LEWISTON – Analise Kump explained the Falmouth girls’ tennis approach.

“With every match, you always want to have fun, but you want to be serious and play your best,” said Kump, a junior. “Because every competition, you don’t know what is going to happen.”

Surely Kump must have an inkling by now. At the very least, she must know the outcome won’t start with an ‘L’.

Kump’s 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 2 singles clinched a fourth straight Western Maine Class B championship for No. 1 Falmouth, which held No. 2 Oak Hill to a mere five games in sweeping the match Monday at the Wallach Tennis Complex.

Joining the Falmouth girls (15-0) for Saturday’s state championships at Colby College in Waterville will be the top-seeded Falmouth boys (15-0), who held off No. 2 Cape Elizabeth 3-2 in a match decided at No. 1 singles.

Falmouth freshman Justin Brogan, the state singles runner-up, defeated Cape Elizabeth sophomore Matt Gilman, a singles semifinalist, 6-1, 6-1. The Capers (13-2) had rallied after losing two quick matches at third singles and second doubles to pull into a 2-2 tie.

First, senior Ross Sherman avenged a regular-season loss to Falmouth freshman Brendan McCarthy at No. 2 singles, 6-4, 7-5. Moments later, Cape senior Ben Morse and sophomore Sam Sherman did likewise at first doubles, surviving two set points after trailing 5-1 in the second to win the last six games for a 7-5, 7-5 victory.

“We were close in three matches last time,” Cape Elizabeth Coach Andy Strout said of a 5-0 loss to Falmouth last month. “I’m really proud of the guys. It’s tough when you know you’re the second-best team in the state and you don’t get to represent it. … I fully consider this the state championship.”

Falmouth took a 2-0 lead with wins by senior Taylor Dimick (6-0, 6-2) and, at second doubles, senior Connor Burfiend and sophomore Tom Wilberg, 6-1, 6-2.

With the outcome riding on Brogan’s shoulders, Falmouth Coach Bob McCully admitted to some nerves.

“He’s a freshman, but he’s not your average freshman,” McCully said. “I was cautiously optimistic.”

Brogan said he tried to play as if Falmouth were ahead 4-0 instead of tied at 2.

“I tried to get out quickly,” he said. “That helped get rid of some of the nerves, after I got a quick lead, but there were a lot of close long games. I don’t think the score was indicative.”

The Falmouth girls take a 56-match winning streak into Saturday’s match against Eastern champion Waterville. They have shut out every opponent since a 4-1 win over Greely in May 2009.

This season, the lineup playing Wednesday dropped just a single set. The second doubles tandem of sophomore Katie Carew and freshman Katie Ryan needed three sets against Greely.

“They were the only ones we were concerned about,” said Falmouth Coach Sandra Stone, who cautioned Carew and Ryan about being intimidated by the impressive surroundings at Bates. “All the other girls have been here before.”

So much for jitters. Carew and Ryan won, 6-0, 6-0.

“They were the first ones off the court,” Stone said. “Maybe there’s something to being fresh and young and playing carefree tennis.”

Junior Annie Criscione (6-1, 6-0) and sophomore Libby Voccola (6-1, 6-0) won at first and third singles. Sophomore Abby Payson and junior Steffi Rothweiler won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles.

“You can’t just sit back and say we’ve done it before,” Stone said. “You have to be out there and ready to play.” 

Staff Writer Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or at:

gjordan@pressherald.com

Twitter: GlennJordanPPH

 

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