Maranacook’s Madeline Dwyer and Emma Wadsworth and a trio of Mt. Blue boys were among more than a dozen local players who punched their tickets to the Round of 48 of the state singles tennis tournament at the qualifying rounds Saturday afternoon.

The rounds were held for five different regions, with each one sending a varying number of representatives to the Round of 48, which will be held Friday at Lewiston High School. Region 5 sends 17, Region 2 sends 11, Regions 3 and 4 send eight and Region 1 sends four.

In Region 4, Dwyer and Wadsworth, the Black Bears’ top two players and the third and fourth seeds in the section, advanced to Friday, with Dwyer beating St. Dominic’s Avery Greco 6-2, 6-2, and Wadsworth defeating Madison’s Shelby Belanger 6-0, 6-0. Spots also went to No. 5 Naomi Lynch of Hall-Dale (over Madison’s Kynsey Hibbard 6-0, 6-0), No. 8 Gabby Blanco of Winthrop (over St. Dominic’s Paige Cote 6-4, 6-2) and Haley Walsh of Mt. Blue, who defeated sixth seed Natalie Luce of Spruce Mountain after she had to retire due to injury.

On the boys side, Mt. Blue’s Chris Marshall, who reached the Round of 48 last year, returned with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Hall-Dale’s Issac Lawrence, as did teammates Zack Gunther (over Hall-Dale’s Eli Spahn 6-0, 6-2) and Mick Gurney (over Lake Region’s Travis Corson 6-3, 6-3). Carrabec’s Scott Mason also moved on, topping Winthrop’s Noah Grube 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

In Region 3, Erskine’s Ellie Hodgkin, the second seed and a Round of 32 participant last season, advanced with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Cony’s Katherine Boston. Messalonskee’s Lauren Bourque, who also reached the Round of 48 a season ago and was the region’s third seed, returned with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Waterville’s Amna Shiekh. Making her first appearance in the Round of 48 will be Gardiner’s Lindsey Bell, who as the eighth seed beat Brunswick’s Sara Scrapchansky after dropping the first set 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Waterville’s Charlie Haberstock advanced from the boys side in Region 3, beating Morse’s Ryan Reed 6-1, 6-0. Skowhegan’s Dawson Turcotte also earned a berth in Friday’s round, besting Medomak Valley’s Coleman Swain 6-4, 6-2.

In Region 2, MCI’s Pedro Fernandes returned to the Round of 48 by beating Washington Academy’s Jakub Figel, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.


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