ROCKPORT – The Camden Hills Boys Varsity Tennis Team hosted Falmouth and Cape Elizabeth at Midcoast Recreation Center on Friday, April 7, in a preseason tournament. The tournament has been hosted annually for 15 years and is sponsored by Allen Insurance and Financial of Camden.

Noah Capetta, Head Coach for the Boys Varsity Tennis team at CHRHS. The team was the Class B 2016 champions.

"We are looking strong again," said Capetta. "I lost three starting players from last year, but we've been able to replace those players with equally good players who were on the team last year and a couple of new players as well."

Aske about the prospects for 2017, Capetta responded.

"We hope to repeat that," he said. "Our goals remain to improve everyday we get out on the court. The results will speak for themselves. We always play to win. We put the hard work in and we always do the best we can."

The CH boy's tennis will play Oceanside next Thursday in their first official game of the season.

Capetta is enjoying his fourth year as varsity head coach.

"My seniors were freshmen my first year," he said. "We've had quite a journey together. The comradery is great. I expect my seniors to be good leaders and pave the way for the underclassmen. I'm optimistic and looking forward to another enjoyable season."

John Lippman was the tourney organizer.

"We started this 15 years ago with my good friend Steve Crane who was the CEO of Allen Agency," he said. "He was a tennis player and was more than willing to sponsor this tournament."

Lippman said he worked with the coach at that time with the Camden Hills, Chris Walker Spencer.

"The purpose of the tournament was to get the two best teams from the previous year, the Class B state winner and the Class A state winner and invite them to our facility, so they could play our team," he said.

Lippman said Cape Elizabeth has been very competitive through the years. Lewiston was another team and Falmouth have all been very good.

Lippman noted that Camden Hills has never won the tournament.

"Falmouth has won five times and Lewiston four," he said. The whole area around Portland is very competitive, Cape and Falmouth, Yarmouth. We enjoy having every one here and MRC has been very gracious towards us."

Allen Insurance and Financial is picking up all the court fees. Lippman said they are using MRC from 3 p.m. till 9 p.m.

Lippman is the director of tennis for the Megunticook Golf Club.