Baseball

Coach: Mike Fullerton (third season)

Last year’s record: 3-13, missed playoffs

Key players: senior Matt Brown (P); juniors Colin Mello (C/P), Tucker Miller (CF/P) and Kevin Alling (P)

Season outlook: The Eagles are a relatively young team after graduating seven seniors from last year’s roster, but do have some players back with experience. Miller had the second best batting average on the team last season, hitting .333. Mello was fourth at .271. Alling and Brown have both shown promise on the mound and will have a chance to work some innings this season.

“Our goal as a team is to improve each day as an individual and as a team and to put ourselves in position to win each game,” Fullerton said. “The greatest concern for this season is the experience and maturity of the younger players who are on varsity for the first time. I am confident the younger players are ready for this experience, however until they are on the field you really never know how they are going to react.”

Softball

Coach: Bob Blanchard (11th season)

Last year’s record: 1-15, missed playoffs

Key players: seniors Robin Bott, Deanna Jones, Helen Libby, Katie Cook, Riley Graves, Brittany Demmons and Kelly Dubay; juniors McKenzie Allen, Kayla Kennedy, Allie Valente and Marissa Valente; sophomore Liz Silvius

Season outlook: Windham had a nine-year playoff streak snapped last season and this veteran group is looking to get back to the postseason. “We have several players returning from last year and we hope to start a new run in 2009,” Blanchard said.

The Eagles didn’t wait long in getting out on the field for some game action. They played in a round-robin tournament in Connecticut last weekend, just two days after the varsity roster was selected. While teams playing from other New England states have been playing outside for several weeks, Windham was outdoors for the first time. The Eagles were competitive in two of their three games, Blanchard said. As they get some more swings in and shake the rust off the defense, the Eagles could be a surprise team this season.

Boys lacrosse

Coach: Chris Shorr (first season)

Last year’s record: This is the team’s first season as a varsity program

Key players: seniors Naveed Ahmady, Justin Hachey, Deven Clements, Jake Greenwood, Anthony Ruggiero, Dan Jameson and Joey Smith

Season outlook: Since it’s the first season at the varsity level for the Eagles, there are sure to be some adjustments and growing pains. Still, Shorr, a former assistant coach at Deering, said the goal is to make the playoffs. “I’m really excited about the season,” Shorr said. “The level of enthusiasm is really high. The kids are completely gung-ho. Hopefully we can keep up that level of intensity.”

Girls lacrosse

Coach: Deb Lebel (third season)

Last year’s record: 0-12, missed playoffs

Key players: senior Courtney Maiorino (defense); juniors Kassie Reutlinger (midfield) and Kelsey McGowan (attack); sophomore Samantha Gifford (midfield)

Season outlook: Coming off a couple of winless seasons, the program is looking to break into the win column this time around. “We are hoping to improve our overall game and be more competitive with other schools,” Lebel said. “We lost an experienced goalie and are looking to find someone to fill her shoes.”

Boys tennis

Coach: Wayne Martin (ninth season)

Last year’s record: finished 12-0 in the regular season to earn the No. 1 seed in the Class A West tournament, defeated No. 8 South Portland in the quarterfinals before falling to No. 5 Cheverus in the semifinals

Key players: senior Fernando Leon-Prado; juniors Nate Johnson, Dan Crocker, Dan McGovern, Kurt Stultz and Nick Rallis

Season outlook: Last season the Eagles ran the table during the regular season only to fall to Cheverus 3-2 in a semifinal match that they led 2-0. Six of the top seven players, including all three singles players, return from last year’s team. ‘They have a chip on their shoulder from last year,” Martin said. “And I make sure to remind them constantly what the score was last year against Cheverus.”

Competition is fierce for the top seven spots and Martin said no spot is safe right now. The players have been working on their games throughout the offseason and Martin said they are healthy and in fine shape to start the season. If Windham can stay healthy, it will be a favorite to win the West and compete for a Class A state championship. With mostly underclassmen on the team, the Eagles expect to be a force this year and next.

Girls tennis

Coach: Lindsay Hamlin (first season)

Last year’s record: finished 4-8 in the regular season to earn the No. 10 seed in the Class A West tournament, lost to No. 7 South Portland in a prelim match

Key players: seniors Jenna Willey, Stacey Niedoroda and Audrey Quigley

Season outlook: Hamlin takes over the program after serving as an assistant last season. Willey and Niedoroda return as the top two singles players from last season. The team is also bolstered by the return of Quigley, who missed last season with a knee injury.

“As a team we hope to keep everyone healthy through the season and make our way through to the playoffs,” Hamlin said. “I am excited to see the improvements made by our doubles players in the 2009 season.”

Boys outdoor track

Coach: Steve Chabot (second season)

Last year’s finish: seventh at SMAA meet, 12th at Class A state meet

Key athletes: seniors Eric O’Connor (pole vault), Nate Dixon (javelin), Brandon Guerrette (discus), Carlton Charles (discus) and Matt Butler (hurdles); juniors Patrick Ciez (jumps), Jack Mallis (sprints), TJ Robbins (sprints), Mike Pottle (sprints, jumps), Julian Gazzelloni (sprint, jumps), Garrett Clemmer (distance), Jake Darling (javelin) and David LeClaire (shot put); sophomore Max McDonald (sprints)

Season outlook: The Eagles placed second at last year’s Westbrook Relays, but peaked too early, according to Chabot. This season, they have solid numbers – 54 athletes, up from 38 a year ago – and quite a few athletes returning with state meet experience. O’Connor was second in the pole vault at last year’s state meet. Ciez has established himself as one of the state’s top jumpers and will be looking to win the high jump after placing second last season.

“I expect to double the number of state qualifiers from last year,” Chabot said. “Our early season conditioning has been going well. I’m hopeful for a strong season.”

Girls outdoor track

Coach: Angie Lally (fourth season)

Last year’s finish: 15th at SMAA meet, did not score at Class A state meet

Key athletes: juniors Hannah Keating-Ehlers (hurdles, sprints) and Reilly Sullivan (sprints, hurdles, jumps); sophomore Erin Flatley (mile); freshman Mary Margaret Green (400, jumps)

Season outlook: Windham qualified nine athletes for the state meet last season. The team will try to build on that number and develop some scorers this season.

“There are 40 girls on the team,” Lally said. “Many of them are young and new to track and field. It is exciting to have a good-sized team so that we can cover as many events as possible. We should have pretty good relay teams, sprints, jumps and distance. We have some new shot put, discus and javelin throwers who should learn and improve a lot as the season progresses.”