The Brunswick boys lacrosse team warms up by running a lap around the school during Monday’s practice. Eli Canfield/The Times Record
Spring is here, and so, too, is another high school sports season.
And this one was a long time coming after the coronavirus pandemic shut down the spring sports season last year.
Teams across the state held their first official practices Monday. The first games, matches and meets are scheduled to begin April 15.
“It’s just an awesome feeling to be back out here with the guys,” said Mt. Ararat boys’ tennis senior Zander Chown.
That feeling was shared by many student-athletes and coaches across the Midcoast on Monday, as spring sports teams got together for the first time in 21 months.
The Mt. Ararat tennis teams got some work done outside, despite the blustery conditions.
“Hey, it’s March 29 and we’re outside,” said Mt. Ararat head coach Jack Rioux, who took over the program last season. “A little wind has never hurt anyone.”
The strong gusts did knock push balls off the court, and knocked a few hats off as well. However, tennis was still played Monday.
“Obviously the wind isn’t really ideal for players who need to get back in motion,” said Chown. “I hope it’s not like this for the rest of the week, then I might wish that we spent the first week inside the gym.”
Luke Curnin goes for a backhand during Monday’s practice, the first of the season, at Mt. Ararat Middle School in Topsham. Eli Canfield/The Time Record
Chown played through the summer outdoors, then spent the winter playing indoors at Maine Pines in Brunswick.
In Bath, the indoor track team found itself getting used to the new gymnasium and facilities at the new Morse High School building.
“It’s crazy that we’re finally here,” said Morse head coach Shawn Guest. “It’s just a strange feeling, I’ve been here for 31 years and I feel like we’re just starting all over again.”
Morse stuent-athlete Ben Brewer said he’s been craving a spring sports season after his winter sport — wrestling — was essentially canceled this winter. Wrestlers could practice in the winter but no meets were contested.
“It’s awesome to be here, but I’m ready to get to work,” said the Morse senior. “My goal is to leave it all out there this season, and that starts today.”
The Shipbuilders plan to use this week to get everyone up to speed. They met in the gym as a team before breaking off into individual groups for workouts.
“I was honestly a little worried about how big our team would be and if people would be motivated to come back,” said Morse junior Kennedy St. Pierre. “To see all these people here today is awesome and makes me even more excited for the upcoming season.”
The Shipbuilders had about 50 athletes signed up, according to Morse girls track coach Brent Luchies, but could end up closer to 60 athletes toward the end of the week.
A new era began for the Brunswick boys lacrosse program, after Don Glover retired as head coach after the 2019 season.
While Jason Miller took over the program last season, it was still the first Brunswick lacrosse practice without Glover at the helm for the first time in 24 years.
“Get fired up boys, we’ve been waiting a long time for this one,” said Miller to his team before practice began.
Miller plans to work on conditioning this week for the Dragons. The team met in the back parking lot of the high school, and after a brief team meeting the Dragons were split up into three different drills. One drill was a long distance run around the school building, directed by Miller. On a patch of grass next to the school was a push-up and sit-up station, and there was also a three-cone drill station, where players were timed by an assistant coach.
“We need to use this time to build up our strength and conditioning,” said Miller.
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