The Hall-Dale girls will be favored no matter who they play Thursday in the team tennis quarterfinals. But just winning that match would be special.

“The girls are real interested in getting further than they’ve been before,” Hall-Dale coach Guy Cousins said. “They’ve never been past the quarterfinals, so they’ve got a goal they’re working on.”

The boys and girls team tennis tournaments begin today with preliminary round matches, and Hall-Dale, the No. 1 seed in Western C with a 12-0 record, enters the playoffs on a roll. Wendy Goldman and Clio Barr each made first team all-Mountain Valley Conference, and Shelby McGibney made the second team. Plus, both doubles teams are undefeated.

“We’re feeling good at this point,” Cousins said. “The girls are very confident with their play. One of the things that we’re trying to do is just make sure we’re in control and dictating pace of play. We want to play really aggressive tennis. The girls are just executing very, very well.”

Hall-Dale will play its quarterfinal match Thursday against the winner of today’s preliminary round match between No. 8 Wiscasset (5-7) and No. 9 Monmouth (5-7). The Mustangs defeated Wiscasset, 3-2, on May 22.

The Waterville girls (12-0) are also a No. 1 seed. The three singles players for the Purple Panthers — Colleen O’Donnell, Olivia Lopes, and Jayme Saulter — are all sophomores. What those three players have that they didn’t last spring is a year of high school playoff experience.

Waterville will face the winner of an Eastern B prelim between No. 8 John Bapst (5-7) and No. 9 Belfast (8-4). There are challenges beyond that for the Panthers if they can get to them. No. 2 seed Caribou is also 12-0, and Falmouth has won 69 matches and four state titles in a row. But Waterville coach Jill Cristan likes how her team is faring entering the postseason.

“I feel like I can direct,” Cristan said. “And when I give them a direction, they follow it. They get it. It’s nice. The captains kind of take over. The leadership is there, and that’s half of it.”

Also on the girls side, No. 10 Maranacook is at No. 7 Fryeburg at 3:30 p.m., today in a Western B preliminary round match. Both teams enter with 6-6 records, and the winner will face No. 2 Yarmouth (10-2) on Thursday.

The Oak Hill girls are ranked fifth in Western B and play at No. 4 Lincoln in a quarterfinal match Thursday. Oak Hill lost to the Eagles, 4-1, earlier this spring.

“It was the first match of the season,” Oak Hill coach Jamie Boucher said. “My No. 3 player hadn’t played much, and she’s new to the team, so I think she’s gained a little experience. I think they’ve all grown, so I think it could be a little closer. Everyone’s obviously got to be on their game.”

In Eastern A girls, No. 8 Messalonskee (3-9) will host No. 9 Skowhegan (2-10) in a preliminary round match today. Eastern A normally wouldn’t have a prelim, but the two teams tied in Heal points and also split two 3-2 matches this season. After head-to-head play, according to the Maine Principals’ Association bulletin, the next tie-breaker is a one-game playoff, with the home team determined by coin flip.

The winner will play at No. 1 Brunswick (12-0) on Thursday. Brunswick features Maisie Silverman, who won the girls singles state title, and Ali Stankiewicz, who made the Round of 16.

No. 6 Cony (6-6) will be at No. 2 Lewiston (10-2) at 4 p.m., Thursday. The teams did not meet during the regular season. Both of Lewiston’s losses are to top-ranked Brunswick, and Lewiston had three singles players qualify for the Round of 48.

In Western C, third-seeded Winthrop (10-2) will host No. 6 Waynflete on Thursday. The Ramblers will be the first Class C team Waynflete has faced this season. Waynflete played all Class B teams in the regular season and finished 7-5, including a win over Greely, the No. 3 seed in Western B.

On the boys side, Waterville (9-3) is the No. 7 seed and will host No. 10 Old Town (3-9) in the preliminary round at 4 p.m., today. The winner gets No. 2 Mt. Desert Island (7-5) on Thursday.

“I’ve spoken with some of the other coaches, and they’re a solid team, but not as overpowering as they have been in the past,” Waterville coach Jim Begin said. “We expect a good match, in singles, especially. I would expect it to be 3-2. Whoever’s on is going to win it, but I have confidence in the team that we should advance.”

Madison (7-5), the No. 8 seed in Western C, hosts ninth-seeded North Yarmouth Academy (7-5) at 3 p.m., today. The winner will face No. 1 St. Dominic (12-0) on Thursday.

Three local Eastern A teams have upcoming quarterfinal matches. The Messalonskee boys (7-5) are seeded fifth, and have an even matchup at No. 4 Brunswick (9-3) at 3 p.m., Thursday. Messalonskee defeated the Dragons, 4-1 at home on May 10.

“It was just our normal play,” Messalonskee coach Ed Hinkley said. “There’s nothing outstanding about it. We’re hoping we can do it again — that’s the key. We haven’t always been able to do that. Doubles is the key for us.”

No. 8 Erskine (4-8) is at No. 1 Bangor (12-0) at 3:30 p.m., Thursday. The teams are meeting for the first time this season. Bangor has won 10 of its matches by 5-0 scores.

No. 7 Cony (7-5) is at No. 2 Lewiston at 4 p.m., Thursday. The Rams were 3-4 after seven matches, but enter the playoffs having won four of their last five.

In Western B, Maranacook’s 10-2 record earned the Black Bears the fourth seed, and they will host No. 5 Morse (7-5) on Thursday. Maranacook’s only losses this season are to Lincoln (12-0 this spring) and Camden Hills (9-3).

Hall-Dale (9-3) grabbed the No. 4 seed in Western C, but got a tough draw in No. 5 Waynflete (9-3). The Flyers put three players in the Round of 48, and their only losses were to Falmouth (the No. 1 seed in Western B) and Cape Elizabeth (third in Western B).

Third-seeded Monmouth (10-2) will host No. 6 Winthrop (8-4) on Thursday. Monmouth defeated the Ramblers, 3-2, on May 15, by winning both doubles matches.

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243

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