The cumulative score of Southern Maine boys regional tennis championships in three different enrollment classifications Monday was 14-1.
Oh, but what a 1.
Following dominant 5-0 victories in Class C (No. 2 Waynflete swept No. 4 Carrabec) and Class B (No. 1 Yarmouth swept No. 2. Lincoln Academy in a battle of unbeatens), top-seeded Falmouth unseated two-time defending state champion and No. 2 Kennebunk, 4-1.
The lone Rams victory came in a No. 1 singles match featuring the two players who have won the past three singles state titles. Junior George Cutone of Kennebunk knocked off current state champ Xander Barber, 6-3, 6-4, in a thrilling, high-quality match that left spectators with mouths open at the pace and power on display.
“I think that’s probably one of the best Maine high school tennis matches we’re going to see,” said Paul Gaylord, the Kennebunk coach.
In Wednesday’s state finals, Falmouth (15-0) will face Skowhegan (15-0) in Class A, Yarmouth (15-0) will take on Foxcroft Academy (14-1) in Class B and 14-time defending state champion Waynflete (12-2) will face Orono (15-0) in Class C.
Tournament organizers will decided Tuesday afternoon whether to keep the state title matches at Bates College in Lewiston or return inside at Apex on Wednesday. Because of inclement weather, all Monday’s matches were played inside Apex Racket & Fitness in Portland.
Waynflete led off the day by dropping only two games outside of the No. 1 singles match, where senior Henry Kerr outlasted Carrabec senior Luke Carey 6-3, 7-5.
“You feel it a little bit,” Kerr said of the pressure to extend the longest team-sport championship in Maine high school history. “We try not to talk about it and just take each match as it comes.”
Sophomore Theo Demetriou and senior Matt Adey posted singles shutouts. In doubles, juniors Max Shurman and Basil DiBenedetto won 6-1, 6-0 – same score as the one posted by teammates Jeff Adey and Charlie DiNapoli at second doubles.
“We are fortunate to have eight good ball-strikers,” Waynflete Coach Jeff Madore said. “But you’ve got to know three things: how to hit the ball, where to hit the ball and where to move after you hit the ball.”
In Class B, three-time defending state champion Yarmouth won every set against Lincoln Academy, with senior Quinn Federle wrapping things up 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1 singles against athletic junior Casey Duncan.
“Me and three other seniors got in at 2 a.m. last night, so I’m a little tired and I’ve been a little sick,” Federle said. “It was a little tough. Just trying to play my best and stay focused.”
Nearly all the seniors playing were running on fumes because of Project Graduation celebrations that began Sunday night and extended into the wee hours of Monday morning. The Yarmouth matches not involving seniors went quickly, with sophomore Andre Violette winning 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2 singles and junior Andi Cobaj winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles.
Seniors Will Best and Ethan Lombard (6-2, 6-0 at first doubles) and Nate Hagedorn (who teamed with freshman Alexander Gordon to win 6-4, 6-1 at second doubles) all prevailed after Sunday’s pomp and circumstance.
Barber, of Falmouth, was also running on little sleep after his own graduation Sunday, but said that was not an excuse Monday evening.
“I’m not taking anything away from him,” Barber said. “He played well. Obviously I could have done some different things, played better, but he played smart against me.”
Falmouth won quickly at No. 3 singles (Charlie Wolak 6-2, 6-0) and second doubles (Karl Chamberlain and Eli Sidhu 6-0, 6-0) before juniors Daniel Kim and Raymond Li pinned the season’s first defeat on Kennebunk’s Jaxon Redmond and Matt Durcan, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at first doubles to clinch.
Falmouth sophomore Sam Yoon edged Kennebunk freshman Alberto Cutone 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) at No. 2 singles to leave everyone watching George Cutone and Barber slug it out.
“It feels good,” Cutone said. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while. It feels like I’m about to cramp physically. My legs are twitching. I literally put everything I had into that match.”
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