BRUNSWICK

The Brunswick High School fall sports season will kick off on Friday, as the cross country team heads to the Laliberte Invitational at Cony High School in Augusta.

Next week, football, field hockey and golf get under way, with the boys and girls soccer teams getting extra time to practice, with their openers slated for Sept. 9.

Football

Coach — Dan Cooper

Last season — The Dragons went 6-2 in their first season playing in Eastern Maine Class B, earning the top seed. After defeating Skowhegan in the semifinals, 42-28, fell to eventual Class B state champion Cony, 48-38, in the Eastern B regional final.

Players lost — Lost eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters including Nick Dodson, Jacob Duffy, Josh Thibeault, Logan Tupper, Ryan Maciejewski, Lucas McCue, Cody Buchheit, Adam Casey, Brady Larson and Zach Raubeson.

Players returning — Seniors Alex Bandouveres (Capt., RB/LB), Pearson Cost (QB, DB); juniors Logan Ouellette (OT/DT), Will Bessey (RB/LB), Alan Molnar (WR/DB).

Key newcomers — Seniors Ricky Klatt (WR/DB), Kyle Mallett (Capt.), Devin Hewson (C/DT), Tristan Graves (G/LB), Nick Osborne (OT/DT), Cam Berry (RB/LB), Logan Moulton (C/DT); juniors Andrew Cilea (G/LB), Thomas Hanson (QB/DB), Zack Larabee (TE/DE); sophomore Jesse Devereaux (RB/LB).

Team overview — “Hard work, sacrifice and time-tested Brunswick football qualities will get us back to a regional final again,” said Cooper. “A punishing running game has always been our strength, and with Bando and Bessey lugging the pigskin, it should be once again.

“Our secondary has been swish cheese lately. If we are to win any games versus quality opponents, our secondary needs to raise their game. We only have three returning starters on offense and defense, so in addition to secondary play, we’ll be in need of weekly improvement in all areas. Offensively, we’ve got to be able to complete passes with more consistency than a year ago.”

Season opener — Sept. 5 at home against Brewer, 7 p.m.

Key contests — Sept. 19 at Cony; Sept. 26 at Skowhegan; Oct. 3 home against Mt. Blue; Oct. 17 home versus Lawrence.

Boys soccer

Coach — Mark Roma

Last season — Finished 8-6, good for the No. 6 seed in Eastern A. Lost to Bangor, 3-0, in the Eastern A quarterfinals.

Players lost — Ryan Black, Ryan Brescia, Ian Burgess, Adam Finik, Blake Gordon, Philip LeBlanc, Satchell Toole, Cullen Shea, Dalton Favreau, Cormick Gaughran.

Players returning — Seniors Cameron Glover (Capt., MF), Jesse Arford (Capt., F), Eric Kousky (D), Evan Murray (GK); juniors Reed Foster (D), Alex Reny (F), Keenan Welzel (Capt., F); sophomores Josh Dorr (GK), Christian Glover (D).

Key newcomers — Junior JD Souza (transfer from Wiscasset); freshman Henry Doherty (D).

Team overview — “The key for us will be speed of play, as we are a small team and will lose the ball if we hold onto it too long,” said Roma. “We lost a lot of size to graduation. But, our midfield will be the key for us this year. Everything will run through there, as we are looking for probably 80 minutes a game from them. We will need players to step up.”

Season opener — Sept. 9 at home versus Hampden Academy, 3:30 p.m.

Key contests — Sept. 11 at Mt. Ararat; Sept. 16 home against Messalonskee; Sept. 19 at Bangor; Oct. 2 home versus Lewiston; Oct. 21 home against Mt. Ararat.

Girls soccer

Coach — Martyn Davison

Last season — Went 9-4-1 to claim the No. 4 seed in Eastern A. After a 4-0 win over Oxford Hills in the quarterfinals, fell to Bangor in the semifinals, 1-0.

Players lost — Anna Cowan, Caley Nicholson, Lyse Henshaw, Julia Carpenter, Madeline Cowan, Haley Murano, Juliana Rattay.

Players returning — Seniors Julia Champagne, Kassidy Scarponi, Alicia Davis, Julia Rider; juniors Lena Martin, Emily Black, Jena Bailey; sophomores Emily Cowan, Aidan Sachs, Kira Wolpow, Heather Kinee, Maddie Brescia, Sarah Ferdinand.

Key newcomers — Juniors Quinn Alexander, Molly Gramins, Emily Girardin; sophomores Dina Murphy, Sabina Smith, Allison Eck; freshman Maeve Arthur.

Team overview — “ We will be a good team, and though we are young we expect to get stronger as we move forward and be playing well come playoffs,” said assistant coach Pat Roche, who is handling the Dragons with Davison attending to family matters in England. “We have low numbers, so we have to watch injuries. But, we like this team.”

