Boys Cross Country

Coach: Claton Conrad

Key athletes: James Phelps (sr.), Amanual Sentayehu (jr.), Jeremy Richards (jr.), Brandon Whitlock (so.), Josh Lombardo (so.)

Key meets: Regionals, States

Outlook: “The boys have been training and working hard all summer and are eager to start their season at the Lake Region Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 30,” Conrad said. He added, however, that their primary focus is the end of the season: first, qualifying for States, and then performing on that larger stage.

Girls Cross Country

Coach: Tim Even (second year)

Last year’s record: 3-12, 10th at Regionals

Key athletes: Halee Phelps (sr.), Gabbi Pabst (jr.)

Key meets: Festival of Champions, Regionals

Outlook: Even saw significant progress among his girls in 2013, and thinks they’re primed for a breakout season this year. “We return most of our top seven, including senior ace Halee Phelps, who qualified for the State Meet last year and was one of the top runners in the SMAA all year long.” Phelps will need to compete to her abilities all season long to keep her squad competitive. Kiersten Hilton and Linnaea Miller, sophomores, return from top-seven status a year ago as well. Having already shown great gains in 2014, they should make important contributions to the team. Key newcomers Pabst, Bryanna Phillips, Samantha Thompson and Emma Sperry bring additional depth and much potential to the lineup. “It’s been 16 years since Westbrook last made the State Meet,” Even says, “and the Blazes are hoping to break that streak here, this fall. If the team can stay healthy, they could be one of the top five teams in Class A and get back to Belfast!”

Field Hockey

Coach: Beth Murphy

Last year’s record: 9-7

Key players: Kerigan Demers (sr.), Lea Hopkins (sr.), Samantha Clark (sr.), Elizabeth Stalling (sr.), Zoe Shields (sr.)

Key games: Gorham, Bonny Eagle, Windham

Outlook: The Blazes face a rebuilding year, having lost nine seniors to graduation. “Our numbers are low,” Murphy says, “but that should give the girls more opportunities in drills and scrimmages to get better each day.” That Murphy, a veteran coach who’d planned to retire at the end of last season, is returning once more should help provide continuity for the young team.

Football

Coach: Jeff Guerette

Last year’s record: 6-4

Key players: Derek Breunig (sr., HB/DE); Maurice Johnson (sr., HB/FS); Teejay Salisbury (sr., TE/DT); Bailey Ryan (jr., SE/CB); Bailey Sawyer (so., QB/CB)

Key games: at York, Marshwood, at Greely

Outlook: Guerette stresses both his players’ and his fellow coaches’ constant drive to improve. “The team is looking for key returners to assist newcomers who are making the transition to varsity football,” he says. The Blazes’ first five games of the season are all against teams who last year made playoffs, so their progress so far, their burgeoning maturity and their adaptability on the fly will all be tested.

Golf

Coach: Geoff Godo (fifth year)

Last year’s record: 2-8

Key players: Jeff Bois (sr.), John Peters (sr.), Thomas LeBlanc (sr.), Alex Herbert (jr.), Elijah Doucette (jr.)

Key matches: at Gorham, Thornton, at Greely

Outlook: Westbrook is focused on being competitive and playing the best golf possible come October. The Blazes participate in a tough conference that includes “several very good teams with depth,” and their own numbers are a little low, but Godo remains optimistic, noting that “we have some varsity-experienced players returning, led by Bois.” Bois and others “will need to work hard to find consistency and improve steadily throughout the year,” Godo says.

Boys Soccer

Coach: Greg Cavanaugh (first year)

Last year’s record: 5-7-2

Key players: DJ Henrikson, Luther Williams, Mohammad Alkinani

Key games: Thornton, at Gorham, Cheverus

Outlook: “Westbrook could be a formidable side in 2014,” says Cavanaugh. The team, which showed significant improvement last year over previous years, still has ground to cover, but looks headed in the right direction. “They [need to up] their time of possession, find consistency in their defensive shape, and remain disciplined in their decision-making.” Cavanaugh hopes his squad will embody the nose-to-the-grindstone, blue-collar work ethic of their hometown, a mill community. “Their [effort] will be a good indicator as to whether or not Westbrook can contend with the big names in the SMAA, or if they will fall into the middle of the pack in 2014.”

