Wildcat boys tennis coach
looking for many wins this spring
By Jon Gulliver
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Despite only having two of his top seven players back from a team that went to the Eastern Maine Class B final last spring, Presque Isle tennis coach Sam Picard is still optimistic about this coming season.
BIG SERVE — Senior Osman Castro looks to hold down the No. 2 singles spot for the Presque Isle High School tennis team this spring. 
There are 11 boys on the roster this year. Seniors Conner Shaw and Osman Castro are back at the top of the ladder. Last year Shaw went 18-1 as the second singles player. This year in the top spot coach Picard is hoping for continued success. Castro moves up to second singles from first doubles last year. Sophomore Liam Heughes is slotted for third singles.
The doubles pairings will be switched up to see who plays better with whom. As of this week, first doubles will be manned by sophomore Drew Barrett and freshman Chris Carroll. Second doubles will be sophomore Mike Michaud and junior Freeman Short.
Also on the roster are senior Quinn Graves, sophomores Garrett Kidney and Andrew Dyer and freshman Clint Adler.
This preseason the Wildcats have been running fewer drills and playing more matches, but when it comes to some parts of the game Picard’s methods shift.
“I have no reservations when it comes to things that require repetition, such as serves, about having the players take a hopper and serve for the entirety of the practice,” the third-year coach said.
“Depending on who the Class B teams we play this year look, there is no reason we couldn’t potentially have a perfect regular season,” Picard said. “I would expect us to win at least 75 percent of matches this year, but I would like a lot more. We just need to be focused on improving during the season because of the lack of play that we get during the winter.”
Picard says the Presque Isle boys have made it to the post season for at least the past eight years and possibly longer.
The Wildcats open up their season on the road on Thursday, April 26 for a 3:30 p.m. match with Caribou. Their first home contest will be Saturday, April 28 at noon against MDI.
