Caribou boys and girls teams sport 7-0 records
CARIBOU, Maine — They are the kings and queens of the court — at least through the first seven matches of the regular season.
The Viking tennis teams are on a roll. Both own 7-0 records, which currently puts the girls in first place in Class B North and the boys in third with five matches left before the playoffs begin.
The girls have been especially dominant as they have played 35 individual matches and have not lost a single one. The boys have compiled an impressive 33-2 mark in individual matches.
“It’s been a pretty exciting year,” said John Habeeb, who coaches both squads and has been involved in the varsity program for over 25 years, notching over 200 career victories with each team.
“Both could go undefeated, but that will come down to May 21, 2016,” he added.
That is the date the John Bapst Crusaders pay a visit for a match that begins at 1 p.m. The Bapst squads are also sporting undefeated records and both are in second place in the division.
The Caribou girls are solid throughout the lineup. They return Gabrielle Marquis and Conner Spencer as singles players, while Ashley Matlock has been elevated to No. 3 singles after playing doubles a year ago.
Marquis, a sophomore, is back as the team’s No. 1 and Habeeb is impressed with her talent level.
“She has a very high ceiling,” he said. “She has a really good forehand and first serve, is in great shape and is such a competitor on the court.”
Habeeb expects Marquis, who will be the No. 1 seed in Saturday’s regional singles tourney to be played in Caribou, to be competitive in the upcoming state singles tournament this year and added that she should be a “real factor” in her two years to follow.
Spencer, a junior, plays second singles and “possesses all the shots,” according to her coach.
“If she gets to a ball, she can do something with it,” Habeeb said. “She is a very consistent player who wears opponents down.”
Sophomore Matlock is a tenacious player who has the ability to “put it in another gear if she needs to,” Habeeb said.
“She’s a very positive kid and is a great teammate who helps unify everybody on the team,” he added.
Sophomores Ciara Richards and Danielle Hanson play first doubles, while freshman Hailey Holmquist and sophomore Kyra Thibeault make up the No. 2 doubles combo.
Both Richards and Hanson are experienced doubles players and have great camaraderie on the court. Habeeb said both are three-sport athletes who possess solid all-around games.
Holmquist loves the game and it shows with the amount of time she spends on the court. Thibeault was a non-starter a year ago, but worked hard over the summer to earn the starting spot.
Sophomore Samantha Tourk and junior Heaven Melanson are the Viking reserves.
The Caribou boys lost two key singles players to graduation in Michael Marquis and Brendan Cyr, but have come back to post a brilliant start to the campaign.
The top eight is highly competitive and that has been evident during challenge matches held at practices which determine their spot on the team.
“Those have been good for us,” Habeeb said, “as all the kids are playing hard.”
Currently, the top three singles players, in order, are Ethan Plourde, Alec Cyr and Emerson Duplissie-Cyr.
Plourde, a senior, is called a great team leader by Habeeb.
“He’s really matured and fashions a solid all-around game,” Habeeb said, noting he should be the No. 2 seed at this weekend’s singles tourney behind only Fort Kent’s Ryan Chasse.
Cyr competed well in a recent regular season match against Chasse, taking four games, and has a good “motor.”
“He covers the court very well and can set up points and finishes with a good shot,” Habeeb said.
Duplissie-Cyr has moved up after playing No. 2 doubles in 2015. He began the season as the team’s No. 6 player but has moved his way up through the challenge matches.
“If you are an opponent and don’t have a weapon, he’s tough to beat,” Habeeb said.
Senior Austin Scott teams with freshman Gabriel Rand to form the No. 1 doubles team. Scott has plenty of experience and is a talented doubles player, while Rand loves the sport.
Junior Austin Cheplic played doubles with Scott a year ago and joins sophomore Bailey Griffeth on the second doubles duo. This is Griffeth’s first year as a varsity player.
Sophomore Seth Beidelman can start if needed and joins freshman Kyle Boucher as the Vikings’ substitutes.
Habeeb says the lineup is still very fluid. “It will takes some more practices to figure out who should be where,” he added.
The Caribou teams added to their win total by besting Presque Isle at home, Madawaska on the road and Washington Academy at home, during action last week. The Vikings take on Fort Kent for the second time this season Thursday, this time on the Warriors’ home court, and then the singles players will take part in the regional tourney at CHS Saturday.
