Boys Basketball

Coach: Dan LeGage (first year)

Last year’s record: 9-11, fell in A West quarters to Falmouth

Key players: Zach Manoogian, Curtis Knapton, Anderson Kavutse, Bailey Ryan, Miece Loureiro, Hamza Hanifi, Deng Jany, Bailey Sawyer

Key games: Marshwood, Greely, Falmouth, Cape, Gorham, South Portland, Bonny Eagle

Outlook: The Blazes return just one starter from last year’s team, which finished under .500 – but looked sharpest as the season peaked, and only lost narrowly to Falmouth in the last seconds of the quarterfinals. “The team will work hard to be competitive in a very challenging league,” says LeGage simply.

Girls Basketball

Coach: Christopher Aube

Last year’s record: 7-11

Key players: Madi Mullett (sr.), Sarah Wagner (sr.), Jennilee Witham (sr.), Hanna Shibles (sr.), Alisha Aube (jr.), Julia Symbol (jr.), Morgan Rice (jr.)

Key games: York, Greely, Fryeburg, Falmouth, Cape

Outlook: The MPA moves to a five-class format this winter, and the Blazes are among the teams most affected: Their schedule is littered with opponents – some very tough – that they’re unaccustomed to facing, and those matchups will strongly affect the bracketing as the playoffs approach. “Westbrook will blend a group of experienced returners with four key freshmen who’ll be counted on to provide depth and athleticism,” Aube says. Alisha Aube led the SMAA in scoring and three-pointers in 2014; Mullett and Wagner will stand alongside her in the frontcourt. Witham will anchor the backcourt. Newcomers Nyagoa Bayak, Avery Tucker, Julia Martel and Mikayla Van Zandt should all see significant time on the floor this season. “To a player, these girls work tremendously hard and take pride in representing the city of Westbrook,” coach Aube says.

Boys Hockey (with Windham)

Coach: Greg Leclair (fourth season)

Last year’s record: Westbrook 0-17-1; Windham 7-10-2, fell in A East quarterfinals

Key players: Zack Callahan (sr., F); Tyler Johnson (sr., F); Gage Chenard (sr., F); Alex LeBlanc (sr., G); Greg Buotte (sr., D); Alec Whalen (sr., D); Derek Corbett (fr., F)

Key games: Cony, Lake Region/Fryeburg/Oxford Hills, Noble/Wells, Edward Little

Outlook: Westbtrook and Windham have banded together as a co-op for the coming season (and the foreseeable future), which, as Leclair says, “helps solidify the long-term viability of ice hockey at two schools that have struggled with numbers.” With 11 seniors on the roster, and only two players with no varsity experience, the Blazes-Eagles combo (they have no official nickname as a unit; perhaps the “Beagles” is available?) will be savvy and deep. “Stalwart senior forwards Zack Callahan and Tyler Johnson should pace the offense,” says Leclair, “while Alec Whalen and Greg Buotte bring stability to the defensive corps.” LeBlanc in goal has “seen plenty of rubber over his two previous seasons for Westbrook and should give us a chance to win night in and night out.” Leclair & Co. are excited for the upcoming season: “We expect big things and anything short of a trip to the playoffs will be a disappointment.”

Indoor Track

Coach: Tim Even (head, fourth year); Andy Lefebvre (asst.); Beth Murphy (asst.); Rob Card (asst.); Dave Miklovich (asst.); Molly Shannon (asst.); Claton Conrad (asst.)

Last year’s record: Boys 6-4 regular season, fifth at Southwesterns; girls 11-0 regular season, third at Southwesterns

Key athletes: Ytbarek Hailegirogis, James Brooking, Brandt Herbert, Dominic Creenan, Mazin Ahmed, Shammah Gahomera, Josh Lombardo, Jeremy Richards, Josh Richards, Nick Childs, Noah Knapton, Gabbi Pabst, Kelsey Cavanaugh, Courtney Arsenault, Kelly Dyer, Genna Alhilfi, Linnaea Miller, Sammy Thompson

