BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Coach: Ryan Martin

Top Returnees: Seniors Brock Gibbons (forward), Aidan Roberts (forward), and Noah Peterson (forward); Juniors Jacoby Bardsley (guard), Jacoby True (guard), Matthew Plummer (guard), Jackson Finocchiaro (forward) and Jaiden Meehan (center); Sophomores Braydan Wilson (center), Shane Plummer (guard) and Reid Plummer (forward).

Top Newcomers: Seniors Sean Murphy and Shougo Sturk; Junior Cooper Smith (center).

Q. What do you like best about your team?

Coach Martin: I like the best that we are getting along as a team, and it is showing on the court with extra passes and some great offensive possessions.

Q. What have you seen as the biggest difference from last year and this year?

Coach Martin: The biggest difference with us this year is our ability to close out games. We have guards now who are older and do a great job with handling pressure and understanding time and score. We have had four preseason games that have come down to the last couple of minutes, and we have shown huge growth in this category.

Q. What seems to be the biggest question marks?

Coach Martin: We have 12 players who are all varsity ready players and the question mark is still finding the best rotations and groups of five that work together the best.

Q. What has been the main focus in preseason?

Coach Martin: The main focus in preseason has been playing an up and down style. We are really focusing on ball pressure and getting up into the passing lanes defensively. Offensively, looking to run, but having the balance of then having great shot selection in the half court. We have a group where a number of guys can contribute every night.

Q. What will need to happen for the team to be successful?

Coach Martin: For the team to be successful, we will have to make individual sacrifices, and all buy in. We will need to trust each other on and off the court, while holding each other accountable.

Q. Complete the following, “I would consider this season a success if…”

Coach Martin: … This will be a successful season if we make the most out of our practices, come together the best we can as a team by improving every single day, and enjoying the process of the season.  We are going to strive to win each moment mentally and physically.

Opening Night: The Lakers open the season this Friday, Dec. 6 against Cape Elizabeth with first team action at 4 p.m., JV at 5:30 and varsity at 7 p.m.

Home Games:

Dec. 13, Mountain Valley, 7 p.m.

Dec. 17, Yarmouth, 7 p.m., Varsity only

Dec. 21, Medomak, 5 p.m.

Jan. 7, York, 7 p.m.

Jan. 11, Poland, 5:30 p.m., Varsity only

Jan. 14, Wells, 7 p.m.

Jan. 17, Waynflete, 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 4, Fryeburg, 7 p.m.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Coach: Doug Banks

Returnees: Seniors Jordan Blanton (forward), Bella Smith (center), Margo Tremblay (guard) and Kaylee Maguire (forward); Juniors Alison Bourgoin (guard), Destinee Knight (forward), and Molly Wear (forward); Sophomores Ella Gibbons (guard), and Helena Sheldrick (forward).

Top Newcomers: Sophomores Erinn Green, Samantha Jones, Kathryn Peterson, and Jada Stewart.

Q. What do you like best about your team?

Coach Banks: The best thing that I’m seeing right now is how well they’re all going out of their way to be very good teammates. They’re playing hard for each other, not for themselves. That’s a big thing that we’re hopping on really early in the season. We’re going to continue doing that through the whole season. They’re either going to get on that bus or they’re not. It is something we’ve preached since I took over the program. It is bringing back all the stuff that I’ve learned from the previous coach, obviously. It’s all about the community. It does take a village to make this work.

Q. What have you seen as been the biggest difference so far from last year’s group to this year’s group?

Coach Banks: We’re very athletic, one through 10. We’re going to use that to our advantage by continuing with our younger group, which is our sophomores. Helena Sheldrick leads that sophomore group, which includes Ella Gibbons, Sam Jones, Kathryn Peterson and Erinn Green. I believe that this group with our senior leadership is going to really flourish.

