Softball
Coach: JR Warren (11th season)
2007 season: finished regular season at 12-4, lost to Cape Elizabeth in West B semifinals
Players to watch: senior Jessie Hutchins (P); junior Andi Mitchell (INF); sophomores Meghan Craffey (C) and Morgan McClean (1B)
Outlook: The Lakers graduated only three starters from last year’s successful team. Hutchins won 11 games last year and battery mate Craffey returns as well. Six sophomores are back with varsity experience, so the team is young but far from untested.
“We should be much stronger hitting this year,” Warren said. “I’ve got some strong junior and senior leadership, which should help the young kids adapt to playing at this level.”
Cape Elizabeth, which went on to win the state Class B title in 2007 after knocking off the Lakers, also returns a strong team. That means competition will likely be fierce atop the Western Maine Conference. “It’s going to be a really tough league,” Warren said.
First game: April 17 at Wells at 4 p.m.
Baseball
Coach: Dan Leland (second season in a row, 10th overall)
2007 season: 3-13, missed playoffs
Players to watch: seniors Aaron Chase (P/3B), Tavish Leland (LF) and Adam Madura (CF); juniors Brandon Chase (SS) and Cody Leland (2B)
Outlook: The Lakers have a veteran team with seven seniors. Brandon Chase will not pitch this year due to an arm injury, but he and brother Aaron will be looked to lead the offense, hitting third and fourth in the order. The Leland brothers, Tavish and Cody, are solid in the field and both hit over .300 last season. And “there is no finer center fielder in Class B than Madura,” Coach Leland said. “He has tremendous speed and an above-average arm.”
Leland said the team’s goal will be to improve each day, then see what happens. “We have only won a couple games each of the past four seasons in the competitive Western Maine Conference,” Leland said. “It’s a long shot, but we hope to play a prelim game this season.”
Lake Region hopes to have its field ready for the April 29 home opener, which is significantly later than most of the competition. “Over half the teams we play are already outside,” Leland said. “Our first game is away at Wells next Thursday and they have already been practicing on their field for over a week. That will be out first day outside.”
First game: April 17 at Wells at 4 p.m.
Girls outdoor track
Coach: Chip Morton (second season)
2007 season: finished sixth at the Western Maine Conference meet and 12th at Class B state meet
Athletes to watch: seniors Renee Nicholas (jumps), Krysti Leach (sprints, jumps) and Taylor Kemp (throws); junior Kari Cowperthwaite (hurdles)
Outlook: Nicholas competed in four events and won the long jump at last year’s state meet. Leach, Kemp and Cowperthwaite also have state meet experience.
“We have lots of good, solid senior leadership,” Morton said. “This is their year to shine and I expect them all to do well. We have a big team this year and that will allow us to let athletes try new events, put different athletes on relays and rest athletes during the regular season. A top-five finish in the conference is our goal.”
First meet: May 2 at Cape Elizabeth with York and North Yarmouth Academy
Boys outdoor track
Coach: Mark Snow (11th season)
2007 season: finished 10th in the Western Maine Conference meet and 18th at the Class B state meet
Athletes to watch: seniors Jake Moore (sprints, hurdles), Lucas Elliott (pole vault) and Brandon “Stretch” Hall (discus)
Outlook: Moore was third in the WMC and state meet in the 300-meter hurdles last year, while Elliott is the defending WMC pole vault champ. He took fourth in the vault at the state meet.
“I would expect us to have a higher finish in the WMC and state meet this year,” Snow said. “We have few top-end athletes, but our depth should be better this year.”
First meet: May 2 at Cape Elizabeth with York and North Yarmouth Academy
Boys tennis
Coach: Patti DeWolfe (second season)
2007 season: finished 1-11, missed playoffs
Players to watch: senior Jordan Nichols; juniors Kurt Peterson, Tyler Merrifield, Jacob Curtis and Zach Poulin; sophomores Cree Mitchell and Shep Hayes
Outlook: Last year’s victory over Wells (which dropped tennis prior to this season) was the team’s first-ever win, DeWolfe said. The Lakers return some players with experience and will look to improve upon last year’s mark.
“Goals for the season are to improve players, games and skills, as well as learning patience and strategies for winning points,” DeWolfe said. “We always want to have fun and learn good sportsmanship. Of course we would love to win another match this year, but it will be a challenge.”
First match: April 17 vs. Fryeburg Academy at 3:30 p.m.
Girls tennis
Coach: (not yet named at press time)
2007 season: finished at 3-9, missed playoffs
Outlook: While the coaching search has stretched into the start of the season, the snow-covered courts mean the Lakers won’t be too far behind once a coach is officially named and tryouts are held.
First match: April 17 at Fryeburg Academy at 3:30 p.m.
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