Staff Writer

Ask Scarborough High School senior Nick Tolman why he loves the game of tennis, and he’ll give you two answers: the game is independent and mentally challenging.

“When you’re out there, it’s just you and your opponent,” Tolman said.

Tolman has enjoyed a successful season for the Red Storm boys’ tennis team, having a 13-1 singles record during the regular season, helping Scarborough to an 11-2 team record and finishing in second place in Western Class A behind Windham High School, who finished with a 12-0 record. As of Tuesday, June 9, the Red Storm were set to face off against Windham in the Class A Western Maine Final at Bates College in Lewiston.

Tolman said the team expected to play well this season, as the team had all three of its singles players returning.

“We expected to be up there, and we expect to be at the Western Maine Final because we were there last year,” Tolman said.

Tolman said he is still fairly new to tennis, not joining a tennis team until high school. He first started playing tennis in elementary school, taking lessons from Red Storm head coach Craig McDonald.

“He’s kind of the reason I started,” Tolman said. “I owe a lot of credit to him.”

Tolman said his strengths as a tennis player is his speed, and his ability to “get a lot of balls back,” to his opponent, which frustrates them. 

Tolman said he likes to tailor his game after pro tennis player Rafael Nadal, for his ability to run around and return his opponent’s shots. He said he also likes pro tennis player Andy Murray.

 “He dictates every point on his opponents’ weaknesses,” Tolman said. “That’s what I try to do, because I don’t have the physical skills as others who played their whole life.”

Tolman said tennis players must also keep their emotions in check, as opponents can tell if a player is getting frustrated.

“If you walk with your head down, you’re fueling them,” Tolman said. “You can’t get amped up on a good shot and you can’t get down on a bad shot. That took me a few years to do.”

Tolman has also enjoyed success in other sports at Scarborough High School. He was a sweeper on the boys’ soccer team last fall, which had an 18-0 regular season and won the state championship. He was also a defenseman on the boys’ hockey team this past winter. Tolman said hockey has always been his favorite sport, and the one in which he has the most skill, as he has previously earned all-state and all-conference honors while playing at Scarborough.

“I would say hockey is my first love and still is,” Tolman said.

Tolman, who along with the rest of the Scarborough High School senior class will graduate Sunday, is planning to attend Connecticut College in the fall. He said he is unsure of his major, but plans to continue playing sports.

“I’ll probably play club hockey and try to walk onto the soccer team,” he said.

In the meantime, Tolman said he would like to finish his sports career with one more state championship.

“To end my whole Scarborough sports career on top, that would be awesome,” Tolman said. “To go out on top with two titles would be a good feeling.”

Tolman said he enjoyed his time at Scarborough High School.

“It was definitely a lot of fun,” Tolman said. “I think I’ll finish with 11 varsity letters. All of the friendships made from sports have been a lot of fun.”

Staff writer Dave Dyer can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 219