PORTLAND – In three years of varsity tennis, Steffi Rothweiler and Abby Payson of Falmouth have lost one doubles match, and that came in the 2010 conference tournament against their own teammates.

Falmouth is the four-time defending Class B state champion and has won every set it played this spring.

Even so, Rothweiler admitted to butterflies before Wednesday’s Western Class B final against Yarmouth at the Racket & Fitness Center.

“I feel like there’s always pressure — that we can’t lose a set, that we have to win 5-0,” Rothweiler said. “But after we start playing, we fall into a groove and it’s just fun.”

The fun continues for Falmouth, which claimed its fifth straight regional title with a 5-0 victory over Yarmouth and now sets its sights on a rematch with Waterville in the Class B state final Saturday at Colby College.

In other Western Maine finals Wednesday, No. 1 McAuley edged No. 3 Portland 3-2 in Class A by sweeping singles, and No. 6 Waynflete knocked off previously unbeaten Hall-Dale 4-1 in Class C.

Advertisement

Both McAuley (15-0) and Waynflete (10-5) will play for a state title Saturday against an opponent to be determined today, when the Eastern Maine finals conclude.

Falmouth clinched quickly Wednesday, with Analise Kump and Olivia Leavitt winning 6-0, 6-0 in singles and, in doubles, Rothweiler and Payson at No. 1 and Katie Ryan and Marlena Lantos at No. 2 both winning by scores of 6-1, 6-0.

“We knew we weren’t going to beat them,” said Yarmouth Coach Ann Harradon, whose Clippers managed eight games against Falmouth in the regular season.

“It was about games, seeing how many games we could win.”

Hoping for nine Wednesday, Harradon settled for another eight as Hannah Potter hung in gamely with Annie Criscione of Falmouth — the state singles runner-up — before falling 6-2, 6-4.

“Our goal this season was to get to this match, so we’re happy with our success in the season and we have pride in the way we played,” Harradon said. “The girls played awesome. They were relaxed and had fun, which is what it’s about in high school tennis.”

Advertisement

In Class A, McAuley (15-0) dispatched Portland (12-3), using the same formula as the first time they met a month ago.

Addie Devine. Devri Ramsey and Ally Strawn each won at singles to overcome a doubles sweep by Portland.

“Their doubles were very strong,” said McAuley Coach Joe Kilmartin, “and we’ve lived with our singles all year long.”

Ramsey won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2 and Strawn, stretched to three sets in the regular-season meeting, won 6-3, 6-4 at No. 3.

After Annette Denekas and Kayla Berg of Portland won at first doubles (6-2, 6-0) and Natalie Anderson and Nyaliep Deng of Portland won at second doubles (6-2, 7-6 (7-5)), players from both teams gathered on the empty court adjacent to Devine and Sophie Hurlbert of Portland.

“It definitely adds another angle to the match because the crowd sways with each point,” said Devine, a 6-1, 6-1 winner, of the 50-plus onlookers.

Advertisement

The Lions will return to the Class A state championship match after an absence of four years.

“It will be my first time,” Devine said.

“Especially this year being my senior year, it’s nice to go out with a bang.”

In Class C, Waynflete returns to the state championship match after a spring in which the Flyers started 0-3 with losses to Yarmouth, Falmouth and Fryeburg Academy.

“Spirits were a little low,” Waynflete Coach Linda Cohen said. “But they wanted to defend their title. That was their goal and they were tenacious.”

Phoebe Suva and Hanae Miyake provided the clinching point with a 6-4, 7-5 victory at first doubles after Hilary Niles (6-0, 6-0) at third singles, and the first doubles team of Abby Cough and Sophie Raffel (6-0, 6-1) won handily.

Advertisement

“We lost the first three games,” Suva said of her match. “I think we had to get the nerves out of our system.”

The first two singles matches went three sets, with Wendy Goldman of top-seeded Hall-Dale (14-1) winning 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 at No. 1 and Emily Trafton of Waynflete winning 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2.

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

gjordan@pressherald.com

Twitter: GlennJordanPPH

 


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.