Season opener — Sept. 9 at Hampden Academy, 6 p.m.

Key dates — Sept. 11 home against Mt. Ararat; Sept. 19 home versus Bangor; Oct. 8 at Oxford Hills; Oct. 17 at Lawrence; Oct. 21 at Mt. Ararat.

Field hockey

Coach — Karin Iuzzolino.

Last season — Went 1-13 in Iuzzolino’s first season at the helm.

Players lost — Caroline Rivard, Samantha Clark, Grace Rabinowitz, Sarah McQuaid.

Players returning — Senior Alexis Schniederate (F, National Honor Society); juniors Ellie Leinert (MF), Madison Krolak (D), Jordan Van Savage (GK), Caroline Nickerson (F); sophomores Hanna Escoe (F), Lauren Grocholl (F), Julia Webster (MF/D), Anna Webster (GK), Cassie Ridge (D), Caroline Headley (F), Faith Allen-Harris (MF), Kolby Levesque (MF), Margaret Dickinson (F), Erin Marc-Aurele (MF), Ketty Stinson (MF/D).

Key newcomers — Freshmen Anna Rider (MF), Hollie Imperator (F).

Team overview — “I am extremely impressed with the level of conditioning that all of my team members came in at the first day of preseason,” said Iuzzolino. “They have exceeded my expectations. We have improved on our ability since last season to move the ball fluidly across the field and to the goal. This season we have several team members who are not afraid of scoring and making it a point to ensure the ball crisply makes it to the goal.

“We still have a young team, but they have improved tremendously by attending clinics, camps and playing in leagues. They are hungry to prove themselves. This year is about getting back to the heart of the sport.”

Season opener — Sept. 3 at home against Edward Little, 4 p.m.

Key dates — Sept. 8 at Lewiston; Sept. 20 at Mt. Ararat; Sept. 25 home versus Mt. Blue; Oct. 7 home against Hampden Academy; Oct. 14 home versus Mt. Ararat.

Golf

Coach — Mal Strange.

Last season — Had a 9-3 campaign.

Players lost — Derek Devereaux (State runner-up), Cam Heatley, Matt Brooks, Nick Zinni.

Players returning — Seniors Henry Martinson, Anna Ferdinand; juniors Ben Lord (No. 1 or 2), Liz Day.

Key newcomers — Seniors John Parker (No. 1 or 2), Allie Ring; sophomore Madeline Suhr; freshmen Zach Grant, Cam Niven.

Team overview — “If we can go .500 this year, I will be happy,” said Strange, beginning his 28th season leading the Dragons. “The last couple of years, I thought we would struggle, but we did well. I will have a better feeling as we move forward. Going back to match play after a year away from it is great for the sport, not to mention that girls will now play from the forward tees, something the coaches have fought for.”

Season opener — Sept. 2 against Lewiston at Martindale Country Club, 3:30 p.m.

Key dates — Sept. 4 at home against Edward Little; Sept. 10 at Mt. Ararat; Sept. 22 at Oxford Hills; Sept. 24 home versus Mt. Ararat.

Cross country

Coach — Dave DeLois.

Last season — The Dragon girls finished fourth in Class A at the State meet.

Runners lost — Walter Martin, Zach Miller, Donovan Shea, Teresa Murphy, Anna Turner, Brooke Trimmer, Amy Lyons, Shannon Viola, Lily Sanders.

Runners returning — Seniors Andrew Bobker, Brooke Escoe, Benjamin Flanagan, Jacob Hunter, Andrew Kew, Laurel Margerum, John Murphy, Max Napier-Kane, Sam Nichols, Christopher Tanner, Ruth Van Kampen; juniors Cleo Carrera, Tessa Cassidy, Elias Henze, Jason Higginbotham, Maya Kosak, Emma Nagler, Tiffany Tanner, Emma Van Kampen, Hugh Vorhees, Adrianna White; sophomores Brooke Barter, Allie Burns, Callie Crawford, Evan Guernelli, Elaine Kew, Dasol Kim, Nick White.

Key newcomers — Freshmen Martha Foushee, West Taylor, Kyra Teboe, Dawson Hebert, Elliott Nagler.

Team overview — “We are at about 30, but it’s early and we seem to get kids when school starts,” said DeLois. “Out of our top seven girls, we still have five back. The boys, we lost Walter Martin and Zach Miller, two of our top runners. Our goal is to stay healthy and get a little bit faster every week.”

Season opener — Friday at Laliberte Invitational at Cony High School in Augusta, 4 p.m.

Key dates — Sept. 19 at Mt. Ararat; Sept. 25 home meet (only home meet of the season); Oct. 1 at Morse; Oct. 18 at KVAC Championships.