATERVILLE — Only a couple points separated the Presque Isle boys’ varsity tennis team from an Eastern Maine Class B championship.
The Wildcats came close to knocking off No. 1 and undefeated Ellsworth last Wednesday in the title match played at Colby College. PI lost, 3-2, and in the deciding match was close to pulling off a victory before falling just short.
Photo by Ron Hawkes/MSRPhotos.com
MATCH WINNER – Emerson Castro hits a shot during the post-season. Presque Isle’s No. 3 singles player beat Tyler Beardsley of Ellsworth in last Wednesday’s regional championship match in Waterville.
“I give credit to the second doubles teams on both sides,” said second-year Wildcat coach Sam Picard. “All eyes were on them through the second and third sets. Our guys gave it their all, but just came up short.
“I couldn’t have been prouder of them and the whole team.”
In that doubles match, it was the PI duo of Brock Cassidy and Mike Picard falling to Ellsworth’s Dustin Murphy and Luc Victor. The set scores were 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) and 6-4.
The Wildcats’ victories came in No. 2 and No. 3 singles. Connor Shaw beat Dillon Toothaker, 6-3, 6-2, while Emerson Castro downed Tyler Beardsley, 7-5, 6-3. Castro was defeated by Beardsley when the two met during the regular season.
In first singles, Caleb Mathers lost to Tyler Small, 6-1, 6-0, and in No. 1 doubles, Osman Castro and Andrew Legassie fell in straight sets to Brandan Albee and Adam Toothaker, 6-2, 6-2.
Coach Picard said despite the loss, it was a tremendous season for the Wildcats, which finished with a 13-2 record.
“I had previously thought that the 2009 team that made it into the Eastern Maine finals was the best team PI had fielded,” he said, “but these guys proved me wrong and it was because of our strong senior group of Caleb, Emerson, Brock, Andrew and Mike – they were great all year.”
Mathers and Emerson Castro both finished with 13-2 records in singles play, while Shaw ended up 14-1 on the season.
The first doubles team, which at times Cassidy also competed, went 13-2. The No. 2 doubles team, which also had Legassie and Liam Hughes in the mix, also held a 13-2 record.
The Wildcats’ lone team loss on the season came very early on as Ellsworth defeated Presque Isle, 4-1.
