Alberto Cutone of Kennebunk competes in the No. 2 singles match last season. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

BOYS

Arya Bhatia, Cheverus freshman: Bhatia has played in USTA events and is poised to become one of the top players in the state. Coach Ben Putnam praised his “all court game,” as well as his fearlessness and competitiveness.

Emmett Chen, Scarborough freshman: Chen’s impressed enough in the preseason to rise to the No. 1 spot for the Red Storm. Coach Craig McDonald noted his ability to adapt his game to take advantage of an opponent’s weakness.

Alberto Cutone, Kennebunk junior: Cutone will anchor a team looking to be one of A South’s best. He was the third seed in the state singles tournament last year and made it to the semifinals.

Tianyi Ma, Thornton Academy senior: Ma is back atop the Golden Trojans’ ladder after reaching the quarterfinals in the state singles tournament last season. He went 10-2 in team matches last spring.

Will Meyer, Camden Hills sophomore: Meyer had an impressive debut varsity season, advancing to the singles tournament semifinals as a freshman. He also went 13-0 in team competition, guiding the Windjammers to the A North semis.

Matt Morneault, Falmouth sophomore: In his first year of varsity play, Morneault advanced  to the singles championship before falling to George Cutone. He also earned a 6-0, 6-0 victory to help the Navigators win the Class A title.

Andre Violette, Yarmouth senior: Violette will play in the No. 1 spot for the five-time defending champions. He advanced to the round of 16 in 2023, and is a smooth player whose footwork has improved since his debut.

Andriy Vykhodtsev, Thornton Academy sophomore: As a freshman, Vykhodtsev went 11-1 in the regular season and then reached the round of 16 in the state singles tournament. He’s back as Thornton’s No. 2.

Micah Yarlott, South Portland senior: Yarlott will be the Red Riots’ No. 1 singles player for the third straight spring. He reached the second round of the singles tournament and was a second-team all-SMAA pick.

Sam Yoon, Falmouth senior: Yoon reached the finals of the state singles tournament as a sophomore, but didn’t play last year due to taking the SAT. A rival SMAA coach called him a “top five” player in the state, and he won in straight sets in the Class A final.

Sofia Kirtchev, of Falmouth, follows through on a backhand shot during state singles tournament play last season. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

GIRLS

Ally Canatsey, Scarborough senior: After playing third singles last year, Canatsey will face the SMAA’s best in Scarborough’s No. 1 spot. With a big season, she could help the Red Storm make noise in A South.

Adea Cobaj, Yarmouth junior: Cobaj was Yarmouth’s No. 1 as a freshman before Sofia Mavor returned, and will likely return to that spot this spring. She reached the round of 16 at the state singles tournament last year.

Sofia Kirtchev, Falmouth junior: A tough and gutsy player, Kirtchev has reached the semifinals of the singles tournament two straight years, and defeated runner-up Coco Meserve to help lift Falmouth to the state title last season.

Ellie Meserve, Brunswick junior: Meserve went 13-3 last year for the Dragons in the No. 2 singles spot, and has been in that spot the last two seasons. She’s a steady and competitive player with a balanced game.

Sophia Monfa, Cheverus senior: A consensus top player in the SMAA, Monfa went 10-4 last year at No. 1 singles, and returns to that spot for a promising Cheverus team.

Sophie Pike, York senior: After being named second-team all-WMC last year, Pike will play No. 1 singles for a Wildcats team that is aiming to improve on last year’s B South semifinals appearance.

Lilia Root, Thornton Academy junior: A new student from Wisconsin, Root takes the top singles spot for the Golden Trojans and will likely emerge as one of the state’s top players.

Molly Tefft, Brunswick junior: Tefft was unseeded in the singles tournament last year but advanced all the way to the quarterfinals. She’ll take over as the Dragons’ top player in singles this season.

Sophia Turker, Falmouth sophomore: Turker combines with Kirtchev to give the Navigators a daunting 1-2 punch in singles. She was second-team all-SMAA and is, in coach Larry Nichols’s words, a “student of the game.”

Isobel Wright, Greely senior: Wright reached the second round of the singles tournament last year, and will be eyeing a further finish this season. She’s been a first-team all-WMC selection the last two years.

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