PORTLAND — Joy and disbelief washed over Claire Dwyer’s face.
The Maranacook girls tennis team had just won the Class C title Wednesday morning — the first in program history — and Dwyer couldn’t quite find the words to say.
“It’s amazing, I don’t know if I can put it into words yet,” said Dwyer, a sophomore and the team’s No. 1 singles player. “It’s pretty amazing. First time ever, so it’s great.”
Dwyer, who beat Sarah Moulton 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 in first singles, helped lead the Black Bears to a 4-1 victory over Washington Academy at Apex Racket and Fitness Center.
Maranacook reached the state final as the No. 3 seed in Class C South.
“It’s great, I’m very excited and proud of my team,” said junior Cassidy McCormack, who beat Crystalann Kloeber 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 in third singles to secure the state title. “We didn’t know how this season was going to go… We’re just thrilled with how the season’s gone.”
The Black Bears finished 14-2. The Raiders finished 14-2.
Maranacook singles player Mary Hatt hits a shot during the Class C championship match Wednesday against Washington Academy. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald
Maranacook sealed the match early, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. Mary Hatt beat Yagmar Bolukbasi 6-0, 6-1 to grab an early victory in second singles.
“I graduated (Tuesday)” said Hatt. “This is the best graduation present, this feels good. I was playing against one of my hardest competitors this season. I was a little bit nervous. (The key was) just keeping it like any other game, any other match. I had fun out there.”
That was followed by a win in first doubles as Grace Tweedie and Ava Candage beat Cora Sanchez and Olivia Jorgenson, 6-3, 6-3.
McCormack then battled with Kloeber, eventually pulling out a win in the third set.
“I think what helped me in the third set, I just tried to keep the ball in play,” McCormack said. “I didn’t try to do anything funky with it or hit it with too much pace. I just waited for her to mess up.”
Dwyer had an early back-and-forth with Moulton before running away with the match in the second set.
Maranacook’s Hayden Freeman competes in a second doubles match during the Class C championship match Wednesday in Portland. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald
“I just stayed in it,” Dwyer said. “I just got the ball back, tried to get to every ball and hoped for the best.”
The lone win for Washington Academy came in second doubles, where Abby Fitzhenry and Taylor MacDonald beat Hayden Freeman and Molly Woodford 6-2, 6-7 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5).
Maranacook closed the season on an eight-match win streak, with wins in 13 of its final 14 matches.
“I haven’t come down yet,” said Maranacook head coach Louis Gingras said. “I won’t for a while. I just told them (before the match), ‘It’s just another match, don’t worry. Play your game and just be patient. … (The team) all came together at different times and supported each other. That’s what you need as a team.”
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