Potvin has state tennis semis berth Hampden junior seeks 2nd straight state title

LEWISTON – Hampden Academy junior Eliot Potvin is two victories away from becoming the first Maine schoolboy tennis player to win back-to-back state singles titles since North Yarmouth Academy’s Eric Blakeman won four straight from 1987 to 1990.

But advancing to today’s semifinals wasn’t without challenges for Potvin, who has gone undefeated against instate competition for the last two seasons.

Of course, challenge is a somewhat relative term, given that the top-seeded Potvin did earn straight-set victories over Joseph Tyler of Cape Elizabeth, Riley Lizotte of Van Buren and No. 8 Sam Hyland of Falmouth during Saturday’s Round of 40 playdown at Bates College.

But with his two-handed backhand negated by two partially torn tendons in his left wrist, Potvin had to rely instead on a one-handed slice backhand to complement his big serve and powerful forehand.

“I just had to adjust as I got here,” said Potvin.

His opponents saw a possible opening, but it was one of which they ultimately could not take advantage.

“He did have to go one-handed with the backhand,” said Lizotte, a junior who lost 6-1, 6-2 to Potvin in the second round. “But I really couldn’t really attack it because he keeps it so low. He’s a great player.”

Potvin topped Tyler 6-0, 6-2 before facing Lizotte, a lefthander who entered the match with a 15-0 record. Lizotte played well, but ultimately could not match strokes with Potvin, the No. 1-ranked 16-and-under player in New England as well as No. 3 in the 18-and-under ranks.

“It’s tough. You’ve just got to fight on every point,” said Lizotte. “He’s going to make good shots, and there’s really nothing you can do about that.”

Hyland gave Potvin his toughest test, rallying from a 4-0 first-set deficit to take a 5-4 lead.

“I just sort of picked it up,” said Hyland. “I went mostly to his backhand because it was all slice, and it started working.”

Potvin regained a 6-5 advantage before Hyland forced a first-set tiebreaker. Potvin won the tiebreak 7-2, then rolled to a 6-0 second-set victory.

“A lot of it had to do with energy level. I stopped moving my feet on a lot of balls in the first set,” Potvin said. “I was just kind of flat, but I was able to pick it up in the second set, which was good.”

“He was trying to hit everything to my backhand,” Potvin added. “I was able to open up the court more and hit some more forehands in the second set, which helped me out.”

Potvin faces No. 4 Neall Oliver of Deering of Portland in one of today’s 11 a.m. semifinals. Second-seeded Parker Swenson of North Yarmouth Academy plays No. 3 Mike Hill of Mount Ararat of Topsham in the other semifinal. The title match is set for approximately 1:30 p.m.

Oliver advanced with a gritty 0-6, 6-3, 6-3 quarterfinal win over No. 5 Joey Michalakes of Camden Hills of Rockport. The first set was all Michalakes, but a win by Oliver in the opening game of the second set gave the Deering sophomore hope.

“I think there were two deuce points, and I won the game and I think that’s what really catapulted me into winning that set and the set after that,” Oliver said. “One game can completely change your mindset.”

Michalakes battled Oliver to 3-3 in the third set before suffering leg cramps. He eventually took a five-minute break, but could not regain the momentum.

“He started playing better, and I just didn’t quite match him,” said Michalakes, a senior who also reached the quarters in 2005. “Then I started feeling the cramps at 3-3 in the third and I never really recovered, which is a little disappointing.”

Hill, a freshman, blew through his draw with little difficulty. He defeated Quinn Bardon of Camden Hills 6-1, 6-0 and Andrew Goldsmith of Kennebunk 6-0, 6-2 before topping No. 6 Chris Morrison of Falmouth 6-1, 3-1 when Morrison retired in the second set due to leg cramps brought on by the heat of the day.

Swenson, a senior who lost to Potvin in last year’s semifinals, defeated Robin Daley of Mount Desert Island 6-0, 6-1 and Chris Steinroeder of Cape Elizabeth 6-1, 6-4 before besting Mike Van Vogt of Lincoln Academy of Newcastle 6-1, 5-1 (retired).

Van Vogt was coming off the marathon match of the boys’ playdown as he rallied for a 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 second-round victory over Hermon’s Josh Warren, who also suffered from cramping.