Their parents were friends before Kelvin Huynh and Jason Thach were born, so it’s not a complete surprise that they buddied up on the tennis court.
Now Deering High seniors, Huynh and Thach are unbeaten in SMAA play this spring and seeded first in the conference doubles tournament scheduled Saturday at the Cheverus High courts off Washington Avenue.
“We’re going to win,” said the ever-confident Huynh. “You can quote me on that.”
Lean and athletic with “a little attitude, some spice,” Huynh first picked up a racquet in sixth grade and two years later introduced Thach to the sport.
“I taught him how to play,” Huynh said with a grin, “and then he got better than me.”
Thach serves harder and is better at net. Huynh is more consistent with his serve and superior at the baseline. Twice this spring they’ve dropped the opening set of a match only to roar back and win.
“Everyone thinks we’re going to lose,” Thach said, “and then we kill them the second and third sets.”
“We’re kind of jerks,” Huynh added. “We give them a little hope, and then …”
He shrugged.
After playing together much of sophomore year, all of last season and most of this spring, Huynh and Thach found themselves in an unusual position Wednesday against Cheverus. Rams Coach Regina Morton, with an eye toward making the team stronger in the Class A tournament, split up her potent top pair in hopes of winning at both first and second doubles.
“I was really mad (Wednesday),” said Huynh, who played with a different partner at second doubles and lost in Deering’s 4-1 victory. “But we’re going to make the best of it as a team. There’s no point of losing in this, our senior year.”
“Yeah,” Thach added. “We want to go all the way.”
The Rams are 9-2, with losses to Gorham and Thornton Academy, both by scores of 3-2. Defending state champion Falmouth is another big obstacle.
If Deering somehow makes it all the way, Morton left open the prospect of a Thach-Huynh reunion. “She said that’s a big possibility,” Huynh said.
But for Saturday, they’re going to make the best of their final day as partners. Each SMAA school is allowed three doubles entries and tournament director Wayne St. Peter of Cheverus said he expects 30 teams.
Last year’s tournament was rained out. Two years ago, Thach and Hunyh were eliminated in the second round by Gorham’s top team.
When they’ve been on the same side of the net this spring, Huynh said, “we haven’t lost.”
“And,” he added, “we won’t.”
The SMAA girls’ doubles tournament will take place Saturday at Deering Oaks with 29 teams entered. Thornton Academy seniors Katie Senechal and Emily Harris form the top seed with Portland High senior Hallie Repeta and junior Maggie Denekas second.
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