Key meets: Southwesterns, States

Outlook: Even is optimistic about the Gentlemen Blazes’ prospects this winter. “The boys program took a giant step forward last year after a great Southwesterns meet, where they finished fifth. Younger sprinters like Hailegirogis and Brooking, who’ve shown quick improvement, will need to step up; Herbert and Creenan likewise are gaining in the Long Jump, both having beaten 18 feet in the junior division last winter. Creenan, Ahmed and Gahomera should score in the hurdles – Gahomera, for example, qualified for States last winter, in his first year as a hurdler. Lombardo, hot off an exceptional cross-country season, will lead the distance squad. “His growth over the past 12 months has been outstanding,” Even says of Lombardo. Childs has the potential to be a real distance upstart, and Richards and Richards should be forces in the middle distance. Knapton is just a freshman, but he’s a talented freshman and therefore one to watch. “There are a lot of moving parts with this boys team,” says Even, “and if it all pans out, it could be a very exciting winter for the Blazes.”

On the girls side, Even says: “With good numbers and key returning athletes, we should be in the mix in the SMAA for another year. We’ve looked pretty good in the preseason, with strong numbers around 45 girls, and many top athletes returning.” The Blazes will need to fill some big shoes to recapture last year’s success, however; Halee Phelps, Emma Berry and Brittney Arsenault, who all graduated in June, contributed hugely to the team’s impressive record and showing at SMAAs; still, Even is confident. Cavanaugh and Arsenault are Westbrook’s top sprinters. “If those two can get moving the way they did last year we should be in pretty good shape in that department,” Even says. Dyer, meanwhile, is their top jumper; she had an excellent outdoor season in the spring. Alhilfi, the Blazes’ most powerful thrower, is also their only returning States placer. “On the distance side,” Even says, “we bring in six of our varsity top seven from cross country who are in great shape early on.” Pabst, Miller and Thompson lead the cross-country unit, “and have shown great growth coming into this winter.” Likewise, Even is excited to watch his freshmen develop: “We have some gifted newcomers and much-improved second year athletes.”

Swimming

Coaches: Dana Barrows (head), Andy McBrady (asst.)

Key athletes: Josh Minor (Captain), Josh Wescott, Brandon Labbe, Sidney Bartlett, Kari Brown (Captain), Molly Sweet (Captain), Kallie Cyr, Madison Damon, Emma Sperry, Camryn LaPierre

Key meets: South Southwesterns, States

Outlook: Overall, Barrows’s boys are young this year, and therefore rebuilding. They’ve added some numbers to the program, however, including freshman Jakob Lynham, both a swimmer and a diver. The Lady Blazes, on the other hand, are a bit further along in their development as a squad. “[They’re] starting to build some depth around the frontline talent that they possess,” says Barrows of his girls. “The addition of two divers, McKenzie Dougherty and Brianna Wright, should really help the Blazes’ chances to score in the upper half in the conference and state meets. The team should contend well at the end of the year.”

Wrestling

Coaches: John Nicholas (co-head), Ryan Hutchins (co-head)

Last year’s record: 18-7 (tied school record for most wins)

Key athletes: Jon Jaques (sr.), Kyle Hanson (sr.), Noah Featherson (sr.), David Kimmel (sr.), Brandon Lajoie (sr.), Mikiel Lepage (sr.), Chris Kennie (sr.)

Key meets: Westbrook Invitational, Kennebunk, Portland/Windham/Noble, Deering/Biddeford

Outlook: The Blazes are a team on the rise; they put together an impressive season last winter and look to expand on their successes in the coming months. “We return a lot of seniors and regional place winners,” says Nicholas. “The leadership on this team should be strong. We’re looking to have a strong showing at the regional and state levels.” Nicholas reports that his kids are working hard, and is excited about the addition of a good group of incoming freshmen. “It’ll be exciting to see just how far our team can excel,” he says.

Westbrooker Greg Buotte should figure prominently on defense for the new Windham/Westbrook boys hockey co-op this winter.Expect the Blazes’ Sammy Thompson to score for her team in the distance events.Bailey Ryan is an outstanding athlete, period, and this winter, he brings his skills back to the court for up-and-coming Westbrook.