Lewiston defeats Hampden to win 4th straight title

WATERVILLE – The Lewiston High School tennis team has perhaps the best feeder program in the state, with hundreds of kids playing the sport there during the summer months.

It’s an effort that has produced talent and depth, both of which were on display Wednesday as the top-ranked and undefeated Blue Devils won their fourth straight Eastern Maine Class A boys team championship with a 4-1 win over No. 2 Hampden Academy.

“Lewiston believes in itself, they’ve got a lot of confidence, and with the junior program they have they come back every year in waves,” said Hampden Academy coach John Plourde, whose team finishes with a 14-1 record. “I tip my hat to them, they’re a quality program and it’s what we aspire to.

“But we were thrilled we were here. We thought we could compete with them and we played pretty well.”

These teams arrived at the EM final from different vantage points: Lewiston plays its home matches outdoors and routinely plays best-of-three-sets regular-season matches; Hampden plays its home matches indoors and typically plays pro set (first player to eight games) regular-season matches.

But the rain held off Wednesday, so the best-of-three matches remained outside – unlike the Class B and C finals slated for later in the day that were moved indoors.

“We prefer to play outside in the wind,” said Lewiston coach Ron Chicoine, “so we’re glad the rain held off. Inside it might have been a different match.”

Two-time state singles champion Eliot Potvin provided the Broncos their only point with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Lewiston senior James Morin.

But Lewiston swept the other two singles matches in straight sets, and added a pair of hard-fought doubles victories in their quest to win a fourth consecutive state title.

“I felt we had an edge at second and third singles,” said Chicoine, whose 14-0 Blue Devils will play for the state title on Saturday, “and I felt Hampden had an edge at first doubles. Second doubles I thought was even, so I thought it would be a 3-2 match for somebody.

“We just feel fortunate to get out of here alive.”

Hampden’s first doubles tandem of seniors Lukas Koop and Martin Early won the first set of its match against Lewiston sophomores Matt Letourneau and Devyn Cote 6-2, but the Blue Devils rallied to win the final two sets 6-1, 6-2.

At second doubles, Hampden’s duo of senior Eric Johnson and sophomore Jacob Cravens took an early lead in the opening set, but Lewiston senior Toby Poirier and freshman Ben McDonough won the final four games of the set for a 6-3 victory, then won the final three games of the second set to finish off the match 6-4.

“A couple of key points and a couple of key games here and there and the momentum shifted,” said Plourde. “Lewiston’s been at this for a long time, and when they get up they go for the jugular, and they certainly did in those doubles matches today.

Lewiston junior Mike Sarrazin endured a long first set against Hampden senior Sam Dow at second singles before emerging with a 6-3, 6-1 victory, while Lewiston freshman Mike Butler used his baseline consistency to defeat Hampden’s Josh Groleau 6-1, 6-3 at third singles.

“We would have like to have won today, obviously, but we had a great season,” said Potvin. “14 and 0 until today … we had a good year.”