In one of the most anticipated matchups of the season, Falmouth’s Matt Morneault edged Camden Hills’ Will Meyer in a high-intensity final to win the 2024 Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) Boys Singles Tennis Championship on Saturday, May 17.
Held indoors at Colby College’s Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center due to rain, the championship featured Maine’s top two seeds battling through long rallies, aggressive net play, and fierce shot-making. In the end, it was Morneault who prevailed, securing a 6-3, 6-4 victory and his first state singles title.
Both players, now sophomores, were semifinalists as freshmen in 2023. Meyer fell to eventual three-time champion George Cutone of Kennebunk, who defeated Morneault in last year’s final. With Cutone graduated, a new chapter in Maine high school tennis is unfolding — and Morneault and Meyer look set to be key characters.
“Matt’s obviously a great player,” Meyer said after the match. “I think I played well and gave it my all out there. We had some good rallies, we were just ripping it — but he got the better of us today. He deserved it.”
Saturday’s final was Meyer’s first loss since last year’s semifinal. He started strong, winning the first four points to take a 1-0 lead in the opening set. But Morneault, known for his net play and movement, quickly responded. Using sharp volleys and well-timed approaches, he won six straight games to close out the first set 6-3.
Meyer responded in the second set, recovering from a 2-1 deficit to take a 4-3 lead. But once again, Morneault found his rhythm, winning three straight games to seal the title.
“He’s a very good volleyer,” Meyer said. “When he goes to net, it’s tough for me to hit passing shots because he closes very well.”
A Near Sweep for Falmouth
The final was one of four championship matches held concurrently on the indoor courts at Colby. Falmouth nearly swept the day, with Sophia Kirtchev capturing the girls singles crown, and the boys doubles team of Eli Sidhu and Luke Kusel also winning their final. The only loss came in girls doubles, where Camden Hills’ Rana Abess and Olivia Van Hoewyk defeated Falmouth’s Gwen Long and Carly Iannetta.
Path to the Finals
Meyer advanced to the title match after dominant performances, beating:
- Charles Scribner (Mt. Ararat) – 6-0, 6-0
- Takaya Masuda (Thornton Academy) – 6-0, 6-1
- Arya Bhatia (Cheverus) – 6-1, 6-1
- Andre Violette (Yarmouth) – 7-5, 6-2
Morneault also cruised through the bracket, including a 6-0, 6-0 win over Camden Hills’ Joey Scordino.
Additional Camden Hills Performances
- Joey Scordino: 2-1 record. Wins over Jaziah Lavoie (Spruce Mountain) and Micah Yarlott (South Portland) before falling to Morneault.
- Oscar Barnes: Defeated Nick Agrawal (Orono) before falling to Andriy Vykhodtsev (Thornton Academy).
- Atalanta Roberts: Earned a first-round win over Kate Brydges (Brewer) before losing to Emma Vardaros (Bangor).
- Olivia Van Hoewyk: Lost to Adriana Deschaine (Caribou).
- Charlotte Delehey: Fell to Jasmine Radjabova (Gorham) in two tight sets.
Camden Hills coach Noah Capetta praised his players, especially Meyer.
“I’m really proud of Will,” Capetta said. “He showed a lot of heart today. Matt’s an all-court player with very few weaknesses. Will had to be near his best to have a shot. He was close. He’s right there.”
With both finalists just sophomores, Maine tennis fans may see this rivalry define the next few years of high school competition.
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