Baseball
Coach: Tony DiBiase (12th season)
Last year’s record: finished 9-8, lost in West A quarterfinals to eventual state champ Deering
Players to watch: senior Will Furbush (SS); juniors John Carey (1B) and Chris Gorham (P)
Outlook: The Red Riots are looking to reach the postseason for the 11th year in a row and DiBiase believes his squad – while lacking varsity experience – is more than capable.
“We have a lot of very young, good players who didn’t play a lot last year, so they haven’t had a chance to establish themselves,” DiBiase said. “If our youth can play well, we should have a good season.”
South Portland played two scrimmages in Massachusetts last weekend, tying one and winning the other 12-2. The coach liked what he saw from his players, even with very little practice under their belts. “I thought we played very well,” DiBiase said.
First game: April 24 vs. Cheverus at 11 a.m.
Softball
Coach: Jim Hartman (fourth season)
Last year’s record: finished 16-4, lost in West A finals to eventual state champ Scarborough
Players to watch: seniors Kelsey Flaherty, Julie DiMatteo and Kayla Ferrara
Outlook: Despite losing several players from last year’s fine squad, the Red Riots are poised for another run and their sights are set high. Hartman stated his goal for the season in simple terms: “state championship.” He said his main concerns are youth and team chemistry, but with experienced senior leaders and talented newcomers, South Portland has the ingredients for another excellent year.
First game: April 26 at Portland at 1 p.m.
Boys lacrosse
Coach: Tom Fiorini (first year)
Last year’s record: finished 9-5 after losing in the West A semifinals to Scarborough
Players to watch: seniors Will Whipple (attack), Nick Wright (mid), Sam Harmon (mid); junior Ben Linscott (attack)
Outlook: The Red Riots graduated 10 seniors and much of their offensive firepower. But Linscott knows how to put the ball in the net, having netted 26 goals last season as a sophomore. And Fiorini has confidence that his young players will step up to make South Portland competitive once again.
“We’d like to make the playoffs again this year, and we’d like to get past the second round, which we haven’t done yet,” Fiorini said. The Red Riots have been knocked off in the regional semifinals by Scarborough each of the past two years.
First game: April 29 at Gorham at 4 p.m.
Girls lacrosse
Coach: Bethany McCauley (third season)
Last year’s record: finished 4-8, missed playoffs
Players to watch: seniors Sarah Violette (attack), Catherine Ambrose (defense/attack) and Christina DiSanto (attack); juniors Cassie Lyons (defense/attack), Amber Creswell (goalie), Kim Loeffel (defense), Annie King (attack) and Erika Waterhouse (attack); sophomore Kate Lagios (attack)
Outlook: After just missing the playoffs last year, the Red Riots return a number of key players and should be in the postseason mix.
“Our goal this season is to be competitive and to have a winning year,” McCauley said. “Our expectation is to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs. We lost some good leaders last year but I have no doubt that these girls will fill those roles.”
First game: May 5 vs. Deering at 4 p.m.
Boys tennis
Coach: Cory Snow (sixth year)
Last year’s record: finished 4-8 and missed playoffs
Players to watch: seniors Nick Lagios, Mike Carter and Bryce McOsker; juniors Tanner Burgdorf and Mark O’Donnell; sophomores Corey Doucette and Aiden Boyce. Lagios returns as the Red Riots’ No. 1 singles player. The other six players all played in varsity matches last season.
Outlook: With a strong contingent returning from last year’s varsity squad, plus newcomers Seth Gaffar, Nick Roy, Nick Gaddar, Nate Walker, Chris Carter, Ryan Clancy and Keegan Hyland expected to jockey for spots in the top seven, South Portland is in good position to make a run at the postseason.
“We are looking forward to making the playoffs this year after two consecutive near misses,” said Snow. “A big goal this year is to make it deep into the playoffs like we did my first few years of coaching here. There will be several teams at about the same level this year, so it all comes down to execution.”
First match: April 28 vs. Cheverus at 3:30 p.m.
Girls tennis
Coach: Elizabeth Scifres (ninth season)
Last year’s record: finished 5-8, lost in West A prelims
Players to watch: seniors Dorothea Crowley and Sophie Boyce; juniors Meg Bagley, Patricia Lusty and Megan Lundgren
Outlook: The Red Riots return some seasoned veterans and have a number of young players looking to find a spot on the varsity team.
“My goals for the season include being a team noted for sportsmanship a well as competitiveness,” Scifres said. “My primary concern for the season is working out the ladder, which can be divisive, and then working on team unity and cohesion. Tennis is tricky as a team sport. On day you play individually, or with your partner, against other people on the team to earn your spot, then the next day we need to come together as a team and support each other as we compete against another school.”
First match: April 28 at Cheverus at 3:30 p.m.
Boys outdoor track
Coach: David Kahill (first season)
Last year’s record: 25th at Class A state meet
Athletes to watch: seniors Ian Golder (sprints), Aaron Bickford (throws), David Knowland (distance) and Brian Huynh (mid-distance); juniors Ryan Skillings (throws), Tony Haeuser (sprints, hurdles, jumps) and Brandon Emerson (sprints, hurdles); sophomores Jon Clement (distance), Brian Arsenault (sprints) and JC Esquibel (sprints, mid-distance); freshman Adrian Reid (sprints)
Outlook: Kahill, a South Portland High grad, succeeds Paul Brogan, his former coach. “I’m just looking to build off the tradition before me,” Kahill said. “I have a pretty passionate and hardworking group. They’ve got good talent and should be really competitive in the regular season.”
First meet: April 30 vs. Noble, Windham and Biddeford at 3:45 p.m.
Girls outdoor track
Coach: Bob Zinchuk (21st year)
Last year’s record: 8-6 regular season, finished sixth in the SMAA conference championship and 14th at the Class A state meet
Athletes to watch: seniors Olivia Hendry (distance), Kendall Morong (mid-distance), Lindsay Boyle (mid-distance), Megan Knowland (mid-distance), Meghan Gallagher (mid-distance), Ali Reddy (mid-distance), Chanel Cardone (sprints) and Molly Bogart (throws); juniors Kirsten Bakke (mid-distance), Jen Reddy (mid-distance), Kaylee Newcomb (mid-distance), Melissa Bodwell (race walk), Sarah Henderson (throws) and Jennie Farrell (throws)
Outlook: Hendry is one of the top distance runners in the state, having finished second in the 3200 at last year’s state meet and placing third in the 1600 at the SMAA conference championship. “We are very excited with a large turnout of athletes,” Zinchuk said. “Our main goals are to build team unity, improve each week and qualify a lot of girls for the state meet.”
First meet: April 29 at Noble with Windham and Biddeford at 3:45 p.m.
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