Waynflete’s boys’ tennis team poses with the Class C state championship for the 10th year in a row after downing George Stevens Academy, 5-0, Saturday in Waterville.

Brian Beard photos.

Waynflete’s girls’ tennis team captured its eighth Class C crown Saturday, beating George Stevens Academy, 5-0.

More photos below.

Another high school tennis season has come and gone and Waynflete once again rules Class C.

Not only did the Flyers’ boys’ squad win a championship for a 10th year in a row Saturday in Waterville, the girls joined them, ascending to the pinnacle for the first time in three seasons.

Decade of dominance

Waynflete’s boys entered the season as they have so many times before, as the favorite.

The Flyers had a stellar regular season, winning 11 of 12 matches, losing only to eventual Class A champion Falmouth, 4-1.

As the No. 2 seed in Class C South, Waynflete handled No. 7 Wiscasset in the quarterfinals (5-0) and third-seeded St. Dom’s in the semifinals (4-1).

Last Thursday at Bates College in Lewiston, the Flyers squared off with top-ranked Boothbay in the regional final and advanced, 5-0.

Brandon Ameglio dropped his first set at first singles to Duncan Drapeau, 2-6, then rebounded to win the next two sets, 6-0, 6-2. Thome Kieffer beat Dima Gosselin, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 2 singles. Jacob Greene also swept his third singles match, 6-0, 6-0, over Riley Spear.

Both doubles teams won in straight sets as No. 1 tandem Nick Wagg and Shuhao Liu beat Griffin Kane and Jacob Leonard, 6-4, 6-1, and Chris Register and Cooper Sherman downed Sam Batts and Henry Drapeau, 6-2, 6-1.

That moved the Flyers on to the state match, where they squared off against George Stevens Academy for the eighth straight season and beat the Eagles for the eighth consecutive time, 5-0, to finish 15-1.

Ameglio won at first singles, 6-2, 6-0, over Ben Politte.

Kieffer won his second singles match, 6-0, 6-0, over Boris Chen.

At third singles, Greene was a 6-0, 6-3 winner over Bryant Hsiung.

Wagg and Liu won their first doubles match, 6-3, 6-1, over Kent Fang and Arlo Stabler and at second doubles, Sherman and John Van Dyke downed Rhett Cheng and Christian Jones, 6-4, 6-2.

“The team met the goal they set for themselves at the beginning of the year, winning another state title,” said Flyers coach Jeff Madore, who has led the program to Class C championships in 10 of his 11 seasons. “They did so by working hard, staying positive, and developing good team chemistry.”

Ameglio and Van Dyke graduate, but much talent returns and Waynflete seek an 11th-consecutive crown next spring.

Don’t bet against it.

Back where they belong

Waynflete’s girls won seven Class C titles between 2001 and 2014, but the Flyers lost in the regional final to eventual champions North Yarmouth Academy and St. Dom’s in the past two seasons.

This spring, Waynflete returned to glory.

Following a 10-2 regular season, which was marred only by losses to eventual Class A champion Falmouth and Class B champion Greely, the fourth-seeded Flyers downed No. 5 Madison (5-0) in the quarterfinals and ousted top-ranked Carrabec (5-0) in the semifinals.

Wednesday in Lewiston, Waynflete squared off against No. 6 St. Dom’s in the regional final and avenged last year’ setback, 4-1.

The Flyers got wins at second singles (Kiera MacWhinnie defeated Rachel Kurtz, 6-3, 6-2), third singles (Molly McNutt beat Avery Greco, 6-4, 6-1) and at first doubles (Sidara Cash-Sortwell and Chloe Fisher over K.K. Linck and Kassaundra Stacy, 7-5, 6-2) and second doubles (Randall Seder and Almu Canales over Laurel Christopher and Hannah Phelan, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2). Lexi Epstein dropped her first singles match to Bethany Hammond, 0-6, 4-6, but Waynflete still managed to advance.

In Saturday’s state match in Waterville, the Flyers blanked GSA to finish the year 14-2, which ties the 2014 squad for best record in program history.

Epstein won her first singles match, 6-1, 6-0, over Lindsay Nevin.

MacWhinnie was a 6-1, 5-7, (10-3) winner over Julianna Allen at No. 2 singles.

At No. 3 singles, McNutt beat Taianna Haggestad, 6-2, 6-1.

Cash-Sortwell and Fisher won a close match at first doubles, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, over Lillie Maier and Courtney Bianco.

At No. 2 doubles, Seder and Canales beat Chloe Politte and Yvonne Rodgers, 6-4, 6-3.

“This was a special season, culminating in a,state championship,” said Waynflete coach Linda Cohen. “This was a special team with just the right recipe of competitiveness,  sportsmanship, experience and compassion. I have five seniors graduating and the last time we held the trophy was when they were freshmen. Lexi played many talented players and that allowed the rest of the squad to win and support her efforts, often clinching matches from the bottom up. I would love to replicate this recipe every season.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

Waynflete’s Brandon Ameglio prepares to return a shot. Ameglio won his first singles match Saturday.

Waynflete’s Jacob Greene returns a shot. Greene won his match at third singles.

Waynflete’s Shuhao Liu and Nicholas Wagg were victorious at first doubles.

Waynflete’s Lexi Epstein returns a shot in her first singles match Saturday, which she won.

Waynflete’s Molly McNutt won her third singles match in straight sets.

Waynflete’s Chloe Fisher returns a shot. Fisher and Sidara Cash-Sortwell combined to win at first doubles Saturday.

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