Forecaster Country girls’ tennis dynasties Falmouth and North Yarmouth Academy were closing in on more championship hardware heading into Wednesday’s regional final round.
In Western B, the top-ranked, undefeated, two-time defending champion Yachtsmen continued to crush all comers and have yet to lose a point this season after eliminating No. 8 Fryeburg in the quarterfinals and fourth-ranked Yarmouth in the semifinals by 5-0 scores.
“I can’t say that it’s because I’m a phenomenal coach,” said Falmouth coach Sandra Stone. “(Volunteer coach Prisca Thompson) and I try to provide moral support and try not to mess it up.”
Falmouth (riding a 43-match win streak) met No. 2 Oak Hill in the regional final Wednesday in Lewiston.
“If we can stay healthy, I think things bode well for us,” said Stone. “We’ve still got that (winning every match 5-0 thing going), but it’s not a goal of ours.”
The Clippers, who edged No. 5 Cape Elizabeth, 3-2, in the quarterfinals, finished 10-4, their best record in seven years.
“I can’t imagine that anybody will beat (Falmouth),” said Yarmouth coach Ann Harradon. “They are so, so strong all the way through and they’re young. They’re tough. They have girls who are dedicated to tennis and nothing else. Congratulations to them. I just wish the Heal Points were different. We shouldn’t have played them until the regional final.
“It was a great season. Going 10-4 is good. It’s always my goal to make the playoffs and go farther than the first round.”
The Clippers return several key players in 2011 and should be right back in the hunt.
“We only lose one senior,” Harradon said. “We’ll be back and we’ll be competitive next year.”
In Western C, three-time state champion NYA, the No. 3 seed, blanked No. 6 Mt. Abram, 5-0, then edged No. 2 Winthrop, 3-2, to set up another meeting with familiar foe Waynflete (the No. 4 seed) in the regional final.
The Flyers lost to the Panthers, 4-1, May 5, in Yarmouth. The rivals have squared off nine times in the past 11 postseasons with NYA winning on six occasions, including a 3-2 decision in the 2008 semifinals.
On the boys’ side, Falmouth wasn’t as fortunate. The third-seeded Yachtsmen were upset, 3-2, by No. 6 York in the quarterfinals, ending their season at 10-3.
The state championship matches are Saturday at Colby College in Waterville. The Class C matches begin at 1 p.m. Class B starts at 4 p.m.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net
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