CARIBOU, Maine — The Caribou varsity tennis program’s track record in quarterfinal playoff matches over the years is stellar under veteran coach John Habeeb, and Thursday was no exception.
The Viking girls and boys both made it back into the Class B North semis by notching easy victories at home on an afternoon that reached nearly 90 degrees. The girls shut out No. 8 Belfast, 5-0, while the boys defeated seventh-ranked Brewer, 4-1.
Viking senior Gabrielle Marquis extends for a shot during her No. 1 singles match against Belfast’s Julia Cerone on Thursday. Marquis blanked Cerone, 6-0, 6-0, and Caribou posted a 5-0 victory to move on to the semifinals. (Kevin Sjoberg)
The top-seeded Caribou girls (13-0) will next play Hermon (9-4) at 1 p.m. Saturday, while the boys, ranked second and also with a 13-0 mark, will take on No. 3 Foxcroft Academy, also 13-0, at 2:45 p.m. Both contests will be held at the Caribou High School tennis courts.
The Viking girls remained perfect and the top two singles players set the tone by not giving up a single game. Gabrielle Marquis defeated Julia Cerone and Ashley Matlock stopped Samantha Hills by scores of 6-0, 6-0.
Hailey Holmquist faced a challenge in her third singles match, but still got past Alexia Sweet, 6-4, 6-4.
In doubles, the Viking duos posted easy wins. Madison Stratton and Ciara Richards knocked off Kristina Walker and Clarissa Stradtman, 6-0, 6-3; while Samantha Tourk and Kyra Thibeault overwhelmed Olivia LaRouche and Madison Farris, 6-1, 6-0.
Belfast finished the season with a 7-7 record.
For the boys, Caribou managed easy victories in singles by Parker Deprey and Gabe Rand, who each bested their Brewer opponents, Trevor Dugal and Max Raymond, by identical scores of 6-0, 6-1.
The doubles duos for the Vikes also were impressive in coming through with wins. Bailey Griffeth and Sawyer Deprey took their match in straight sets over Justin Ripley and Josh Demaso, 6-1, 6-3; while Emerson Duplissie-Cyr and Seth Beidelman breezed past Connor Bell and Richard Freedman, 6-1, 6-0.
Griffeth said the heat was a factor but noted not having to travel three hours on a bus was a benefit. Griffeth said that he and Deprey have come together well, in both Thursday’s match and throughout the season.
“You have to learn how the other guy plays and learn to adjust to one another,” said Griffeth. “It’s really about chemistry. Sawyer has always been more of a singles player and I have always played doubles, so it has taken some time. But once those adjustments are made, you can be unstoppable.”
Viking senior Ashley Matlock smiles as she tries in vain to chase down a shot made by her Belfast opponent, Samantha Hills, during Thursday’s quarterfinal tennis match played at Caribou High School. Matlock still won, 6-0, 6-0, and her team advanced to the semifinals against Hermon on Saturday. (Kevin Sjoberg)
Alec Cyr, who missed the final portion of the regular season due to an ankle injury, returned and battled the Witches’ Trey Baker in second singles, but fell in a lengthy three-set match. Baker prevailed, 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5).
Parker Deprey said a healthy Cyr is one of the keys for the senior-laden Vikings to make a long playoff run. Last year’s team was ousted in the semifinal round by Waterville.
“We have four seniors (Cyr, Griffeth, Duplissie-Cyr and Beidelman), so it’s definitely scary as we want to advance as far as we can in their final season,” Deprey said.
Brewer, which beat Presque Isle in the preliminary round two days earlier, ended up with a 9-5 record.
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- Senior doubles player Bailey Griffeth hits a forehand during Caribou’s quarterfinal match against Brewer Thursday. (Kevin Sjoberg)
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- Caribou sophomore Parker Deprey, left, shakes hands with Brewer’s Trevor Dugal after their match during the quarterfinal in Caribou Thursday. Deprey won, 6-0, 6-1. (Kevin Sjoberg)
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- Gabe Rand of the Vikings hits a volley during his No. 3 singles match Thursday in the Class B North quarterfinal against Brewer. (Kevin Sjoberg)
