Austrian helps Vikes win title

When Franz Zehentner signed up to become an exchange student from his high school in the village of Weissenstein in southernmost Austria, his destination was quite general in scope – the United States.

So when he learned more specifics about his home for the 2007-08 school year, it was all news to him.

“I had no clue where Caribou, Maine, was,” said Zehentner.

He’s learned much about it during the last year, such as its four-season weather not unlike his homeland – “but we don’t have nearly as much snow as you have” – and the passion for tennis he shares with many of his schoolmates.

And when he returns home in a couple of weeks, he’ll take with him evidence of that shared passion, a medallion reflecting his role on Caribou High School’s first-ever state championship team in boys tennis.

“It means a lot to help them win this year, especially because of last year,” said the soft-spoken Zehentner after the Vikings defeated Falmouth 5-0 in Saturday’s Class B state final. “This year everyone was real excited after we won Eastern Maines, and then the big goal became to win states.”

Last year Caribou came agonizingly close to winning its first Eastern Maine crown, holding match points in the regional final before Mount Desert Island of Bar Harbor rallied for a 3-2 victory.

Two starters graduated from that team, including second singles player Pat Savage, meaning Caribou had openings to fill if it was to challenge for a breakthrough title again this year.

It became apparent that one of those openings was filled as of last summer, when the stocky, bespectacled baseliner who developed his game in a community-based adult club league in his native country arrived in Aroostook County.

“I remember the first time I met Franz,” said 21st-year Caribou head coach John Habeeb. “I was at parent-teacher conferences at the middle school where the tennis courts are, and he was playing [one against two] against Casey [Lancaster] and Pat Savage. Casey just kept saying ‘watch him, watch him, watch what he can do.'”

Zehentner’s arrival fueled excitement about the coming season, particularly with two-year top seed Shane Belanger back for his junior year to join seniors Lancaster, Spencer McElwain and Keegan Wakana and junior Taylor Jepson to form the nucleus of the 2008 squad.

Zehentner assumed the No. 1 singles slot, with Belanger, a state Round of 40 singles qualifier as both a freshman and sophomore, content to play second singles.

“Shane Belanger had been No. 1 two years in a row, and he had no problem dropping down, no problem at all,” said Habeeb. “Shane wanted to do one thing and that’s win, and that’s the way he’s been all year. He’s all about the team and all about winning.”

The move proved successful on all counts. Zehentner served notice that he would be one of Maine’s top schoolboy players this spring with a straight-set preseason victory over Gorham standout Aaron Bergeron. He ultimately earned the No. 4 seed for the state singles tournament and advanced to the quarterfinals before suffering his only loss of the year to Waynflete of Portland’s Brandon Thompson.

Meanwhile, Belanger went undefeated at second singles, and teamed with Zehentner and Lancaster to form one of the state’s top singles contingents regardless of class.

And during practices or weekend doubles matches with his teammates and Habeeb, the modest Zehentner shared the strengths of his game.

“During practices I helped a little bit with some tips and tactics, especially with the doubles players because I played a lot of doubles at home,” said Zehentner, who played fifth singles and first doubles on his club team.

Through the regular season, the Vikings went undefeated and unscored upon, and little changed in postseason play.

Caribou swept through the Eastern Maine playoffs with three straight 5-0 victories, and did the same to a formidable Falmouth program that entered the state final undefeated and with a considerable championship pedigree.

It didn’t matter. Caribou shook off some mid-match challenges to sweep the Yachtsmen, with Zehentner knocking off state singles semifinalist Sam Hyland in the final match to preserve the Vikings’ 80-0 record in individual matches.

“It was fun to go 5-0, 5-0 during the season,” said Zehentner. “But I didn’t think we’d win 5-0 at states, so that’s even better.”

Zehentner will return to club tennis in Austria this summer, then complete his fifth and final year of high school before moving on to the rest of his life.

He also will take home a medallion and plenty of memories from a special tennis season in northern Maine.

“The thing I liked about Franz was that as good a player as he is he’s pretty humble,” said Habeeb. “He’s such a cool guy he just jelled with the other guys, and our guys just looked up to him because he’s so good.”

eclark@bangordailynews.net

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