Sports Reporter
The outdoor tennis season started significantly later than usual for the Presque Isle squads, as the April weather forced the teams to practice in the gymnasium for a much longer length of time.
“We were spoiled last preseason because the weather was great and we got to be on the courts the first of April,” said Wildcat girls coach Monica Bearden. “It’s really tough to practice inside because there isn’t anything realistic about playing tennis in the gym.
Even when the team was able to get outside during April vacation, “the girls played with mittens and winter hats on and we had to end practice early one day due to the heavy snowfall,” according to Bearden.
Second-year boys coach Sam Picard concurred.
“The preseason was terrible,” he said. “The lack of practice was obvious in our first match (April 23) against Ellsworth. They had weeks of indoor court practice, compared to about five court practices that we had outside.”
Both teams now have six regular-season matches under their belts, as the boys overcame that opening-match loss to Ellsworth to win five in a row while the girls took a 3-3 mark into today’s match at Caribou.
An early-season look at both the boys and girls teams at Presque Isle follows:
Presque Isle boys
The fast start by Picard’s team is no accident, as he fully anticipates a successful season with a team that has five of last year’s starters back in the fold.
Last year’s team made it into the Eastern Maine Class B semifinals before losing to Camden Hills in a close match. He said this year should be even better.
“I see an Eastern Maine championship in this team,” Picard said, “and I have no doubt this team is going to do everything it can to get there.”
Senior Caleb Mathers and junior Connor Shaw are the Wildcats’ top two singles players and are also considered among the best in Eastern Maine.
Mathers should be the top seed in this Saturday’s regional singles state qualifying tournament after being seeded 12th in the state as a junior.
“He’s a great player and extremely smart,” Picard said. “He is a guaranteed win at his position against all but the most elite in the state.”
Shaw will be another high seed in the upcoming singles tourney and is considered by Picard to be the best No. 2 player in the region.
“I can always count on him for a win,” Picard said.
Moving into the third singles slot for the Wildcats after playing doubles a year ago is senior Emerson Castro. Picard likes the improvement he has demonstrated over his career and feels he will be a reliable singles player.
The team’s four doubles players are all close in ability, but Picard is beginning the season pairing junior Osman Castro with senior Brock Cassidy in No. 1 doubles and Mike Picard, a senior and the coach’s brother, with senior Andrew Legassie in No. 2 doubles.
“The doubles teams could change around during the season, but either way doubles will be a strong aspect of this team,” said coach Picard.
With five seniors among the top seven, Picard is keeping a larger roster this year to help prepare for future seasons. Sophomore Drew Barrett, freshman Liam Hughes, senior Jake Plissey, freshman Mike Michaud, freshman Zachary Breton, junior Quinn Graves, sophomore Nnaduzie Nnazor and sophomore Freeman Short will make up the exhibition lineup.
Presque Isle girls
The Wildcat girls have had to re-shuffle its lineup after losing two singles players (Kailee Ireland and Madelyn Carson) and a doubles player (Deidre Dicker) to graduation.
“Their experience and leadership will be missed,” Bearden said.
Presque Isle went 9-3 and made the playoffs in 2010, falling to No. 1 Camden Hills in the quarterfinals.
Junior Dani Wolland will be the No. 1 singles player this year after holding down the second slot last season. She possesses solid ground strokes, according to Bearden, and has worked on her game in the off-season by taking lessons in Bangor.
Divya Bisht and Lindsay Michaud, both seniors, are the new singles players after having played each of the last three seasons.
Melissa Carson, a junior, will team with junior Elise Jones in first doubles. Carson played second doubles in 2010, while Jones was on the team as a non-starter.
The No. 2 doubles team consists of sophomore Kayla Girardin, with three others fighting to become Girardin’s partner in junior Chelsey Carroll and freshmaen Sara Gilson and Blair Bailey. Bearden expects all three to battle for the start throughout the season.
Also on the team are sophomore Chloe Rossignol and freshmen Lora Ireland and Hannah Stoutamyer.
“With a totally new lineup, I would be pleased if we broke .500 and are able to make the playoffs,” Bearden said.
“Whether we win or lose as individuals or as a team, we will also grow in experience and I expect our improvement to continue.”
