All spring, Brunswick junior Coco Meserve had been exhorting her teammates, telling them not to hold back, to leave everything on the tennis court.
With the Class A state championship in the balance Wednesday night, Meserve realized it was time for her to back up her exhortations with execution.
“As captain, I’ve pushed these girls so much, and I gave them a lot of pressure,” she said. “It’s time to eat my words and do the same. I need to show them what I’ve been saying.”
Trailing by a set against Falmouth freshman Sofia Kirtchev, Meserve rallied to win her match and give Brunswick a 3-2 victory inside Apex Racket and Fitness in Portland. The title is Brunswick’s second in three years, after finishing second to Kennebunk a year ago.
In the Class A boys’ final, Falmouth blanked Skowhegan, 5-0 without dropping a set, to cap a 16-0 season.
“It’s sweet,” said Falmouth’s lone senior, state singles champion Xander Barber. “That’s what the goal was this year, and to have all of the guys go out there and win is really fun. It’s a good way to end the season.”
Barber, sophomore Sam Yoon and junior Charlie Wolak swept the singles matches, with Barber dropping no games, Yoon only one, and Wolak prevailing 6-1, 6-4.
In doubles, juniors Raymond Li and Daniel Kim won 7-5, 6-3, and junior Karl Chamberlain and freshman Eli Sidhu prevailed 6-3, 6-1.
The Class A title is Falmouth’s sixth, and first since 2019. Coach Bob McCully praised a Skowhegan squad that finished 15-1.
“Not everybody can match up with Sam and Xander,” he said, “but this is a solid team.”
Yoon and Barber met in the finals of the singles state tournament, won by the Dartmouth-bound Barber. Skowhegan sophomore Drake Turcotte lost to Barber in the singles tournament and again on Wednesday.
“It’s a surreal experience, to see what the (NCAA Division I) level is like,” Turcotte said. “It’s just awesome that we got here in the first place.”
In the girls’ match, Falmouth (15-1) opened a 2-1 lead by winning at first doubles (senior Audrey Holland and junior Jenna Nunley, 6-1, 7-5) and third singles (junior Gracyn Mick, 6-3, 6-2). Brunswick (16-0) took second doubles, 6-4, 6-2, with sophomore Izzy Leitzell and freshman Molly Tefft.
The top two singles matches remained. Brunswick freshman Ellie Meserve squeaked out a marathon victory over Falmouth junior Charlotte Williamson, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1), to pull into a tie. From behind a curtain, Coco Meserve heard an explosion of cheers and realized her younger sister had won.
She said that loosened her up. She reminded herself not to play so defensively against Kirtchev, a formidable ball striker.
Kirtchev “will dominate you if you give her a defensive ball,” Meserve said. “She’s such a strong and powerful player. I tried to relax and be in control.”
Meserve, also the reigning singles state champion, prevailed 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, taking the final three games after being broken at love. Afterward, the former training partners shared an embrace at net.
“I was trying not to think too much, trying to play aggressive,” Kirtchev said. “But the downside of that was that I got a little bit tired. She did wonderful keeping up.”
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