George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill captured its first Class C North boys tennis title since 2017 on Tuesday, upending previously undefeated Van Buren 4-1 at Schenck High School in East Millinocket.
The top-seeded Eagles (12-1) advance to face the winner of Wednesday’s Class C South final between 12-time defending state champion and top-seeded Waynflete of Portland (12-1) and No. 2 Winthrop-Maranacook (12-0) for the state crown. Saturday’s match is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Lewiston High School.
Coach Mark Ensworth’s George Stevens boys will be seeking the program’s first state title since 2004, though the Eagles won eight consecutive Eastern/North regional championships between 2010 and 2017.
Coach Leah Levasseur’s Van Buren club, which was making its first-ever appearance in a regional final, concluded its season at 8-1.
The C North final was highlighted by a three-hour, three-set marathon at second singles between GSA’s Oliver Lardner and Van Buren freshman Xavier Deschaine, one of three Deschaine brothers who competed for the Crusaders.
Deschaine won the first set 6-4, but Lardner rallied to win the final two sets 6-4, 6-3.
The teams split a pair of three-set doubles matches.
Van Buren’s Blake Martin and Mikail Deschaine outlasted GSA’s Ben Hallett and Cyrus Blake 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at first doubles, while Tony Politano and Theo Lesko of George Stevens rallied from behind at second doubles to top Van Buren’s Sam Hebert and Eric Laplante 1-6, 6-2, 6-4.
GSA went on to sweep the singles matches with Robbie Bennett defeating Van Buren’s lone senior, Emmanuel Deschaine, 6-2, 6-4 at first singles and the Eagles’ Elias Lieser topping Brady Laplante 6-3, 6-4 at third singles.