Following their successful regular seasons, the Viking tennis teams drew byes and earned the right to host Class B North quarterfinal matches Thursday.
In fact, the Caribou girls are ranked first in the division after accumulating a 12-0 record. They will play the winner of Tuesday’s preliminary playoff game between No. 8 Erskine Academy of South China (5-7) and No. 9 Ellsworth (7-5).
The Vikings shut out Ellsworth, 5-0, way back on April 20. They do not play Erskine during the regular season.
The Caribou boys are ranked fourth after going 11-1. They entertain No. 5 Winslow (9-3) Thursday. The two teams did not meet during the season.
If either or both Viking teams win Thursday, the semifinal round is set for Saturday, with the finals on Tuesday at UM-Orono.
The Vikings swept Presque Isle in road matches played last Tuesday, May 24 at UMPI.
In the girls’ 5-0 victory, Gabrielle Marquis beat Michelle Cawley in first singles, 8-1, while Conner Spencer and Ashley Matlock each recorded 8-0 triumphs over Sarah Morneault and Sedona Lucas, respectively, in the other singles matches.
Ciara Richards and Danielle Hanson doubled up on PI’s Miranda Bragan and Anna Robinson, 8-4, in No. 1 doubles, while Hailey Holmquist and Kyra Thibeault blanked Emily Colligan and Ellie Goheen, 8-0.
The Caribou boys claimed a 4-1 win as Ethan Plourde bested Denny Young in first singles, 8-2, and Alec Cyr tripped up Byron Winslow in second singles, 8-4.
The Vikings’ top doubles team of Austin Scott and Bailey Griffeth stopped Colin Daigle and Jordan Bonville, 8-4, and the No. 2 doubles team of Austin Cheplic and Gabe Rand also prevailed, topping Mason Young and Tyler Ayotte, 8-1.
Caribou’s only loss came in third singles as Emerson Duplissie-Cyr fell to PI’s Andre Daigle, 8-3.
Several Viking players competed in the state singles tournament, which began Friday in Portland.
Advancing into the Round of 16 was Marquis. The sophomore was seeded 10th, drew a first-round bye, and then outlasted Lucinda Wingert of PCHS, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, in the second round.
On Saturday in Lewiston, she had to play No. 7 Caroline Ray of Falmouth and came up short, 6-1, 6-0.
Spencer won her first-round match after Waynflete’s Chase Warner retired when it was 1-1 in the first set. She then lost to No. 12 Jana Spieker of Camden Hills, 6-2, 6-1.
Matlock of Caribou went down in the first round against Lewiston’s Alanna Taylor, 6-4, 6-2.
In boys’ action, Cyr picked up a victory in a first-round match. He bounced back after losing the first set and won the third in a tie-breaker. The scores were 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5). That put him into the second round against Fort Kent’s Ryan Chasse, the No. 7 seed, who blanked Cyr, 6-0, 6-0.
Plourde drew a first-round bye but was vanquished in the second by Thornton Academy’s Viktor Schwarz, 6-0, 6-0.
