PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The appearance of Wildcat teams in the high school tennis playoffs was short lived.
Both the Presque Isle girls and boys were defeated in the preliminary round of the Class B North playoffs Tuesday, May 29.
The Wildcat girls fell to No. 10 Foxcroft Academy at home by a score of 3-2. Winning individual matches for PI, the seventh seed, were Hana Boucher in first singles and the No. 1 doubles team of Gaby Haley and Jenna Ouellette.
Anna Robinson of the Wildcats hits a forehand during her third singles match Tuesday, May 29, in the home prelim matchup against Foxcroft Academy.
(Kevin Sjoberg)
Boucher handled Emily Curtis, 6-1, 6-1, while Haley and Ouellette stopped Cheyanne Skomars and Helena Salzmann in a pair of close sets, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3).
Foxcroft picked up a forfeit victory in second doubles, with Aaliyah Ellis and Emelia Grant winning uncontested. Also, Olivia Wesley of the Ponies came from behind to defeat Miranda Bragan in No. 2 singles, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, while Foxcroft’s Avery Nelson bested Anna Robinson, 6-4, 6-3, in third singles.
“Even though we lost in a tough prelim match, I am very proud of the team’s performance and sportsmanship,” said PI coach Monica Bearden, whose team finished with a 6-7 record. “They have demonstrated an excellent work ethic along with a positive attitude all season long, and that’s what every coach strives for out of their players.”
The Ponies, now 5-8, will take on No. 2 John Bapst (11-1) in the quarterfinal round at the Armstrong Tennis Center in Bangor Thursday.
The PI boys made the trip to Brewer and were beaten, 4-1. The Wildcats’ Jordan Bonville managed the team’s only win on the day in third singles as he got past Max Raymond in a three-setter, 7-6 (10-8), 3-6, 6-4.
The Witches’ Trevor Dugal won in three sets over Andre Daigle in No. 1 singles, 6-4, 1-6, 3-6. In the second singles match, Brewer’s Trey Baker stopped Mason Young, 6-4, 6-2.
Conner Bell and Rick Freelow won in first doubles for Brewer, edging Gage Young and Austin Moreau, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6). The Witches won in No. 2 doubles by forfeit.
“It was a match that could have easily went in our favor,” said Brian Massey, the Wildcats’ coach. “It was just a few key moments in each of the games that went one way versus the other way. The loss of a second doubles team puts a ton of pressure on a team to win 75 percent of its matches, and that is tough psychologically.”
The Wildcats, seeded 10th, finished their season at 7-6. Brewer, at No. 7 and now with a 9-4 record, will play at No. 2 Caribou in a Thursday quarterfinal match.
Massey said he was proud of the way his team fought all season long.
Hana Boucher of the Wildcats hits a serve during the first singles match in the Tuesday, May 29, preliminary playoff against Foxcroft Academy, played at UMPI. (Kevin Sjoberg)
“I am pleased that despite adversity, the guys never got down on each other,” Massey said. “We always seemed to rally for each other when our backs were against the wall.”
