Olivia Cutone, Kennebunk freshman: Although she didn’t play in the singles state tournament, Cutone was clearly the state’s best tennis player. She led the Rams to a 16-0 season and the Class A state championship. At No. 1 singles, she never dropped a set and rarely even lost a game, finishing with a games record of 144-2.
Abby Emerson, Gorham senior: A repeat selection, Emerson went 10-0 at No. 1 singles for Gorham to lead the Rams to the Class A South semifinals. She reached the quarterfinals of the state singles tournament as the third seed. She plans to continue her tennis career at the University of Southern Maine, where she plans to study biology.
Lidia Gomez, Maine Central Institute senior: An international student from Cáseres in western Spain, Gomez won every set she played in her two seasons in Maine. This spring, she rolled through the MPA singles state tournament, culminating in a 6-4, 6-3 championship victory over Brunswick sophomore Coco Meserve.
Jenna Lederer, Portland senior: In her second year playing No. 1 singles for the Bulldogs, Lederer went 7-3 in the regular season. As the 10th seed in the MPA singles tournament, she reached the quarterfinals before falling to runner-up Coco Meserve. Lederer plans to attend Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla.
Coco Meserve, Brunswick sophomore: Meserve was 7-0 in team competition during the regular season, leading the Dragons to a runner-up finish in Class A. Seeded second in the state singles tournament, she earned a berth in the finals thanks to a three-hour 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Fabienne Nowak of Piscataquis.
Mya Vincent, Edward Little junior: Vincent guided the Red Eddies to the Class A North quarterfinals. Her only individual losses came against state singles tournament champion Lidia Gomez of MCI and runner-up Coco Meserve of Brunswick. Seeded fifth, Vincent reached the singles semifinals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Amber Woods.
Amber Woods, Scarborough junior: Woods guided the Red Storm to a 12-0 regular season and went 9-3 in team play, losing only to Abby Emerson of Gorham and Jenna Lederer of Portland. Seeded fourth in the singles tournament, Woods advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to the fifth seed, Mya Vincent.
Sadie Yentsch, Kennebunk senior: The arrival of Cutone dropped Yentsch to No. 2 singles, where she went 15-1 to help the Rams win the Class A state title. As the eighth seed in the singles tournament, Yentsch reached the quarterfinals before falling to top seed Lidia Gomez. Yentsch plans to enroll at San Diego State University in the fall.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jacqui Holmes, Kennebunk
In her sixth year as head coach, Holmes guided the Rams to a 16-0 record and Class A state championship, and also opposing coaches voted to award Kennebunk the regional sportsmanship banner. All four doubles players are seniors who took up the sport as freshmen, gradually working their way into the varsity lineup. “We talk a lot about supporting each other even if you’re not playing or you’re waiting to play and they have embraced it,” said Holmes, who doesn’t cut anyone, and as a result had 33 girls in her program.
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