SP w35 lr fall previews

VARSITY FOOTBALL

Coach:  Brian Jahna

Assistant Coaches: Mike Shea, Joseph Gasbarro, Seth Johnson 

Top returning players:  Seniors Ben Roakes, OL/DL; Todd Crawford, OL/DL; Dakota Stover, WR/RB/DB.

Top newcomers: Freshmen Brandon Sargent, RB/DB; Ethan McMurray, RB/DB.

Other potential varsity team members:  Freshmen Brent Massey, RB/DB; Colby Chapman, OL/DL.

Team strengths: Coach Jahna — This team has an incredibly positive energy about it. They have fantastic attitudes and an amazing work ethic and tempo.

Team question marks:  Team depth, young players being able to play at a varsity level

3 keys to a successful season:  Upperclassmen staying healthy and younger players stepping up to play key roles.

What do you like best about this team: Coach Jahna —  This team is fun to be around. They go about their business quietly. They went through a grueling two weeks of two-a-days with strong attendance and not a single complaint. No matter how hard you push them, the are constantly working their hardest and have a smile and nice conversation afterward. They are a highly accountable team, keeping their areas clean and fulfilling their duties and obligations.  Just a fun bunch to be around.

Opener: The Lakers host Yarmouth this Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.

CROSS COUNTRY

Coaches: Dan Dors, Kurt Peterson

Girls: Seniors Addie Blais and Jen Springer; Juniors Hannah Chadwick and Sam DeSouza; Sophomores Olivia Toole, Kennedy Brake and Emily Colson; Freshman Michelle Burnell.

Boys: Junior Ethan Chadwick; Sophomores Andrew Gianattasio, Devyn Hatch, Cameron Meserve, Brandon Ross and Tim Moore; Freshmen Ethan Colson, Ian St. John and Jeff McCubrey.

Outlook: Very young team that is working very hard and could surprise a few teams if the group stays injury free. Two-time state qualifier Addie Blais is the leader of the team.

First time out: At Saturday’s annual Lake Region Invitational — a warm-up before the start of the regular cross-country season — Jeff McCubrey posted the highest Laker finish on the day with an 11th place in 17:14 out of 85 competitors over the 2.95-mile course (Ben Breton of Windham set a new course record by two seconds in 14:56).

Other LR boys finishers:

36. Tim Moore, 19:08
37. Cameron Meserve, 19:22
38. Devyn Hatch, 19:52
39. Ethan Chadwick, 20:16
40. Ian St. John, 20:23
41. Andrew Gianattasio, 21:26
42. Brandon Ross, 27:54

The Laker boys were eighth.

On the girls’ side:

29. Addie Blais, 21:50
30. Kennedy Brake, 23:04
31. Hannah Chadwick, 23:27
32. Olivia Toole, 23:50
33. Emily Colson, 28:13

The Laker girls were seventh.

Opener: The Lakers travel to Cape Elizabeth this Friday to take on the Capers, Yarmouth, and Gray-New Gloucester.

VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY

Coach: Pauline Webb

Assistant Coaches: Hannah Cutting and Lauren Gillespie

Top returning players: Senior forward Liz Cole and sophomore forward Paige Davis.

Top newcomers: Freshmen forwards Delaney Merserve and Kaitlyn Plummer, and midfielder Julia Murch.

Other potential varsity team members: Coach Webb will be counting on junior defenders Kelsey Apovian and Hailey Parsons to be strong in the backfield; and sophomore Shayla Dunn, who is willing and can play multiple positions.

Team strengths: Several players who can score; good work ethic.

Questionables:  Coach Webb —Very young team — only one senior — we are not deep, so need to stay away from injuries. We have strong freshmen, and I believe in them, so working to build confidence in them and the team is going to be very important.

What I like best about the team: Coach Webb — They love the game; they’re young, so lots of potential, and some of them admit to me when they cheat on their “in-season nutrition plan.”

Opener: The Lakers open on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at Greely at 4 p.m. The first home game is set for Thursday, Sept. 8 against Yarmouth at 4 p.m.

VARSITY GOLF

Coach: Art Kilborn

Roster: Tyler Walker (sr), Ryan Walker (soph), Luke Neal (sr, transfer), Cutter Meeker (jr, changed fall sport from soccer to golf), Bobby Caron (jr) and Ben Johnson (jr).

Others that will figure in matches may be: Justin Mushrow (jr), Michael Peterson (jr), and Adam Ranco (soph).

Key to a successful season will be getting off with a great start. Coach Kilborn — This year, we will play 12 matches over eight dates, playing everyone once. Currently, 10 golfers have been practicing with us. We are encouraging others to join us once school starts!

