Baseball

Coach: Tony DiBiase (13th season)

Last year’s record: finished 8-8 in the regular season to earn the No. 8 seed in the Class A West tournament, defeated No. 9 Sanford in a prelim game before losing to No. 1 Deering, the eventual state champ, in the quarterfinals

Key players: seniors Chris Gorham (P) and Mike Dicenso (C); juniors Ryan Curit (OF) and Jon DiBiase (3B)

Season outlook: Three of South Portland’s top expected returnees from last season – John Carey, Matt Lee and Nick Folan – are unable to play this season, leaving the Riots with some holes to fill. Gorham pitched well last season and will have an increased role this year. Curit, Dicenso and Jon DiBiase are all solid in the field and can hit. As of Tuesday, Tony DiBiase was still waiting to get his team outside to get a better idea of what his younger players could do. The Red Riots had 60 kids try out for the team. “We have a lot of good, young players,” the coach said. “We have a large group of talented freshmen and sophomores. They’ll have to step up.”

The Riots have made the playoffs each of the past 10 seasons and Tony DiBiase doesn’t expect this one to be any different. While it may take a few games to break in some new players, the coach expects his team to be playing its best baseball at the end of the season. While Deering and Westbrook are the early favorites in the SMAA, there are a number of other teams – South Portland included – that should be in the postseason mix.

Softball

Coach: Ralph Aceto (first season)

Last year’s record: finished 13-3 in the regular season to earn the No. 4 seed in the Class A West tournament, defeated No. 5 Bonny Eagle in the quarterfinals before losing to No. 1 Scarborough in the semifinals

Key players: seniors Lauren Tuttle (P/OF) and Melissa Thomes (2B); junior Stephanie Thibeault (C/IF); sophomores Danielle DiBiase (utility), Amanda Linscott (IF) and Alexis Bogdanovich (P/OF)

Season outlook: Aceto takes over for Jim Hartman, who coached the Red Riots for four seasons. South Portland graduated standout pitcher Julie DiMatteo and four-year shortstop Kelsey Flaherty, but remains talented, albeit young. Aceto expects to start seven underclassmen. “We have a nice group of senior leaders and a very good group of younger players,” Aceto said. He expects some growing pains and an adjustment period as players become accustomed to both a new coach and playing at the varsity level, but looks for the Riots to be competitive.

The SMAA should again be tightly contested at the top. Scarborough, Biddeford and Gorham were the top three teams a year ago and each returns a lot of talent. South Portland will have to overcome youth and inexperience, but should again be in the playoff hunt.

Boys lacrosse

Coach: Tom Fiorini (second season)

Last year’s record: 5-7, missed playoffs

Key players: seniors Ben Linscott (attack), Joe Connolly (defense) and Tyler Bickford (goalie) and junior Will Carter (defense)

Season outlook: The Riots should benefit from a favorable schedule, thanks to the tiered formatting used in lacrosse. They narrowly missed the playoffs a season ago and while they will start just four seniors, they have a strong group of experienced juniors. Fiorini has high expectations for his team. “Our goal is to get deep in the playoffs,” he said. South Portland has started slow the past few seasons and Fiorini hopes to reverse that trend. A key early on will be midfield play, as the Riots are lacking experience there. Unlike in the past, they have Cape Elizabeth on the schedule – a “natural rivalry” game that Fiorini said he’s looking forward to.

Girls lacrosse

Coach: Bill Fenton (first season)

Last year’s record: 3-9, missed playoffs

Key players: seniors Amber Creswell (goalie), Annie King (attack/defense), Cassie Lyons (defense), Kim Loeffel (defense), Erika Waterhouse (attack) and Sam Viola (attack)

Season outlook: Fenton takes over the program after working as an assistant under former coach Bethany McCauley. He said the goal is to have a winning season, which he believes is possible with the Riots’ schedule. South Portland is young, but what the team lacks in experience it should make up for with spirit, Fenton said. “They’re very hungry and play with a lot of heart,” he said. “I’m excited to see what they can do. I’m looking forward to the season.”

