Scarborough tennis coach Craig McDonald can’t help but be impressed with what has become of the Windham tennis program. After all, he was there for its humble beginning.

Back in 1997, McDonald said a Windham High School sophomore petitioned the athletic director and rallied enough support to start a tennis program. McDonald was tabbed as the coach.

The team was in Class B at the time, didn’t have a huge crop of players to choose from and wasn’t really all that good. Now, the Eagles are looking to win their second Western Maine A title in three years, and possibly dethrone five-time defending champion Lewiston for the state crown.

“Now I’m thinking, ‘jeez, maybe I shouldn’t have been the first coach, because Windham is always the top dog to go after,'” McDonald said, laughing.

McDonald coached Windham for four years before accepting a teaching job in Old Orchard Beach. He took the Scarborough job in 2001. Wayne Martin took over in Windham the same season.

“Wayne and I both knew each other from Windham,” McDonald said. “He took over the job and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better. He’s done a phenomenal job.”

With five new courts, the Windham tennis grounds are a bit nicer than McDonald remembers them. They allow more matches to be played at once, and there’s no threat of stray foul balls.

“We didn’t have these courts,” McDonald said. “All we had is three tennis courts right next to a Little League field. When a Little League game was going on, balls would always come flying over the fence onto the tennis courts. We’d have to yell, ‘Fore!’ Kids would almost get hit every time.

“They had a Little League concession stand that I’d stand on top of to watch the game from up above. But it was great. We didn’t have much. We had T-shirts for uniforms. With only three courts, the matches usually lasted until seven or eight o’clock. With five courts, the matches get over in no time.”

On Tuesday, Windham defeated Scarborough 3-2 at home to improve to 11-0. The loss dropped Scarborough to 11-1.

That his old team was all that stood in the way of a perfect 12-0 regular season didn’t bother McDonald. The playoffs are still to come, and over the years he’s learned that what happens during the regular season can be quickly reversed come tournament time.

“Mental toughness is always a key aspect to tennis,” he said. “We remember back to last year when we beat Windham in the regular season and they came back to beat us in the playoffs. Last year as well, Windham beat Westbrook in the regular season and in the Western Maine finals, Westbrook came back to beat Windham at Bates College.

“You can always take that as motivation and tell the kids that if you get another match, you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. We’re hoping to meet (Windham) again in the Western Maine finals.”