Opening day: The Lakers opened their season Tuesday with a 6-1 loss to North Yarmouth Academy at Bridgton Highlands. Tyler Walker picked up the Lakers’ lone point by shooting a match best 40, beating Dana Nichols by 16 strokes.

Other scores: Ryan Walker 45 (down 2), Luke Neal 60 (down 5), Bobby Caron 63 (down 6), Ben Johnson 63 (down 14), Adam Ranco 74 (down 17).

JV BOYS’ SOCCER

Coach: Michael Chaine

Overview: 2016 will be a big change for the boys’ soccer program.  The team this year will play a Junior Varsity schedule only due to a significant drop in numbers.  After graduating nine seniors (plus two AFS players) last year and four other underclassmen choosing not to return to the sport, Coach Chaine was left with just two returning varsity players.  And, only four freshmen signed up to play.  Currently, the Laker roster stands at 16 players with the majority consisting of sophomores.

“The group I have are well motivated and eager to get out and play hard no matter what level we play,” Coach Chaine said. “Due to their continued support of the sport, we will prevail and return to varsity level next year.”

Top returning players: Douglass Mayo (sr), Tristen Chaine (jr), CJ Ferguson (soph goalie).

Top newcomers: Sophomore class

Team strengths: Attitude and intensity.

Team question marks: Numbers.

3 keys to a successful season: Staying healthy, stay positive, staying eligible.

What do you like best about this team: Coach Chaine — Their commitment to the sport and to their team.

Opener: At press time, Athletic Director Paul True was still piecing together a schedule. Stay tuned.

VARSITY GIRLS’ SOCCER

Coach: Peter Webb

Assistant Coach: Harvey Toews

JV Coach: Shawn Rock

Top returning players:  Kristen Huntress – forward; Melody Millett – midfield; Lauren Jakobs – forward; Neva Leavitt - back and midfield; Danica Chadwick - back.

Other returning players:  Maddie Rock – keeper; Maraiah Nason – back; Chandler True – midfield; Kaylyn Jordan – midfield; Brooke Harriman - back.

Top newcomers:  Leoni Kohnen – midfield; Meghan Boos - returning after taking a year off.

Team strengths:  Coach Webb — We are developing a pretty solid possession game and have the ability to score from many areas.

Question mark:  Coach Webb — We graduated two starting backs and one starter in the back did not return to play this year so we are experimenting with the best fit for the back line.

Numbers are low so depth is a question and we will need to stay healthy and injury free.

What I like best about this team:  Coach Webb — We have a very intelligent group of young ladies who understand the meaning of commitment.  They are all willing to play wherever is necessary on the field in order to benefit the team.

Opener: The Lakers open the season this Friday, Sept. 2 at Sacopee Valley at 6 p.m. The Lakers then travel to Old Orchard on Tuesday, Sept. 6 for a 4 p.m. contest, then host Cape Elizabeth on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m.

Opener:

VARSITY Volleyball

Coach: Ryan Shible

Varsity Captains:  Catherine Christiansen, Lindsey Keenan

JV Captains:  Cheyenne Bell, Savannah Mullins

Top returning players:  Catherine Christiansen, sr, setter; Lindsey Keenan, jr, setter; Melissa Bonenfant, jr, middle hitter; Maggie Luce, outside hitter; Autumn Tremblay, jr, outside hitter.

Top newcomers: Savannah Silke, soph, outside hitter; Cheyenne Bell, soph, setter/passing specialist; Madison Morse, fr, passing specialist.

Coach Shible — Cheyenne Bell is a sophomore and has already made significant contributions to our volleyball team; as she has taken on the role as setter for the JV team, and through her hard work and determination to improve has earned a spot on the varsity team as a passing specialist.

Savannah Silke, also a sophomore, has displayed some great offensive skills, and because of this, earned a spot on the varsity team as a middle hitter, opposite Melissa Bonenfant.

Team strengths: Coach Shible — Our strengths this year will be our experience; as we have a good group of core players who are returning; who each have a great ability to contribute defensively and offensively to our team.

Question marks: Finding an effective combination of offensive strategies that will lead to victories in matches we play.

3 keys to a successful season: Coach Shible — The keys to our success this season will be to successful combine our defensive capability with our offensive capability; by consistently getting passes to our setters and following through with an effective attack.

The other key will be to control the pace of the game as we play other teams; by putting them on their heels with strong consistent serving, along with strong attacks at the net.

The last key is to be tenacious on defense, to go after every ball, to turn every reception into an attack.

What I like best about our team, is our team’s experience, which will prove invaluable as we take on our competitors this season.

Opener: The Lakers host North Yarmouth Academy on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m.