Presque Isle boys tennis team
to meet Caribou in quarters
By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
The Presque Isle Wildcat boys will take the No. 3 seed into the Eastern Maine Class B tennis playoffs, which get under way with the quarterfinal round Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
The Wildcats of coach Sam Picard, with an 11-1 record, will host sixth-seeded Caribou. Presque Isle swept the Vikes during the regular season by identical 5-0 scores.
PI’s only loss of the season came in its opening match at Ellsworth April 23. Since then, the team has reeled off 11 consecutive victories and has dropped only one set along the way. Ellsworth is ranked first in the division at 12-0, followed by Camden Hills, also with a 12-0 record.
If the Wildcats win Thursday, they will either travel to take on Camden Hills or host Old Town Monday in the semifinal round. The Eastern Maine championship will be played next Wednesday at Colby College in Waterville.
The ’Cats were victorious in their final match of the season, held last Wednesday at Fort Kent. In singles, PI’s Caleb Mathers picked up an 8-1 win over Isaac Mitchell, Connor Shaw was an 8-2 winner of Logan Doak and Emerson Castro won by forfeit.
The first doubles team of Osman Castro and Andrew Legassie beat Lance Jandreau and Alex Chasse, 8-3, while the No. 2 doubles team of Brock Cassidy and Liam Hughes bested Lucas Woodward and Sam Albert, 8-2.
The Presque Isle girls were just edged out of a playoff berth. Coach Monica Bearden’s team finished with a 7-5 record, but placed ninth in the 15-team division. Only the top eight teams advanced into the post-season.
Rockland, John Bapst and Belfast, who all also finished with 7-5 marks, placed sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, in the final standings. Camden Hills takes the No. 1 seed with a 12-0 record.
In their final regular season match, the Wildcats were beaten at Fort Kent, 3-2.
PI’s wins came in third singles, with Divya Bisht defeating Roxy Pelletier, 8-3; and in first doubles, with Elise Jones and Melissa Carson teaming up for an 8-5 win over Abby Stevens and Kiera Caron.
Dani Wolland of the ’Cats was stopped by FK’s Becca Martin in first singles, 8-1, while Lindsay Michaud of PI lost her second singles match to Carissa Pelletier, 8-1.
In second doubles, Victoria Bernard and Lauren Doak of Fort Kent topped Chelsey Carroll and Kayla Girardin, 8-5.
Results of the state singles tournament, scheduled to begin Monday, were not available at press time. Wolland, Mathers, Shaw and Emerson Castro all were scheduled to compete in the event, which was being held at Bates College in Lewiston.