Boys tennis

Coach: Tom Hyland (first season)

Last year’s record: finished 5-7 in the regular season to earn the No. 8 seed in the Class A West tournament, defeated No. 9 Biddeford in a prelim match before falling to No. 1 Windham in the quarterfinals

Key players: seniors Tanner Burgdorf, Corey Doucette and Mark O’Donnell; juniors Aidan Boyce and Keegan Hyland

Season outlook: After coaching the JV team the past several seasons, Tom Hyland takes over for Cory Snow, who coached the Riots for six seasons. South Portland returns five of its top seven players from last season, so the team has experience. Coach Hyland said the Riots would be working on improving conditioning and the mental aspects of their play in order to hopefully improve on last season’s finish. “I think they’ll compete nicely,” he said.

While the Riots look like a playoff-caliber team this season, the future appears especially hopeful, as a large crop of freshmen are out for the team and the middle school feeder program is developing. ‘We’re hopeful for a revival,” Tom Hyland said.

Girls tennis

Coach: Elizabeth Scifres (11th season)

Last year’s record: finished 7-5 in the regular season to earn the No. 7 seed in the Class A West tournament, defeated No. 10 Windham in a prelim match before falling to No. 2 Deering in the quarterfinals

Key players: singles – seniors Patricia Lusty and Megan Lundgren; sophomore Amanda Junkins; doubles – seniors Meg Bagley and Kaycee Hendricks; juniors Courtney Perruzzi, Savannah King and Alison Dolbow; sophomore Morgan Lundgren

Season outlook: The Red Riots are looking to build off last year’s winning season and playoff berth. “We have a strong group of returning players who are very competitive, athletic and assertive,” Scifres said. The team is looking forward to warmer, drier weather as the recent rain has forced practice indoors, where court time is limited. “We need time on the courts to determine our ladder, to polish doubles strategies and for everyone, new or veteran, to learn,” Scifres said.

South Portland will also be hosting the newly implemented “northern” SMAA JV tournament on May 28. It will be open to the top two JV doubles teams from each school and will give players outside of the top seven a chance to play in a tournament setting.

Boys outdoor track

Coach: David Kahill (second season)

Last year’s finish: 9-3 in the regular season, eighth at Southwestern meet, 18th at Class A state meet

Key athletes: seniors Kevin Campbell (400, 800), Brandon Emerson (sprints, hurdles), Sean Feely (200, 400), Tony Haeuser (hurdles, sprints, jumps), David Hardison (hurdles, sprints, jumps), John Johnston (race walk), Ryan Skillings (throws) and Jake Viola (throws); juniors Brian Arsenault (200, 400), Jonathan Clement (distance), J.C. Esquibel (hurdles, 400, 800) and Joseph Michaud (200, 400); sophomores Sam Redstone (distance), Adrian Reid (sprints), Cal Skillings (sprints and throws)

Season outlook: “A strong group of hurdlers and sprinters, and a group of developing distance runners should be the strength of the team,” Kahill said. He’ll be looking to his solid group of upperclassmen to provide leadership as the younger athletes strive to improve. “Great competitiveness, attitude and work ethic will be key for the team to be very competitive during the regular-season and championship meets,” the coach added. The Riots will look to build depth in field events over the course of the season.

Girls outdoor track

Coach: Bob Zinchuk (22nd season)

Last year’s finish: 7-7 in the regular season, 24th at Class A state meet

Key athletes: seniors Abbey Cook (distance, throws), Melissa Bodwell (race walk) and Aleesa Larson (throws); juniors Tanya Wilkes (middle distance), Davianne Redwood (middle distance), Karleigh Bradbury (middle distance), Lilly Pearlman (middle distance), Kristin Jerome (hurdles), Emily Conroy (hurdles), Bobielynn Fisher (sprints, pole vault) and Faith Abraham (sprints, pole vault); sophomores Annelise Donahue (distance), Maria Letourneau (distance), Hailey Grohman (middle distance), Sydney Damien-Loring (middle distance), Jessica Johnson (throws) and Sarah Johnston (race walk); freshmen Shelby Miller (sprints, jumps), Jamie Fisher (sprints, jumps), Sarah Ouellette (middle distance, hurdlers) and Meghan Cyr (middle distance, hurdles)

Season outlook: South Portland will be looking to improve upon last year’s finish at the state meet. The number of athletes out for track is encouraging to Zinchuk as he looks to build depth. “We are very excited with a large turnout of 40 athletes,” the coach said. “Our main goals are to build team unity, improve each week and qualify a lot of girls for the state meet. We will have to outwork the other teams by performing well. What we lack in first-place talent will be made up for in effort and determination.”

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