LEWISTON – Nick Bonenfant and David LaBonte edged Adam Lafleur and Charlie Ash of Camden Hills 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the final match of KVAC boys’ doubles tournament, which was moved indoors in Augusta due to rain on Saturday.
This was the third straight win for a Lewiston doubles team under Chicoine, who took over from his father, Rene, in 2003.
His teams have also won the two state titles. Bonenfant is now a doubles champion in two different conferences, having won the SMAA title as a sophomore in 2003.
“They just played out of their minds,” said Chicoine. “Bonenfant was serving like a mad man, and their strategy seemed to be to hit it to LaBonte, knowing Nick had experience, and it ended up not being a great strategy. Dave played very well.”
The tournament started at Lewiston High School where most of the matches were played outdoors, but when rain started to fall at about 1:30 p.m., the three remaining teams packed up and headed to Augusta to finish indoors.
“We knew we wouldn’t see the best teams until later in the draw,” said Bonenfant.
“We wanted to save most of our energy for them. We really started to play well in the semifinal against Winslow, though.”
In that match, Bonenfant and LaBonte used a series of cross-court winners to whip the Black Raiders 6-0, 6-0, setting up a third match in as many weeks with preseason and exhibition match partner Camden Hills. Lafleur and Ash advanced to the final after knocking off Maranacook’s No. 1 tandem in their semifinal 7-6 (2), 6-2.
Other local schools participating in the tournament included Edward Little and Oak Hill high schools. EL lost its No. 1 team in the second round to Erskine Academy, and EL’s No. 2 squad fell to Brunswick’s No. 1, also in Round 2.
Oak Hill entered three teams. The No. 2 entry fell in the first round to Lewiston’s second team, which in turn lost to the Camden Hills squad that made it to the final match.
Oak Hill’s No. 3 fell to Maranacook’s No. 1 team in the second round, while the Raiders’ first team met Lewiston’s No. 1 in the quarterfinals, losing 6-4, 6-1.
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