BRUNSWICK — Football season is already underway everywhere else but here – and other campuses belonging to the New England Small College Athletic Conference.
Bowdoin College begins its eight-game schedule Saturday at 1 p.m., at Whittier Field on the Bowdoin campus.
You can’t beat the price of admission. It’s free.
Both Bates and Colby colleges are also home for their openers on Saturday.
Bowdoin won the intra-state rivalry last year, beating Bates and Colby, but going 1-5 against the rest of the league.
“We’re looking to improve,” Polar Bears Coach Dave Caputi said.
“Last year, we had a whole slew of injuries and we had to thrust young guys into the lineup.
“Now we have an experienced group of sophomores.”
The best returning player is a senior, All-Conference first-team receiver and kick returner Pat Noone of North Attleboro, Mass.
Noone caught 54 passes for 550 yards last year.
“He still surprises me with what he can do,” Caputi said.
Another offensive weapon will be freshman Dennis Liu of Scarborough. He will line up as a receiver, running back and do just about anything else the team needs.
“Dennis has got some nice skills we hope to employ,” Caputi said.
Among the other receivers are freshman Ethan Drigotas of Kennebunk and junior Cam Bishop of Waterville.
Caputi has not announced a starting quarterback. It will be one of two sophomores: Grant White (Springfield, Vt.), or Thomas Romero (Mansfield, Mass). The No. 3 quarterback is the coach’s son, Mac Caputi of Brunswick and Holderness School in Plymouth, N.H.
The running game is an area that needs improvement, and Caputi is counting on a group of backs, and several returning linemen to make that happen.
The defense will be led by All-Conference second-team linebacker Ian Vieira, a senior from Plymouth, Mass.
The Polar Bears will be tested early.
Saturday’s game is against defending league champion Williams.
Colby, 4-4 last year, plays host to Trinity. Bates (2-6 in 2010) is home against Amherst.
IN OTHER D-III FOOTBALL, Maine Maritime improved to 2-0 with a 21-13 win over UMass-Dartmouth last Saturday. Junior linebacker Joel Chadbourne of Westbrook led the Mariners with 11 tackles. Husson (0-2) lost to Springfield 63-19.
BOWDOIN VOLLEYBALL is off to a 7-1 start. Junior Hillary Cederna, of Cumberland and Greely High, is the lone Mainer on the team. She is third in kills with 47.
THE NO. 1 TENNIS player for the University of Southern Maine’s women’s team is sophomore Mary Moran of Windham. She helped the Huskies to their first Little East Conference win over Western Connecticut last week with a 6-1, 6-1 victory.
FIELD HOCKEY at the University of New England is going well, with the Nor’Easters off to a 7-0 start heading into Tuesday night’s game at Colby. Michelle Oswald (Jay) and Brianna Tupper (Winthrop) lead the team with four goals apiece.
SOUTHERN MAINE Community College is enjoying an unbeaten (6-0) fall baseball season. In a doubleheader sweep of New Hampshire Technical Institute, Mustafa Jamal of Gorham and Mike Vadnais of Biddeford both pitched complete games.
Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at: kthomas@pressherald.com
Twitter: ClearTheBases
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