DIXFIELD – The Dirigo boys’ tennis team will be entering uncharted waters after having won its first ever a Class C quarterfinal on Thursday
The second doubles tandem of Josh Saphire and Nick Goddard provided the meet clincher with a 6-0, 6-1 win as the Cougars walked past Madison, 4-1.
No. 2 Dirigo will host a semifinal meet with Waynflete on Saturday. The Cougars entered the playoffs with confidence after beating Madison 5-0 in a Mountain Valley Conference meet last month.
“It will be a lot tougher on Saturday,” Dirigo coach Bruce Thompson said. “But we’ll show up to win and they’ll know we were there.”
Saphire and Goddard worked well together to breeze through 12 of 13 games against Nate Frazier and Josh Newhek.
The opportunity for the heroic match had been set up by Dirigo’s Matt Chamberlin who won 6-3, 6-3 at No.1 singles. The Cougar senior jumped ahead of Judah Norris early in raising his record to 9-3.
“I was able to use my forehand because he was lobbing the ball high and I was able to get underneath them,” Chamberlin said. “I like the heat and believe I play better in it.”
Dirigo won the initial match as No. 3 singles Mike Holmquist won 6-1, 6-2 over Josh Paine. The Cougars led 2-0 moments later as Rye Daley and Colby Knapp at No.1 doubles went 6-1, 6-0 over Randy Bishop and D.J. Doiron.
The Cougars’ Trevis Knapp lost a two-hour plus match at No. 2 singles, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (10-8) to Tyler Merenble. The Cougar senior served out the first set, but numerous unforced errors was his undoing.
Girls’ matches
The second season is always an adventure for the Dirigo girls’ tennis team.
Jenn Harvey produced an outstanding performance with a 6-2, 6-3 meet-clinching win at No. 1 singles as Dirigo won 4-1 over Hall Dale in a Class C quarterfinal playoff meet.
No. 4 Dirigo (11-2) advances to play top-ranked Winthrop on Saturday. The Cougars finished in a three-way tie with Boothbay and Wiscasset for second.
Harvey, a senior captain, regained her composure to roll past Kristina Severance. Harvey won four of the last five games, including a cross-court match point. It was the first ever Dirigo tennis match played under the lights.
“I had to settle down, it was a mental adjustment,” Harvey said. “I was able to use my forehand and (return) to her backhand.”
Dirigo beat Hall Dale in a MVC meet
Dirigo took a 1-0 lead behind Mallory Child and Allison Roy who came on strong 6-3, 6-3 at No.1 doubles.
The Cougars’ Raylee Brown ended at No. 3 singles, but Amy Gould and Melissa Harvey set things up with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) win at No. 2 doubles.
“They were playing in the middle,” Gould said. “So we concentrated on outside shots.”
Lyndsay Kerr won 6-2, 6-4 at No. 2 singles in the final match.
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