Girls Soccer

Coach: Andrew Lefebvre

Key players: Emily Thornton, Marissa Martel, Emma Berry, Sophie Manning, Brittney Arsenault, Heather Bailey, Amber Delponte, Hayley Grover, Bri Barlow

Key games: Gorham, Deering, Portland, Cheverus

Outlook: Nine experienced seniors lead the Blazes’ charge in 2014, and the team expects to hold their own in every game. Lefebvre hopes to build momentum as the season progresses, and barrel into the postseason in top form.

SCHEDULES

Cross Country

Sep. 4 SMAA Relays 4 p.m.

Sep. 12 Deering, Gorham, Noble 4 p.m.

Sep. 19 @ Sanford (Cheverus, Scarborough) 4 p.m.

Sep. 26 @ Windham (Massabesic, McAuley) 4 p.m.

Oct. 10 @ Portland (Bonny Eagle, Marshwood) 4 p.m.

Oct. 17 @ Biddeford (South Portland, Thornton) 4 p.m.

Oct. 20 Second 7 Meet TBA

Oct. 25 Regionals TBA

Nov. 1 States TBA

Nov. 8 New Englands TBA

Field Hockey

Sep. 4 Cheverus 4 p.m.

Sep. 8 @ Deering 4 p.m.

Sep. 10 Gorham 4 p.m.

Sep. 16 @ Marshwood 4 p.m.

Sep. 18 Massabesic 4 p.m.

Sep. 22 @ Noble 4 p.m.

Sep. 24 Portland 4 p.m.

Sep. 26 @ Sanford 6 p.m.

Sep. 30 Scarborough 4 p.m.

Oct. 2 @ South Portland 4 p.m.

Oct. 6 Thornton 4 p.m.

Oct. 8 @ Windham 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 10 @ Biddeford 4 p.m.

Oct. 14 Bonny Eagle 4 p.m.

Football

Sep. 5 @ York 7 p.m.

Sep. 12 Mt. Ararat 7 p.m.

Sep. 19 Marshwood 7 p.m.

Sep. 26 @ Greely 7 p.m.

Oct. 3 @ Falmouth 7 p.m.

Oct. 10 Lawrence 7 p.m.

Oct. 17 Kennebunk 7 p.m.

Oct. 24 @ Oceanside 7 p.m.

Boys Soccer

Sep. 5 Thornton 6 p.m.

Sep. 9 @ Biddeford 5:30 p.m.

Sep. 11 Windham 5:30 p.m.

Sep. 16 South Portland 6 p.m.

Sep. 18 @ Gorham 6 p.m.

Sep. 20 @ Massabesic 6 p.m.

Sep. 23 Marshwood 5:30 p.m.

Sep. 25 @ Sanford 6 p.m.

Sep. 30 @ Deering 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 2 Noble 5:30 p.m.

Oct. 4 @ Bonny Eagle 10 a.m.

Oct. 9 Scarborough 6 p.m.

Oct. 14 @ Portland 5:30 p.m.

Oct. 16 Cheverus 6 p.m.

Girls Soccer

Sep. 5 @ Thornton 6:15 p.m.

Sep. 10 Biddeford 6 p.m.

Sep. 13 @ Windham 10 a.m.

Sep. 17 @ South Portland 6 p.m.

Sep. 20 Gorham 6 p.m.

Sep. 24 @ Marshwood 6 p.m.

Sep. 26 Sanford 6 p.m.

Oct. 1 Deering 6 p.m.

Oct. 3 @ Noble 5:30 p.m.

Oct. 8 Bonny Eagle 6 p.m.

Oct. 11 @ Scarborough 7 p.m.

Oct. 15 Portland 6 p.m.

Oct. 17 @ Cheverus 4 p.m.

Oct. 21 McAuley 6 p.m.