Falmouth girls tennis doubles duo young, but dominant
LEWISTON — When Larry Nichols first paired Helena Nelson and Cici Benson together as Falmouth's top doubles team, the coach had his doubts.
"In the beginning, I thought, wow, I don't know what I'm doing," Nichols admitted.
The chemistry wasn't immediate. Balls bounced between them. They collided chasing returns. Communication, to put it mildly, was a work in progress.
"Then it quickly turned into a situation where you couldn't not put them together," Nichols said.
By Wednesday afternoon at Bates College, that unlikely partnership had forged something special. Nelson, a sophomore, and Benson, a freshman, completed an undefeated season by defeating Brunswick's Sophia Robertson and Bella Farkas 6-3, 6-2 in the Class A girls tennis state final. Their victory helped secure Falmouth's third consecutive team championship.
"It was a lot of competition for who would be paired up with who," Nelson said. "I'm really happy I'm paired up with her."
The road to the championship court wasn't smooth. The Navigators' No. 1 doubles team spent the early portion of the season learning to anticipate each other's movements. They developed a communication style that Nelson described with characteristic brevity.
"We just say words and hope the other person listens," she said with a smile.
That seemingly casual approach masks genuine tactical awareness. On Wednesday, Benson excelled at the baseline, returning balls and creating opportunities while Nelson prowled near the net, converting those setups into winners that left Robertson and Farkas scrambling.
"As the season goes on, we know when we want to switch. We know what the other person is going to do. It just gets more and more natural," Benson said.
Nelson brought experience to the partnership. She played second doubles a year ago, and Nichols believed that background would translate. What he didn't anticipate was how Nelson's steady presence would balance Benson's aggressive style.
"The reason it works is because Helena is the calming factor," Nichols said. "You have to have someone who has a very good learning curve. Cici keeps the ball in play, starts to understand angles, and just stepped up. They communicate so well, and they adjust according to the opponent, which doesn't usually happen with a sophomore and freshman."
Perhaps most impressive is their patience. Rather than forcing opportunities that don't exist, they're content to make a simple return and reset. That discipline, Nichols noted, reflects a maturity beyond their years.
They enter the state tournament having already claimed the doubles championship earlier this month. The momentum carried them through the final match, though Benson deflected credit.
"We just played our game," she said.
The future looks bright for this partnership. Falmouth loses no seniors from this championship roster, leaving the door open for Nelson and Benson to reunite next season. Nichols already finds himself looking forward to watching them play again.
"I'm selfishly excited about watching them play more," he said.
For their part, the pair expressed enthusiasm about continuing together.
"We would love that," Benson said, glancing at her partner.
Nelson smiled an affirmative. On a tennis court, sometimes that's all the communication you need.