Q. What seems to be your biggest question marks at the moment?

Coach Banks: Being able to execute in a slow, played game. Some of that I think will be rough at the beginning of the season because we’re all learning new plays. I think that if someone wants to slow the ball down on us and play a half-court game, it’s going to be a challenge at the beginning of the season. We struggled at times with half-court execution last year, so that’s where players need to understand their role and we’re being very open about that with our staff. The staff is doing a good job of passing on information so players understand their roles. Not everybody is going to be able to play baseline to baseline and sideline to sideline, so understanding their role is going to be very important.

Q. What has been the focus so far in preseason?

Coach Banks: Communication on the floor, and trusting your teammate. If you’re making that rotation, you need to be able to trust your teammate that they’re going to rotate like they’re supposed to so that you’re not looking like you’re on an island. We had some of that this weekend. For example, senior Bella Smith said, ‘Do you want me to front the post player?’ I said, ‘I do. What is the problem?’ She’s said, ‘I don’t feel comfortable that I’m going to get in front of the post player and my teammates are going to be behind me.’ She was questioning whether her teammates would be there to help if the ball went over the top. That’s when I looked at the rest of the kids and I said, ‘You guys hear what she’s saying? Can she trust that you will be there?’ Right now, it’s all about just building that trust.

Q.  What will need to happen for the team to be successful?

Coach Banks: Continue building trust in each other and being happy for teammates to be successful.An individual can score 20 points, but if we only score 25 and the team doesn’t have success, then was it really a successful game?

I believe a group of 12 or 13 kids I have right now do believe in the importance of team chemistry. It’s going to be fun to watch them be excited for the team, and not for themselves.

Q. Complete the following, “I would consider this season a success if we were able to…”

Coach Banks: Play 22 games.It’s about playing 22 games.I want the girls to have the experience of playing for a Gold Ball. If we’re not pushing each other during practice, I’ll say, “So, some of you don’t want to play 22 games?” We say during practice probably half a dozen times, “Let’s see a show of hands, who wants to play 22 games?” They all raise their hands. “Well, we all know what that’s going to take to play 22 games, right? You’re going to have to play hard both during practices and games.” We’re doing things in practice that are building team chemistry. Being supportive of each other, especially if someone makes a mistake. We have several players ready to make an impact, like Ella Gibbons, Erinn Green, Sam Jones, Alison Bourgoin and Jada Stewart. Ella’s and Erinn’s defense are off the charts. They bring a defensive mentality we’re really proud of. When you combine those players with our returners like Bella Smith, who is a back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference player who is “just a great leader on and off the court,” and Margo Tremblay, who is a scorer and has been awesome with her teammates, along with Helena (Sheldrick) and Jordan (Blanton), I like our potential this season.

Opening Night: The Lakers open on the road Friday at Cape Elizabeth at 6 p.m.

Home Games:

Dec. 10, Wells, 6 p.m. Varsity only

Dec. 17, Yarmouth, 5:30 p.m. Varsity only

Dec. 19, Fryeburg, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 2, Gray-NG, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 4, Spruce Mtn, 3:30 p.m.

Jan. 9, Cape Elizabeth, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 11, Poland, 4 p.m., Varsity only

Jan. 28, York, 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 30, Freeport, 6:30 p.m.

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Coaches: Mark Snow and Dana Caron

Top Returnees: Seniors Delaina Grover (shot put), Marissa Harlow (sprints, jumps), Olivia Roy (shot put), Madison Shepard (shot put) and Sam Laverdiere (distance); Junior Kaitlin Lane (shot put); Sophomores Margaret Johnson (sprints, jumps), Abbi Nadeau (sprints, jumps), Madison Olsen (sprints, jumps) and Colby Galvin (sprints, jumps).

Top Newcomers: Juniors Vylet Robbins (sprints, jumps),

Sam Burnham (sprints) and Saul Burnham (sprints); Sophomores Emjae Wilcher (shot put, sprints), Daisy Piotrowski (distance) and Bronson Stanley (sprints, jumps); Freshmen Aveale Sibley (mid-distance), Orrin Moyes (shot put) and Braken Surma (mid-distance).

