Mark Gorey, veteran coach of the Boothbay Region High School Seahawk boys tennis team, has started his 13th season and he said the goals remain the same – to win the Mountain Valley Conference championship and go deep into Class C playoffs.

For the past two seasons, the Seahawks have reached those goals, winning back-to-back MVC championships and playing for the Class C South championship last season and making the semifinals in 2023. Two of those players who led that success are returning for their final season as a Seahawk, senior co-captain Cleyton Splaine and senior Neal Baldwin. A third player, junior co-captain Griffin Yereance, has also helped the team comprise a 21-3 record over the past two seasons. Splaine and Yereance were also first-team MVC all stars in 2024.

Although five players from last season are not on the roster (including graduates Rodie Mayne and Andrew Fowlie), Gorey said this year’s team still has a lot of depth, including returnees junior Harry Hinckley and sophomore Cole Hyson – both played mostly doubles matches last year and had winning records – and sophomore Ronan Drage.

The 2025 team also has three freshmen who have shown talent during the pre-season, said Gorey. Alex Ross and Elijah Smith have been instructed by local tennis coach Chantelle Arsenault and Avery Fowlie is following in his brother Andrew’s footsteps by becoming a Seahawk tennis player.

The Seahawks finished 2024 undefeated and were the top seed before losing to fourth-seeded Waynflete, 5-0, in the Class C South final. Waynflete has won several state championships over the years and has become a target for several teams, including Boothbay, in the playoffs. With a few extra years of experience on the 2025 roster, the Seahawks are hoping to take down the Flyers this season come playoff time. Other teams who have defeated Boothbay in the past in the playoffs have been non-conference contenders North Yarmouth Academy and Maine Central Institute, and MVC foes Carrabec and Winthrop.

To open the season, the Seahawks scrimmaged the visiting Medomak Valley Panthers April 14 and won, 5-0. Below are the results:

#1 singles: Alex Ross (B) won 6 - 0, 6 - 2 against Kollin Donlin (M);

#2 singles: Cleyton Splaine (B) won 6 - 4, 6 - 4 against Michael Riley (M);

#3 singles: Griffin Yereance (B) won 6 - 2, 6 - 1 vs. Gavin White (M);

#1 doubles: Cole Hyson (B) and Harry Hinckley (B) won 6 - 0, 6 - 1 against Judd Grange (M) and Jayden Drost (M);

#2 doubles: Neal Baldwin (B) and Avery Fowlie (B) won 6 - 0, 6 – 1.

The Seahawks open the 2025 regular season on Wednesday, April 23, 4 p.m., at Hall-Dale. Their first home match is Friday, April 25 against Mountain Valley at 4 p.m.