LEWISTON – With an undefeated season on the line and a rivalry matchup against Edward Little, the Lewiston High School boys’ tennis team had little reason for a letdown.
Add in a stern message from coach Ron Chicoine following what he called a lackluster performance in a win at Gardiner earlier this week, and an urgency to beat a quick-moving rain cloud before it forced the match to be suspended, the recipe was right for a swift win at the Franklin tennis courts Thursday.
Adam Wilding, James Morin and Mike Sarrazin all finished their singles matches in less than 45 minutes and lost just one game between them, and the doubles teams shortly followed suit as the Blue Devils (10-0) disposed of the Red Eddies (6-4) 5-0 in the teams’ final KVAC tennis match of the regular season.
“EL finished with a pretty good record in the KVAC this year, at 6-4,” said Chicoine. “I just wanted my guys today to stay focused.
“We were lackadaisical and just plain flat up at Gardiner and I was unhappy with their play. I let them know that, and they came out to play today.”
As for the rivalry, which is more commonly associated with football, baseball, soccer and more recently recently hockey, it is always there, despite an apparent discrepancy in overall talent.
“It’s always big, regardless of the sport,” said Wilding, who defeated Brian Gleason in straight sets at No. 1 singles. “Our teams have been pretty solid in past years here, and it isn’t always close, but you always want to go into them trying to win.”
Morin, playing at No. 2 singles, defeated B.J. Levasseur 6-0, 6-1, and was the first match off the courts, just as the rain started to sprinkle down.
Sarrazin completed the singles trifecta moments later when he won his match by default after winning the first 11 games. Ryan Goss conceded the final game to Sarrazin.
At No. 2 doubles, Devyn Cote and Casey Poussard made quick work of Matt Dodge and Ben Mooney, winning 6-1, 6-0.
“They really seem to have established themselves as the No. 2 team,” said Chicoine. “As we go ahead to the playoffs, the key for us to get past the tougher teams, like Bangor, is going to be if our doubles teams can jell. If our doubles teams can jell in time and if the singles players play well, we have a good chance in the playoffs.”
Nick Bonenfant, and team co-captain, and Dave LaBonte finished off the match with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Alex Bullett and Woody Mawhinney at No. 1 doubles.
At 6-4, Edward Little may be in line for a playoff berth, while Lewiston, at 10-0, is likely to get the No. 1 seed in Eastern Maine.
Comments are no longer available on this story