The Presque Isle Wildcats had to overcome some adversity, but both the girls and boys still managed to make the playoffs.
The PI girls played the entire season without a second doubles team due to a lack of numbers, so they had to forfeit an individual match every time out. The PI boys had an inexperienced roster after two players graduated and three others, including the No. 1 singles player, opted not to return.
Still, the Wildcat girls earned the 11th seed with their 6-6 record and veteran coach Monica Bearden continued her career-long streak of reaching the post-season. Presque Isle met up against sixth-ranked MDI Trojans (9-3) Tuesday in a preliminary playoff game. The teams met on May 16, with MDI picking up a 5-0 victory.
The winner plays in Bangor at No. 3 John Bapst Thursday in the quarters.
The Presque Isle boys went 7-5, good enough for seventh seed. They hosted No. 10 Medomak Valley of Waldoboro Tuesday in the prelim round. The teams did not meet during the regular season.
No. 2 Camden Hills will host the winner of the PI-Medomak Valley match in the quarterfinals round Thursday.
Both Wildcat teams closed the regular season with 5-0 losses to Caribou last Tuesday, May 23 at UMPI.
In the state singles tournament held Friday and Saturday, PI sophomore Andre Daigle was able to win his opening-round match over Rudi Schnetzer of Belfast in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. In the second round, he was beaten by 10th-seed Conor Doane of Deering, 6-2, 6-3.
Sarah Morneault, the Wildcats’ senior, was beaten in the first round by Mattanawcook Academy’s Natalie Tilton in a three-setter, 6-0, 6-7 (5-7) and 6-4.
