GIRLS
1. Falmouth: The winning streak stands at 157 consecutive matches, a span that includes six state titles in Class B and the last four in Class A. Moving from the Western Maine Conference to the SMAA means an entirely new challenge in the regular season. Sophomore Meredith Kelley rises one spot to No. 1 singles. The only others back from last spring’s top seven are senior Grace Dimick and junior Maddy Joyce, who moves up from second to first doubles. Sophomore Sara Fallon and senior Alston Armstrong fill out the singles lineup. Depth is never an issue at Falmouth. Juniors Emma Cohen, Sydney Pearl and Daisy Parker are all in the doubles mix.
2. Greely: Since Falmouth departed Class B four years ago, the Rangers have won three state titles. They gave Falmouth a scare last spring, losing 3-2, but also survived a match point against Cape Elizabeth in their playoff run. Joining sisters Izzy and Paige Evans in singles will be junior Jordan Bryant, who played first doubles. Her former partner, senior Katie Steinberg, is out with a knee injury. In doubles, junior Kaitlyn Thompson returns. Senior Natalie Giroux, juniors Taylor Meredith-Pickett and Katy Ray and sophomore Kristin Kendall are competing to join Thompson.
3. Thornton Academy: The Trojans are coming off a 14-1 season in which they reached the Class A South finals before falling 4-1 to Falmouth in a match where all but second doubles was competitive. Four of the top seven return, led by senior Emma Nassif and junior Brianna Paul in singles. Junior Cordelia Perry, who played first doubles, moves up to No. 2 singles. Senior Ky Nguyen returns to doubles, and former assistant Ian Purvis takes over as head coach from Dan Frost.
4. Cape Elizabeth: The fourth-seeded Capers had a match point against top seed and eventual champion Greely in the Class B South semifinals last spring, only to have it slip away in a 3-2 loss. “Now we have more experience in tough matches,” Coach Sarah Boeckel said. “I have athletes who will dig points out.” Senior Katie Gilman, a second-team all-conference player at second singles, moves up to No. 1. Sophomore Isa Berman and freshman Blair Hollyday join Gilman in singles. Seniors Bridget Brett and Erin O’Rourke return at first doubles. Boeckel has at least four solid options at second doubles.
5. Kennebunk/Wells: The co-op team is coming off a 4-8 season and its first tournament berth, but having the Campanella sisters in the top two singles slots – sophomore Grace at No. 1 and two-time singles tournament finalist Rosemary at No. 2 – is close to a guaranteed two points in every match. The challenge for Coach Jacqui Holmes will be finding one more point among third singles, where junior Amelia Nelson returns, and doubles, which are likely to include juniors Emma Chestnut and Hannah Marquis and sophomore Virginia Kirn, all of them new to the lineup. “We have 20 girls who all have a lot of energy and are very eager to learn,” Holmes said.
BOYS
1. Falmouth: The defending Class A state champions lost four players to graduation from their unbeaten team last spring, but their top two singles players return. Junior Nick Forester and senior Alex Klemperer are the lowest returning seeds from the singles state tournament, at three and four. Joining them at No. 3 singles is promising freshman Matt Ray, the younger brother of Betty Blakeman runner-up Caroline Ray. Senior Matt Adamowicz is the only doubles veteran. Some mix of juniors Calvin Spencer and Jake Leavitt, sophomore Nick Shapiro and freshmen Jack Forester and Aiden Hendry will fill out the doubles lineup.
2. Waynflete: The Flyers have won 10 straight Class C state titles and show no signs of faltering, with five of their top seven returning. Junior Thorne Kieffer (12-2 in team play) and senior Jacob Greene (15-0), both of whom have had success in the state singles tournament, move up from second and third singles to the top two spots. Seniors Shuhao Liu and Nick Wagg (who played first doubles last spring) will compete for No. 3 singles along with freshmen Aidan Kieffer and Ben Adey. Juniors Cooper Sherman, Chris Register and Ben Lualdi are all vying for spots in the doubles lineup.
3. Camden Hills: The Windjammers are coming off a 16-0 season culminating in a Class B state championship. The good news is that the entire doubles lineup returns. The bad news is that graduation claimed all three singles players. Oh, and the team is also moving up to Class A this spring. “I really have no idea what to expect from the A teams in the North,” Coach Noah Capetta said. Senior Cooper Russell moves up from first doubles to first singles. Classmate Noah Heidorn and junior Charlie O’Brien fill out singles. Junior Henry Cooper and sophomore David Poutasse return at doubles.
4. Thornton Academy: The Trojans are coming off a 14-1 season that ended in a 3-2 loss to Falmouth in the Class A South finals, decided by a three-setter at No. 2 singles. Senior Jack Xiao moves up from third to first singles because junior Dariy Vykhodtsev, a runner-up and semifinalist in two years of the state singles tournament, decided not to play this spring. Seniors Asher Thompson, Adam Lovejoy and Jon Ma and junior Caleb Richard all have experience in doubles, and two will be tabbed to fill out the singles lineup.
5. Portland: The Bulldogs must replace two singles spots after an impressive 12-2 season that ended in the Class A South semifinal round against eventual champion Falmouth. Quinn Clarke, a versatile and athletic senior, moves up to No. 1 singles. Classmates Dana Hinchcliffe and Jack Kovarik are likely to fill in at second and third singles. Fellow seniors Sam Mermin and Ian McCallum will play first doubles. Junior John Moran and senior Nicola Sacco are penciled in at second doubles, but seniors Reed Foehl and John Adamo are also in contention.
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