HOULTON, Maine — The sixth-ranked Houlton boys tennis team is moving on to the quarterfinals in Class C North following Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over No. 11 Fort Kent.
Houlton (8-5 overall) advances to Thursday’s quarterfinal match at No. 2 George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill. Fort Kent ends its season with a 5-8 overall record.
Houlton’s Nate DeLucca concentrates on the ball has he prepares to hit a backhand during Tuesday’s Class C North tennis prelim. Houlton beat Fort Kent 4-1.
(Joseph Cyr)
In Tuesday’s prelim, Houlton’s Nolan Porter beat Fort Kent’s Sam Albert, 6-2, 6-0 in the first singles match; Shire Jaron Gentle defeated Fort Kent’s Colby Theriault, 6-4, 7-5 in second singles; and Fort Kent’s Dillon Hebert bested Houlton’s Nate DeLucca, 6-4, 7-5 in third singles.
Both Shire doubles teams were victorious on the day. Houlton’s first doubles team of Ben Grant and Isaac Vega defeated Fort Kent’s Raphael Babin and Carson Theriault, 6-0, 6-7 (2-7 in tiebreaker), 6-0; and the second doubles team of Shires Jadon Gentle and Caleb Solomon were victorious over Warriors Logan Levesque and Larry Nadeau, 6-2, 6-2.
In girls tennis, Houlton (6-6) finished fourth in Class C North and hosts No. 5 Orono (8-4) Thursday, May 30. Fort Kent (7-5) finished third and hosts the winner of No. 6 Piscataquis/No. 11 Schenck-Stearns also on Thursday.
Leaping off the ground on a serve is Houlton’s Jaron Gentle during Tuesday’s Class C North prelim. Houlton beat Fort Kent 4-1.
(Joseph Cyr)