Q. What do you like best about your team?

Coach Snow: They get to work at practice, but also have a good sense of humor. We laugh a lot.

Q. What have you seen as the biggest difference from last year and this year?

Coach Snow: Fewer kids came out for the team. This cuts down on possible training partners and relationships.

Q. What seems to be the biggest question marks?

Coach Snow: How many meets will it take for everyone to figure out their role, and strengths.

Q. What has been the main focus in preseason?

Coach Snow: Conditioning. We only started event specific drills this week.

Q. What will need to happen for the team to be successful?

Coach Snow: It will be difficult to beat other teams with our small numbers. Thus, all our success will be the individual’s improvement in their times and distances.

Q. Complete the following, “I would consider this season a success if…”

Coach Snow: … “every team member told me at the end of the season that they had fun and wished the season didn’t end.”

Opening Night: The Lakers open their season on Friday, Dec. 20 at 3:30 p.m. at the University of Southern Maine field house in Gorham.

CHEERING

Coach: Janine Rocca-Chaine 

Top Returnees: Addy Peterson, Jayla Davis, Riley Boutilier, Macey Serfes and Emma Murphy.

Q. What do you like best about your team?

Coach Rocca-Chaine: I love the energy coming in to this season. We have a lot of new athletes that seem ready to do big things! The attitude is good and motivation is there.

Q. What have you seen as the biggest difference from last year and this year?

Coach Rocca-Chaine: Energy, and ambition! 

Q. What seems to be the biggest question marks?

Coach Rocca-Chaine: We have a young team with minimal past experience, this means only time and practice will tell how it evolves over the season. It’s a great opportunity to create and grow the best team possible, but also leaves the question of how this season will progress. Looking forward to watching us develop into an amazing squad!

Q. What has been the main focus in preseason?

Coach Rocca-Chaine: Stunting! We had an opportunity to hold a preseason stunting clinic with an outside stunting coach. We used this time to immerse all the new and the returning athletes into more extensive stunting technique. It was beneficial for all involved!

Q. What will need to happen for the team to be successful?

Coach Rocca-Chaine: Commitment, exposure and lots of practice!

Q. Complete the following, “I would consider this season a success if…”

Coach Rocca-Chaine: … We can continue to progress athletic ability, cheer technique as well as keep positivity up. We hope for a successful competitive and sideline season!

ALPINE SKI

Head Coach: Kurt Berger

Top Returnees: Caleb Coombs (senior), Collin Varney (junior), Gabe Vargas (sophomore); Laura Dutton (senior), Madison Frost (junior), Kathryn O’Connor (junior), Isabella Boodoo (sophomore).

Top Newcomers: Addison Klimek (freshman) joins the team with a lot of racing experience and a high level of success at the middle school level over the past few seasons; Wyatt Levesque (freshman) joins the team as the number 4 male racer allowing the boys to score as a team for the first time in years.

Q. What do you like best about your team?

Coach Berger: The team has a real positive attitude, work ethic and has quickly established a solid rapport as a team.

Q. What have you seen as the biggest difference from last year and this year?

Coach Berger: We graduated three seniors last season from our ladies’ team. They had been consistently our top performers and leaders for the team. I am excited to see how our upperclassmen and newcomers fill these roles. We also have a new Assistant Coach, Mark Politano, who replaces Scott Cushing who has been a big part of the Lake Region Ski Program and successes for many years. Scott will be missed by all, but we are excited to have Mark join us. He brings years of coaching experience and a passion for skiing.

Q. What has been the main focus in preseason?

Coach Berger: Working hard on conditioning and building our team environment.

Q. What will need to happen for the team to be successful?

Coach Berger: The team will need to work hard and improve throughout the season, but most importantly have confidence in their skills and belief they can be successful.

Q. Complete the following, “I would consider this season a success if…”

Coach Berger: … I am looking forward to individual successes this season. If we are able to consistently improve and have some team finishes in the top 3 throughout the season that would be great.