Tennis: Teams to watch in southern Maine

Apr. 18—GIRLS

1. Brunswick: The Dragons return their entire starting lineup from a squad that went 14-2 and won the Class A championship. Sisters Coco and Ellie Meserve lead a singles lineup that also includes senior Sadie Levy or possibly sophomore Molly Tefft. Senior Hazel Goodwin and juniors Beatrice Elmore and Izzy Leitsell lend experience in doubles.

2. Falmouth: The Navigators took a 15-0 record into the Class A title match before falling 3-2 to Brunswick. Five of seven starters are back, including the singles trio of sophomore Sofia Kirtchev and seniors Charlotte Williamson and Gracyn Mick. Senior Jenna Nunley and junior Gwen Long return at doubles.

3. Yarmouth: The return to high school competition of 2021 singles state champion Sofia Mavor gives the Clippers a big boost. Sophomores Adea Cobaj and Sabina Petrucci fill out a formidable singles lineup. Seniors Margo Patch and Jill Schlax and freshmen Barbara Day and Lila McNaughton play doubles.

4. Greely: The defending Class B state champion Rangers return only three starters. Even so, seniors Emma Lindsey, Amara Quimby, Natalie Olsen and Gracelyn Pearce, along with junior Isobel Wright, head a potent ladder. Sophomore Anna Hendry and freshmen Ava Jackson and Maddy Lowery will compete for doubles slots.

5. Kennebunk: The loss of junior Olivia Cutone, who opted out of high school competition this spring, is a blow to a squad that went 13-2 and reached the Class A South finals. Still, juniors Emilia Ilyas and Cenzie Cunningham and freshman Helen Ilyas form a solid singles trio, and a deep roster of 19 is sure to produce quality doubles tandems.

BOYS

1. Falmouth: The Navigators return six of seven starters from their unbeaten Class A championship squad. Singles finalist Sam Yoon, a junior, moves up to No. 1, and talented freshman Matt Morneault takes Yoon's old slot. Senior Daniel Kim is likely to open at No. 3 singles, and classmates Charlie Wolak, Raymond Li and Karl Chamberlain and sophomore Eli Sidhu are all in the doubles mix.

2. Kennebunk: The Rams boast the state's most potent 1-2 punch atop their ladder in two-time singles state champion George Cutone, a senior, and his brother, Alberto, a sophomore who was a singles semifinalist. Senior Jaxson Redmond moves up to No. 3 singles from doubles, where juniors Shane Woloszyn and Ian Pentland return. New head coach Michael Spenlinhauer takes over for the venerable Paul Gaylord.

3. Camden Hills: The Windjammers added a pair of impressive freshmen, Will Meyer and Oscar Barnes, to the top of their lineup, bumping senior Liam O'Dwyer from first to third singles. Last spring, O'Dwyer advanced to the round of 32 in the state singles tournament. Senior Alex Todd and junior Charlie Nicolet lead the way in doubles.

4. Thornton Academy: The Golden Trojans are poised to pounce should Falmouth or Kennebunk stumble. Junior Terry Ma returns at No. 1 singles and is joined by solid freshman Andriy Vykhodtsev. Seniors Danny Menard and Cole Purvis lead an experienced doubles contingent.

5. Yarmouth: The defending Class B state champion Clippers are seeking a fifth-straight title, but first-year head coach Gabe Gordon faces a challenging rebuild with five starters gone. Senior Andi Cobaj and sophomore Alexander Gordon return and move up the ladder. Seniors Wiley Schumacher and Milo Sanokklis are likely to team up in doubles.