There’s a change in the schedule this year in the Mountain Valley Conference. Rather than face six opponents twice for a 12-match regular season, every team in the league will play 12 opponents just once.

“It makes it harder, coaching-wise, because you can’t make changes for the next time around,” Hall-Dale boys coach Dan Bence said. “It’s exciting that you play everybody. It’s fun and interesting to face teams you haven’t seen before.”

Bence’s Bulldogs open the season with a pair of tough matches. The runner-up in West Class C last season, Hall-Dale is scheduled to take on Dirigo today, and hosts rival Winthrop on Wednesday.

“We know Dirigo and Winthrop are always tough teams,” Bence said.

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A number of high school tennis teams in central Maine were supposed to have their first matches of the season today. Mother Nature had other ideas.

With heavy rain in today’s forecast, many matches will be played on Tuesday, including defending Class B East girls champion Waterville’s match against rival Winslow, Waterville coach Jill Cristan said.

The Purple Panthers follow Tuesday’s match with one against Maine Central Institute on Wednesday.

Playing back-to-back days isn’t a concern, Cristan said.

“I like it. We’ve been practicing a lot, so it should be good,” Cristan said.

The Panthers lost just one starter to graduation, and with an influx of strong freshmen, Cristan is excited to get the season started.

“It looks really good,” Cristan said. “I don’t want to jinx it, but it looks good.”

• • •

Although the Carrabec boys suffered a 4-0 loss against Winthrop on Friday, coach Luke Ellis liked the way his young team competed against a talented opponent.

“They were frustrated at times, anybody would be. They handled it well and were really respectful of the (Winthrop) players,” Ellis said. “I’m proud of the way they represented the school.”

The Cobras have just five players, and that means they’ll have to forfeit the second doubles match every time out. That gives the team little wiggle room when it comes to winning matches.

“We’ve got to win three out of four to win the match,” Ellis said.

Avery Boucher is new to No. 1 singles this season, and Ellis thought the junior improved in the second set of his 6-0, 6-2 loss to Winthrop’s Dan Miles.

“In the second set, he started to make shots,” Ellis said.

Eli Saville will play second singles for the Cobras with Josh Houle at third singles. The doubles team of Carroll Handley and Ethan Seville is new to tennis.

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
[email protected]