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| Staff photo/Joseph Cyr Caribou doubles player Brendan Cyr eyes the ball as he gets ready to make a return during his team’s match last Tuesday at Houlton. |
By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
CARIBOU — In his 25 previous seasons as the head coach, John Habeeb’s girls’ and boys’ tennis teams at Caribou High School have missed out in qualifying for the playoffs only three times. One of those occasions was last year as the boys’ team won just twice in 12 matches.
It’s certainly looking like both Viking teams are on their way back into the post-season through the first half of the season. The boys are having a bounce-back season as evidenced by their 6-0 mark and No. 2 seeding in the Eastern Maine Class B Heal Point standings. The girls have shaken off a slow start by winning their last three matches en route to their 4-2 record.
The teams were back in action Tuesday when they hosted Presque Isle, the team they opened the season with on the road April 25, with the boys winning, 5-0, and the girls falling, 3-2.
Habeeb said he learned a great deal about both the boys’ and girls’ squads during an April 27 road trip to Ellsworth.
“It was a long day as we left at seven o’clock in the morning and didn’t get back until after midnight and we were on the court for around seven hours,” Habeeb said.
The Caribou boys were able to come out on top in a pair of tight matches, while the girls were able to gain a split against an Eagle team that is currently atop the standings with a 6-1 mark.
“What they accomplished said a lot about this group,” said the veteran coach, “plus we had to play back-to-back road matches early the next week and won them all.”
The Viking boys are currently No. 2 behind Mount Desert Island, and Habeeb predicts the two teams will have a tough fight for the top spot.
Caribou starts a freshman at first singles in Ethan Plourde. Although he is off to a 2-4 start, he has played against some great competition. “Ethan is a good player with a lot of skills and just needs to put it all together,” Habeeb said.
At second singles is sophomore Michael Marquis, who was the top singles player on last year’s team and earned team MVP honors. He holds a record of 4-2 so far. “Michael is consistent and smart and is a team leader,” said the coach, who added Marquis’ biggest victory came in one of the matches against Ellsworth as it broke a 2-2 deadlock and gave his team the win.
Zachary Gorence, a senior with a 4-2 mark, has been elevated to No. 3 singles after serving as a doubles player each of the last two seasons. “Zach is a guy who since age 10 has never missed playing rec tennis in the summer and has never missed playing in the County tournaments,” Habeeb said. “He’s really into the game, is smart and hits the ball with a lot of spin.”
The first doubles team is made up of sophomore Brendan Cyr and senior Tyler Willey. Cyr did not play last year due to a broken leg, while Willey played singles most of last season and is a four-year player. The two have combined for a 6-0 record and are “the anchor of the team,” according to Habeeb. “They really complement each other and are really starting to figure things out.”
The No. 2 doubles team is also a perfect 6-0 and is made up of senior Cameron Hill and freshman Gabe Massey. Hill played first doubles with Gorence in 2012 and has improved his conditioning over the off-season. Massey is a good athlete and all-around tennis player who has also played consistently during summer months since he was 9.
Freshman Austin Scott is Caribou’s lone substitute who will play in exhibitions and is ready to step in to the lineup in the event of injury or illness to one of the other seven players.
The Caribou girls are coming off a season in which they advanced all the way into the EM finals, only to lose to Waterville. Carlee Pinette and Katie Keaton were singles players on that team and have since graduated, but the Vikes are still finding a way to compete every time out.
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| Staff photo/Joseph Cyr Clara Collins of the Vikings hits a backhand during her team’s doubles match last Tuesday at Houlton. |
“We’re a solid team and actually are a handful of points from also being 6-0,” said Habeeb, who is once again assisted by Jane Hunter. “We’ve got good singles players, our doubles teams are decent and as a team, we have played well so far.”
Senior Ashley Richards, who qualified for the state individual tournament last year, has earned the No. 1 singles position and is off to a 6-0 start. She is a four-year player who played doubles her first two seasons before playing singles in 2012. “Ashley is really steady from the baseline and is a good server who covers the court well,” Habeeb said.
Alexa Massey, another senior, played third singles in the Vikings’ first five matches this season, but moved up to No. 2 singles Friday against Fort Kent and is also undefeated. She played doubles her first three seasons and is rated “a solid player” by Habeeb and one who excels in clutch situations.
Erin Patton, a sophomore, is the third singles player. She lost her first three matches but has rebounded to win three in a row. She played on the No. 1 doubles team with Massey last year and is “very competitive and very positive,” according to Habeeb.
The first doubles team of junior Clara Collins and senior Emma Duplissie-Cyr were last year’s second doubles tandem. They are currently 4-2 and have experience and excellent camaraderie.
The No. 2 duo of sophomore Makayla Bouchard and freshman Anna Soderberg is 3-3 and both are new to starting as Bouchard was a substitute last season and Soderberg was a middle school player. “They are really starting to gain confidence,” Habeeb said.
Sophomore Brianna Judd, a transfer from Arizona, is the team’s eighth player.
