’Cat tennis teams hope to challenge
Preview
After early exits from the tournament for the boys’ and girls’ varsity tennis teams last season, both are looking to improve and get deeper into the playoffs. The girls’ team was defeated 3-2 in the preliminary round, while the boys’ team lost 0-5 to the eventual Eastern Maine Class B champion Ellsworth squad.
Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg
PRESQUE ISLE’S Chase Norton returns a shot during Thursday’s match against Caribou. 
Norton lost this match, but was the only Wildcat to record victories on Saturday against MDI.
On the girls’ side, Coach Monica Bearden has 10 years of coaching experience which includes the last four in her current role with the varisty girls. She recognizes that it is a challenging job to get her team up to the level of competition of the opponents on her schedule.
“Caribou and Mount Desert Island are always very difficult matches. They have a long tradition of excellent programs. County teams Madawaska and Fort Kent are also tough, point-worthy teams.”
Last year, the Wildcats finished with an overall record of 5-7, including a 3-5 mark in league play. The Wildcats lost several key players from last year’s team including No. 1 singles player Dani Wooland, No. 3 singles player Melissa Carson, and second doubles player Chelsy Carroll, whose 8-2 record led the team.
In order to be successful, a number of players will have to step up their games. Senior Kayla Girardin is this year’s captain, and will move up to the No. 1 singles spot. According to Bearden, “She is very positive with her teammates and is an excellent leader. She has a strong forehand and is a consistent player.”
Junior Sara Gilson will have to step up and make the transition from the doubles game to singles in the No. 2 spot. Sophomore Hilary Boucher has a great work ethic, and will start the season as the third singles player.
One of the areas where improvement will come as the season progresses is in doubles play. The pairings will include juniors Blair Bailey and Lora Ireland in the No. 1 spot. Bearden stated, “Although neither was in the lineup last year, they have both been working really hard and I have seen big improvement already in the preseason.”
Freshman Michelle Cawley has good fundamentals and looks to have locked up one of the second doubles spots, while the last doubles spot will be shared by sophomore Frances Mendieta-Castro and freshman Sedona Lucas.
“I have two returning starting lineup players, including only one senior, and my other returning player has been a doubles player for the last two years. It is a young team when you talk experience-wise,” Bearden said. “Even though we have had very few practices outside I have seen a lot of growth with the skill level. I have a very enthusiastic team that is willing to learn and that’s all a coach can ask for. I would be extremely happy with such a young team to at least be .500.”
On the boys’ side, coach Sam Picard is in his fourth year as the varsity coach. Having been a player from the middle level through high school in the Wildcat system, Picard knows what County tennis is all about. Last season proved to be a challenging one, particularly due to an injury to one of the Wildcats’ top players in Osman Castro.
Castro has graduated, as did No. 1 singles player Connor Shaw, and that leaves a difficult void to fill at the top of the lineup. The squad does have a pretty solid core of players returning to the courts, however, and with improvement and progression, they should find themselves in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Leading the way will be junior Liam Hughes. Hughes is a very strong all-around player, and according to Picard he will be “one of if not the top player in Aroostook County.” He will fill the No. 1 singles spot all season. Senior Drew Barrett brings a lot of confidence and experience to the courts and will be in the second singles role. He is another strong all-around player, and he just needs to focus on being more consistent.
Senior Freeman Short, gives opponents a different look with his left-handed game, and he appears to be the front-runner for one of the second doubles spots. He brings strong technique to the table and will improve as the season moves along. Sophomore Mike Michaud cracked the lineup a handful of times last season, and according to Picard “has made a lot of progress in the last couple of years.” Picard has high expectations for him down the road. Michaud will start on the No. 2 doubles team with junior Chris Carroll. Carroll is a longtime tennis player with a lot of experience. He understands his mistakes quickly but still has room for improvement over the season.
Junior Zac Breton returns to the team this season after a one-year hiatus. He is a consistent player that the team has nicknamed “The Wall.” He is consistent and could move up as the season moves on. Junior Andrew Dyer picked up the game last year and will break the lineup when he is called upon.
Sophomore Chase Norton is a new player with a lot of natural athletic ability. He has already played his way into the No. 3 singles spot and has proven to be very coachable and a great pickup for the team.
Sophomore Clint Adler and freshmen Tyler Ayotte and Byron Winslow are other team members.
Picard cites an improved Caribou squad as one of the tougher matchups on the season. MDI will be a tough outing as well, and with the compressed nature of the season, the squad will have a few issues with players who have commitments which may cause them to miss matches. Camden Hills will also be a test as one of the best teams in Class B.
“The majority of these players have taken the exhibition spots over the last few years as my teams the last few years have been very strong,” Picard said. “I am very hopeful that this will be a strong season and I have been extremely impressed by the team as we have gotten out onto the courts these last two weeks. I see this as a totally new team compared to the teams I have had these last few years.
“[There are] new leaders, and everybody is in a new position. I am anxious to see how we do this year, and I feel a lot of teams are in the same position we are,” he added.
