Girls Varsity Basketball

Coach: Mike Murphy (fourth season)

Winter 2005-06 Record: 5-13

Key veterans: Cynthia Westcott,Jr., PF; Erin Murphy, So., G; Lauren Sawyer, Sr., PG; Audrey Shutts, Jr., C; Kaylene Godwin, Sr., F; Emily Wight, So., G

Coach’s outlook: “We are a year older with a little more experience. We want to keep improving on last year and hopefully that lands us in the state tournament. But I will say it’s probably the best the league has ever been. There are no nights off. No one really lost anything from the year before. Sanford lost its top player and they have plenty to go along with what is back. It’s the best the league has ever, ever been; I can’t stress it enough.”

Varsity Boys Ice Hockey

Coach: Glenn Amico (fourth season)

Winter 2005-06 Record: 6-14

Key veterans: Matt Buotte, Sr. Captain, D; Blane Graffum, Sr., F; Zach Johnson, Jr., C; Zach Suza, Jr., LW; Chris Marston, Sr., C; Zach Joy, So., G; Brendan Casavant, Sr., D; Jeol Chadbourne, Jr., D; Justin Dube, So., D; Joe Cloutier, Jr., F; Joshua Caron, So., F.

Key newcomers: Matt Foye, So., F; Tyler Rand, So. F; Devan Rodrigue, Fr. D; Shayne Nealey, Fr., F.

Coach’s outlook: “The outlook is very promising. I feel we should make the playoffs. We are a tier-two team and our schedule looks promising. The kids are optimistic and being positive is a good thing. We only lost three seniors last year. This is the most interest we’ve had in 12 years for tryouts for hockey, so we have actually created a JV team.”

Wrestling

Coach: Ryan Hutchins (first season at Westbrook, sixth overall)

Winter 2005-06 Record: 7-10

Key veterans: Andrew Howe, Sr. Captain, 152, third in Class A last season; Ray Barnhart, Sr. Captain, 171; Tony Gato, Sr.,189/215

Key newcomers: Preston Peabbles, Fr., 119/125; Harrison, Fr., 119/125; Andrew Drouin, Fr., 189/215

Coach’s outlook: “We are very young overall, but with some strong upperclassmen to lead us through the year are starting to look up. With a strong core of young wrestlers, it will be a good rebuilding season as a team. Howe, Barnhart and Gato all look to improve upon their regional and state finishes from a year ago, while other wrestlers will look to make their mark in the league.”

Boys Varsity Basketball

Coach: Mark Karter

Last year: The Blazes finished the regular season with a 5-13 record.

Senior guard Travis Rand will try to help the Blue Blazes back to the post-season after not qualifying for last year’s West A tourney.

The Blazes open the regular season on Friday when they host a very good Deering team.

Boys Varsity Swimming

Coach: Dana Barrows (second season)

Last season: 5-2 “Last year the men’s team did an excellent job with only a few swimmers. The team qualified seven out of the nine team members to the State meet and finished 8th in the state as a team. With all the teams’ members returning we are extremely excited about the possibilities of the coming year.”

Key veterans: “This year we have strong leadership in senior captains, Matt Violette (200 I.M., 200 Free, 500 Free,100 Fly), Jake Wilson (200 I.M., 200 Free, 500 Free,100 Fly), Ian Oliver(Sprints). Matt and Jake are real contenders for individual honors this year. Our hopes are that we can ride their powerful swimming to a top three finish as a team at states. Returning swimmers who will also contribute to this cause are Kyle Goan (freestyle/I.M.) and Kalin Lancaster (distance)”

Key newcomers: “We are excited about the freshmen additions of Derek Hawkes (Breastroke, I.M.) and Keegan Goan (diving/backstroke). Our coaching staff also happily welcomed back Sam Nappi, diving coach, who will make an immediate impact on our young dive team.”

Coach’s outlook: “We have added some numbers and are excited to compete. The addition of diver’s Zach Good and Keegan Goan will improve our chances at the end of the year. Our team is still a little small in comparison to some of the perennial contenders. But, we hope to make up for our quantity of swimmers with quality swims from our men. We are looking for the men’s team to progress into a state contender!”

Girls Varsity Swimming

Coach: Dana Barrows (second season)

Winter 2005-06 Record: 0-7

Key veterans: “Last year my ladies had a rebuilding year. We happily welcomed many new swimmers and watched them progress very well over a season’s time. We look for some of these returnees to lead another good crop of new athletes. The Lady Blazes will rely on Leah Grabarz (Junior), 100 breastroker, Andrienne Saltz (Senior) breaststroker, Tonya Mailman (Junior), 100 Flyer, and Kelsey Herbert (Senior), 500 free, to provide the leadership this young team needs. Notable returnees include: Kelly Smith (Sophomore), freestyle, Steph Lamson (Sophomore), backstroke, and Brenda Wood (Sophomore), diving.”

Key newcomers: “Top newcomers we are anxious to see are Emjay Williams (Senior), Olivia Hebert (Freshman), and Jill Stauble.”

Coach’s outlook: “My hopes for the ladies this year is to keep improving and having fun. The girls have really worked hard and should have a lot of solid swims. I believe that the extra work they have put in during the off season will show up in competition. Personal Bests will be falling all year.”

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We apologize for not having a more detailed boys basketball preview and we will have the Westbrook indoor track previews in next week’s paper.

The cheering preview will appear in mid-January just prior to the league and regional competitions.