Powerhouse tennis teams such as Lewiston has enjoyed for the past 10 years are chock full of talent.

Sometimes, some of the better players in a region — or even statewide — are buried, either on a top doubles team or lower on the singles ladder due to the overwhelming depth.

Other times, there is so little difference between a team’s top player and the next few in line, the lineup may as well read: No. 1a singles, No. 1b singles and No. 1c singles.

Such has been the case at Lewiston the past two seasons.

In 2010, Scott Gagne played No. 1 for the Blue Devils atop a virtually interchangeable rotation. This year, at the beginning of the year, he lost the top spot to teammate Eric Hall in a challenge match.

But an illness beset Hall and thrust Gagne back into the top spot for the majority of the season.

As Hall recovered, he reclaimed the top spot, and with the schedule crunch and all of the spring’s rainouts, there was hardly a chance for the two to play it out again.

So Gagne remained in the No. 2 position.

He got stronger as the year rolled along, mowing down all comers in straight sets.

At the MPA singles’ tourney, Gagne played to his No. 11 seed, losing a tough match to No. 6 Jordan Friedland of Lincoln Academy in the Round of 16.

In the playoffs, Gagne was a big piece of the puzzle as the Blue Devils marched toward another state crown, their eighth in nine seasons.

“He could have been down this season, a lot of kids would have been,” Lewiston coach Ron Chicoine said during the playoffs. “He lost out on the No. 1 singles spot, but he kept working hard, and his attitude was, ‘Anything I can do to help the team.’ He’s really been a big reason we’ve done well.”

Gagne was perfect in the playoffs, downing opponents from Mt. Ararat, Hampden and Scarborough to help Lewiston reclaim its state team title.

For his tenacity on the court and commitment to excellence in both education and athletics, for his never-say-die attitude and ability to set aside personal goals for the good of the team, and for his role in helping Lewiston earn another state title, Gagne is the 2011 Sun Journal All-Region boys’ tennis player of the year.

All-Region Boys’ Tennis Team

Singles

 Brian Bradstreet Oak Hill

Zack DeBlois St. Dom’s

Scott Gagne Lewiston

Eric Hall Lewiston

Eric Morin Lewiston

Josh Turbide Dirigo

 Doubles

 Alex Chicoine and Ben Chicoine Lewiston

Brett Vallee and Jake Berube Lewiston

Connor Chu and Brady Frautten Winthrop

Garret Carver and Joel Cloutier Dirigo