Boys Varsity Basketball

Coach: Kevin Jenkins (23rd year as varsity coach, 341-114 record); Assistant Coaches: Kelly Littlefield, Chris Crosby, Jeff Taylor

Winter 2005-06 Record: 15-4

Last Season: Fourth place in SMAA, graduated nine seniors.

Key veterans: Only returning player with game experience: Senior Andrew Dean, who was on last year’s SMAA all-rookie team.

Key newcomers: Other seniors: Kyle Egbert, Jamie Lamontagne, Adam MacDonald, Spencer Seiferth, Dan Hager; Juniors: Mike Foustoukos, Andrew Arena, Isaac Barnes, Kyle Donaldson, Nate Sturgis, Brian Jenkins.

Coach’s outlook: “We have some very tough early games again this year. As the season goes on and we gain experience, we hope to improve. Portland, Deering, Bonny Eagle and Cheverus will be strong, with the rest of the league being improved from last year as many young teams mature.”

Girls Varsity Basketball

Coach: Sherry Coyne

Last year: The Rams finished the regular season with a 12-6 record. They entered the West A tourney as the No. 7 seed and they were beaten by McAuley in the quarterfinals.

Players: Seniors Ashley Michaud (F), Kelsey Wilson (G), Emma Deans (G), Nicole Robitaille (F), Caitlyn Butterfield (G); juniors Luci Pike (F), Athena Beaulieu (C), Chantal Tijssen (F), and Lindsay Hansen (F); and sophomore Rachele Burns (G).

Outlook: The Rams lost four talented seniors to graduation, but they should again be among the West A contenders. Burns is young, but she’s already proven herself as one of the better point guards in the league.

Boys Varsity Indoor Track

Coach: John Wilkinson (24th season)

Winter 2005-06 Record: 8-3

How did last season end: Sixth in league meet; ninth at Class A state meet.

Key veterans: Duncan Allen, Jr., distance; Jake Brown, Sr., mid-distance; Brett Connolly, Jr., hurdles; Cam Fecteau, Sr. 400m, relays; Josh Maxell, Sr., high jump, hurdles, relays; Andy Nash, Sr., shot; Isaac Pease, Jr., sprints; Justin Villacci, Jr., sprints; Joe Wise, Sr., sprints.

Key newcomers: Tim Millet, Sr., distance; Jon Foster, Fr., distance, Greg Gagne, Fr., sprints; Anders Nielsen, jumps, Simone Nogare, Sr.. jumps, Cam Stevens, Fr., sprints.

Coach’s outlook: “The outlook looks really positive. We have distance runners this year that can score with Millet and Allen. We have real good sprinters with Villacci being one of the best in the state. We have one of the best hurdlers in Maxwell. We need to develop in the long and triple jumps and 400m.”

Girls Indoor Track

Coach: John Caterina (21st year of coaching, seventh as girls head indoor coach at Gorham)

Winter 2005-06 Record: 6-5

Last Season: Fourth in the SMAA, ninth in State Class A meet.

Key veterans: Seniors: Katie Bola, pole vault; Megan Hamilton, distance; Juniors: Alyson Fearon, sprints; Leigh Maniscalco, hurdles, sprints, jumps; Samantha Owens, jumps; Liz Demski, mid-distance; Sophomores: Molly Folan, sprints; Amy Hodgkins, hurdles; Samantha Martin, sprints; Sarah McCullough, distance; Kathleen McGovern, mid-distance.

Key newcomers: Freshmen: Lauren Chouinard, sprints; Hannah Prince, sprints; Kelsey Rex, distance; Rachel Wilkinson, distance; Lindsay Wilson, mid-distance.

Coach’s outlook: “Gorham will be particularly strong in the junior division at the Expo with a large turnout of talented freshmen and sophomores. The lack of numbers in the senior division will be hard to overcome during the regular season. The combined talent from all grades should make Gorham competitive in the state meet, with a goal of finishing in the top five in Class A.”

Boys Varsity Ice Hockey

Coach: Eric Wales (second season)

Winter 2005-06 Record 20-2

Last Season: Lost in Western Maine Class A semifinals to Scarborough

Key veterans: Alex Dahms, Sr., F; Justin Grandmaison, Sr., F; David Gushee, So., C; Chris Roop, Sr., D; Brendan Foley, Jr. G.

Key newcomers: Spencer Violet, Fr., D; Justin Bahr, Fr., D; Cam Smith, So., C.

Coach’s outlook: “My goal is like everyone else’s, to get to the Southwestern Maine playoffs. We need to find some chemistry among the forwards and get to the playoffs.”

Skiing

Coach: Greg Prince (second year)

Last Season: Boys: Five 3rd places, one 2nd place; Girls: Five 2nd places and tied for first once.

Key veterans: Boys: Ben Farrar, Sr.; Peter Van de Krol, Sr. Kevin Wiacek, Jr.; Garrick Adolf, So; Girls: Sally Patterson, Sr.; Jordan Prince, Sr.; Jennie Wiacek, So.; Julianne Farrar, So.; Maria Devlin, Jr.; Allie Platts, So.

Key newcomers: “I expect the new athletes to show up and do there best. The kids, if they come and race every week, they become much better skiers. I saw that last year with tough conditions. Kids that hadn’t raced by the end of the season they had all become better skiers.”

Coach’s outlook: “I’d like to see the boys finish solid in the middle or above of the league, and I am hoping that the girls actually win some races – I have high hopes on that. I think they are capable of pulling that off.”

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The cheering preview will appear in mid-January just prior to the league and regional competitions.