Julie Wescott takes over for Jake Gentle as the leader of the Lisbon High School girls basketball team, moving up from her jayvee position, while Eric Hall’s boys squad looks to put some wins on the board this year.
On the mat, longtime coach Mark Stevens is wrestling with lower numbers and inexperience as the opening of the grappling season nears.
Boys basketball
It has been a tough go for Hall since taking over the Greyhounds two seasons ago. Lisbon is 2-34 during this time after finishing 0-18 last season.
But, the coach has confidence in his team as the season opener nears. The Greyhounds visit Monmouth on Dec. 10 at 7 p. m. before hosting Spruce Mountain in the home opener on Dec. 13.
LISBON HIGH SCHOOL wrestlers Zach Stevens, top photo, right, and Tyler Bard practice together, while in the bottom photo (from left) seniors Sarah Giraldo, Briana Moore, Alexa Harmon, Jess Campbell and Haley Eck hope to lead the Greyhounds in girls hopes. The Lisbon wrestlers open Dec. 9 at Dirigo, while the girls basketball team visits Monmouth Dec. 9.
Returning seniors are Mason Smith (guard) and 6-foot-1 Derrick Lycette (forward), while returning juniors are Mason Haley (G) and 6-foot-3 forward Bradley Groh. Center Jacob Bremmer, the tallest of the Greyhounds at 6-foot- 5, and Tucker Brannon (G) played on the varsity team as freshmen and return to the fold.
Newcomers are senior Andrew Smith (G), juniors Nick Collins (6-foot- 1, F) and Ryan Brewer (F), sophomore Kendall Roy (G), and freshmen Kyle Bourget ( G) and Johnny Yim ( F) round out the roster.
“Right now, we are banged up a little, so our health right now is the key,” said Hall, who feels the Mountain Valley Conference is deep this year. “The combining of Jay and Livermore Falls into Spruce Mountain makes them a solid team, while Dirigo has been to the past two state title games. Boothbay is consistent, while Wiscasset and Hall- Dale have both improved.”
Hall looks for his team to come out of the gates aggressive, something the Greyhounds lacked last year.
“We must play proactive and not reactive, and we have to be more consistent to have success,” said Hall. Monmouth will be a test for us, and I hope we can improve as we go on.”
Lisbon visits Wiscasset on Dec. 20, and plays host to Telstar on Jan. 3. The Greyhounds entertain Wiscasset on Jan. 17 and close the regular season at home against Monmouth on Feb. 6.
Girls basketball
Under Gentle, the Greyhounds went 6-12 in Western Maine Class B, missing out on the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
Wescott looks to get Lisbon back to the postseason as the Greyhounds drop to Western Class C this season. A trip to the Augusta Civic Center floor is expected from the perky coach, who credits Gentle with turning the Lisbon girls basketball program around.
“Taking over this team from Jake is an honor considering what he did here,” said Wescott, who also coached the Lisbon field hockey team to the Western Class C semifinals after replacing longtime coach Stevens. “There is a foundation with this basketball team, so I am just tweaking things a little. We had seasons here with no wins, and Jake turned things around. I’m confident in this team.”
Players lost to graduation are Kelsey Linnell, Allie Fitzgerald, Randi Brannon and Ashley Fournier.
Wescott’s returning seniors are Jess Campbell (G/F), Alexa Harmon (G), Haley Eck (G/F), Briana Moore (F) and Sarah Giraldo (G/F), while the juniors include veterans Bailey Madore (G) and Denise Thomas (G) along with sophomore guard Jen Smith.
The newcomers are juniors Jordan Kates ( G) and Elyssa Hubert ( G), sophomore Courtney Martel (F) and freshman Mia Durgin (G).
“Right now, we are working in practice on creating good shots and increasing our defensive pressure,” said Wescott, whose team opens at Monmouth Friday at 7 p.m. “These girls know a lot, so it’s just about finetuning some things here and there.
“We have five seniors that I’ve had since they were freshmen, so they know what I expect. They are eager to learn, and after not making the playoffs last year, they want to do better.”
Wescott predicts the teams to beat in the MVC are Spruce Mountain, Mountain Valley and defending Class C champion Hall-Dale, along with an improving and tall Boothbay squad.
Key dates for the ’Hounds are Dec. 16 at home against St. Dom’s, Dec. 21 at home against Boothbay, at Mountain Valley on Jan. 13 and at Boothbay on Feb. 3.
Wrestling
Lisbon finished second in State Class C action to Dover-Foxcroft (128- 122), and Forrest Cornell won his fourth straight individual title.
Also winning individual titles were Nick McNamara (103), Josh Pomerleau (125), Mike McNamara (135) and Matt Nicholson (140).
The grapplers host Dirigo on Dec. 9 at 6 p.m.
Key losses include Cornell, threetime state champion McNamara, and two-time state champions Pomerleau and Nicholson.
Returning wrestlers include senior Zach Splude (171) and sophomores Zach Stevens (120), Nick McNamara ( 113), Tyler Bard ( 126) and David Moore (152).
Newcomers are sophomores Dylan Dall (150) and Cory O’Connor (119), along with freshmen JD Martin (113), Mike Demerhest (138), Sage Walton (155), Cote Brauneis (106) and Charles Sult (145).
“ This will be a developmental/ growing year for us,” said Stevens, who feels Camden, Belfast, Noble, Marshwood and Massabesic are the top five teams in the state.
“Our schedule is the toughest in the land, and our boys will have to swim or sink … I am looking forward to a young team, where the only expectations are to work hard and represent our school well.”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
