Waynflete’s Peter Michalakes returns a shot during his second singles match at the Class C boys’ tennis state championship match. Michalakes won his match in straight sets and the Flyers beat George Stevens Academy, 4-1, to win Class C for the ninth year in a row.

Brian Beard photos.

More photos below.

Waynflete’s boys’ tennis team continued to set the bar for excellence this spring, winning its mindboggling ninth straight Class C state championship June 11 in Lewiston.

The Flyers, who were challenged by players missing time due to various reasons, managed to keep it together and as they always do, peak in June.

Waynflete went 10-2 in the regular season, losing only to three-time defending Class B champion Cape Elizabeth and two-time reigning Class A champion Falmouth.

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The Flyers earned the No. 4 seed in Class C South and after blanking No. 5 Madison, 5-0, in the quarterfinals, eliminated No. 1 Boothbay by a 4-1 score in the semifinals.

That sent Waynflete to the regional final against No. 3 Hall-Dale, where the Flyers won by a 5-0 margin.

Brandon Ameglio beat Andy Peterson at first singles, 6-0, 6-2, Peter Michalakes defeated Malcolm Avore, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 2 singles and Shuhao Liu outlasted Jacob Crockett, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, at third singles.

Waynflete’s first doubles tandem of Thorne Kieffer and John Van Dyle defeated Alex Guioiu and Joshua Benner, 6-1, 6-2, and at second doubles, Cooper Sherman and Rowan May downed Ean Smith and Mackenzie Creamer, 6-1, 6-2.

At the state match versus George Stevens Academy, in the seventh straight year the teams have met in that round, the Flyers won again, 4-1, to finish 14-2.

Waynflete again swept singles, as Ameglio was a 6-1, 6-2 winner over Matt Stephens, Michalakes downed Beowulf Urban, 6-4, 6-1, and Liu was a 7-5, 6-0 winner over Ben Polittle.

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Kieffer and Van Dyke won their first doubles match in straight sets over Aidan Byrne and Leif Lyon-Miller, 6-1, 6-2, but May and Sherman were defeated at second singles by Christian Jones and Kent Fang, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6.

“(The state match) was challenging and I’m glad it wasn’t basketball since all their players are tall and athletic,” said Waynflete coach Jeff Madore. “There were many hoops and soccer players on the team. We got behind early in both No. 2 and No. 3 singles, but righted the ship to win close first sets and roll in the second sets. No. 1 doubles won handily and second doubles lost in three sets in a close match. Brandon played last and won quickly to finish the day. It was quite an accomplishment considering two starters were in China on a school trip.” 

The Flyers, as always, will lose key players to graduation, but as always, they’ll return talent and bring some new prospects into the mix, so don’t be the least bit surprised if a 10th consecutive championship is celebrated in June, 2017.

“We are losing our senior captain and third singles player, Peter Michlakes, and backup doubles player, Rowan May,” Madore said.

Girls fall two wins short

Waynflete’s girls’ squad also got to the regional final, overcoming starts of 0-2 and 3-5 to wind up 6-6 and sixth in Class C South. The Flyers ousted third-ranked Carrabec (4-1) and No. 2 Winthrop (3-2) in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

In the regional final, against No. 1 St. Dom’s, Waynflete suffered a 4-1 loss to wind up 8-7.

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The Flyers’ point came at second doubles, where Almu Conales and Lily Fanberg beat Laurel Christopher and Hannah Phelan, 6-3, 7-5.

Lexi Epstein lost to Bethany Hammond at first singles (1-6, 1-6), Liv Troiano fell at second singles to Rachel Kurtz (2-6, 0-6), Sidara Cash-Sortwell lost to Clare Kramer at No. 3 singles (2-6, 3-6) and the first doubles tandem of Randall Seder and Hana Delaney lost to K.K. Linck and Kassaundra Stacy (3-6, 2-6).

 “They have a very nice, solid team,” Flyers coach Linda Cohen said of the Saints. “Hopefully we’ll be back and vying for it next year.”
 
St. Dom’s went on to win the championship.

Sun Journal sports editor Justin Pelletier contributed to this story

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


Waynflete’s Shuhao Liu, playing third singles, returns a shot during his 7-5, 6-0 win in the state match.

Thorne Kieffer serves as teammate John Van Dyke focuses on the task at hand during their 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles.

Coach Jeff Madore, left, and the now nine-time Class C champion Waynflete Flyers show off their latest piece of hardware.


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