BRUNSWICK

The winter sports season begins for the Brunswick High School Dragons, with boys and girls basketball, and swim teams opening Friday, and Mike Routhier’s boys ice hockey squad traveling to the brand new Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn to take on Edward Little Saturday night.

Though the indoor tracksters have a little more time to open, both coaches (Dan Dearing, Dave DeLois) feel the Dragons can climb the ranks and have a special season.

Boys basketball

Coach — Todd Hanson.

2012 highlights — 10-8 in Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference, earning sixth seed in Eastern Class A. Lost 52-41 to Lawrence in quarterfinals.

Personnel lost — Konnor Scarponi, Brett Lancaster, Nolan Robbins, Brad Smith.

Personnel returning — Seniors Blake Gordon (G, three-year starter, All-KVAC First Team last year), Derek Devereaux (G, three-year varsity), Ryan Black (G, four-year varsity), Elliott Boyd (C, 6-foot-5), Brady Larson (F, 6-3); junior Alex Bandouveres (F, 6-3), Pearson Cost (G/F).

Newcomers — Senior Zach Raubeson (F); juniors Cam Glover (G), Taran Payne (G), Fynn Arthur (F, 6- 4); sophomores Owen Rudalevige (F, 6-3), Thomas Hanson (G).

Coach’s comments — “This year we are a lot more guard oriented, with Derek, Blake and Ryan guys who have played together since fifth-grade travel basketball. They waited their turns to be starters, and I am excited to see what these three can do together and where they can take us.

“Inside, we are excited to have Elliott and Alex in there, both strong and physical kids. We won’t be outmuscled in the paint.

“Hampden has everyone back and added a Maine All- Star in Isaiah Bess from Penquis Valley, so they are the top team coming into the season. In our coach’s poll, we picked Bangor second, Edward Little third and Messalonskee fourth, with us in fifth, but teams like Lewiston are dangerous and athletic.”

Season opener — Dec. 6 at Cony.

Key dates — Dec. 13 (H, Hampden), Jan. 11 (H, Mt. Ararat), Feb. 6 (at Mt. Ararat).

Girls basketball

Coach — Sam Farrell.

2012 highlights — 2-16 in KVAC, no postseason.

Personnel lost — Lauren Carlton, Jess Libby.

Personnel returning — Seniors Anna Dimick (F/C), Lyse Henshaw (G), Sabrina Levesque (G); junior Julia Champagne (G); sophomores Gillian Doehring (G), Emily Black (G), Liz Day (G).

Newcomers — Freshmen Madeline Suhr (F), Aiden Sachs (C), Margeret Dickinson (C), Heather Kinee (G), Brianna Newton (G), Kolby Levesque (G).

Coach’s comments — “We have nine underclassmen, but we return five kids who started multiple games last season, with three starting every game. These players have really sold into the style that we will play this year, running the floor and playing fast. We have a lot of guards and possibly one of the fastest players in the league in Gillian Doehring.

“We need to have a few players consistently put up big numbers, and if we can play our way and not fall into playing a half-court game with bigger teams, we will be all right. We just need to play fast and attack”

Season opener — Dec. 6 (H, Cony).

Key dates — Dec. 10 (H, Edward Little), Dec. 21 (H, Bangor), Jan. 11 (H, Mt. Ararat), Feb. 6 (at Mt. Ararat).

Boys ice hockey

Coach — Mike Routhier.

2012 highlights — 10-7-1 Eastern Class A. Beat Cony 3-2 in OT in quarterfinals, lost to Lewiston 10-0 in semis.

Personnel lost — Kyle Woodruff (U-18 Pirates), Parker Wild (Phillips-Exeter Academy).

Personnel returning — Seniors Jacob Parent (F), Clayton Parent (F), Rudy Dumont (D), Cam Heatley (D, East First Team last year), Andrew Auclair (D), Blake Alexander (GK, East Second Team), Ben Spendley (D), Dwayne Palmer (F), Eli Downs (F), Ryan Maciejewski (F), Joe Coulombe (GK); juniors Devin Allard (GK), Matt Brooks (F, East First Team), Jared Parent (F), Jacob McGowan (F), Tyler Sullivan (F); sophomores Nate Granholm (D), Matt Deveaux (F), Jacob Towle (F).

Newcomers — Junior Zach VanDerWerf (D); sophomore Jameson Cyr (F).

Coach’s comments — “This is the year that these kids and I’ve been waiting for, and so far we have gotten off to a good start. This is an extremely veteran group that will compete and hit the ground running.

“The key for us is to be consistent, game-in and game-out, shift-in and shiftout. Also, staying healthy is key. We played just four games last year at full strength.

“Lewiston, St. Dom’s and Bangor will be tough, with us on the bubble. We play five of our first six games on the road, so a good start is pretty important.”

Season opener — Dec. 7 (at Edward Little),

Key dates — Dec. 27 (at Waterville), Jan. 8 (at Mt. Ararat), Jan 16 (H, Mt. Ararat), Jan. 18 (H, Lewiston).

Swimming

Coach — David Bright.

2012 highlights — Both the Brunswick boys and girls coped the KVAC titles, with both teams compiling 10-0 regular-season records. The Dragon girls captured second at the State Class A meet behind Cape Elizabeth as Jessica Russell won the 200 freestyle and anchored the winning 4 x 200 free relay team. Lynsie Russell won the 500 free. In the boys Class A state meet, the Dragons were sixth, with Nate Samson taking second in both the 50 free ( school record) and 100 backstroke ( another record).

Personnel lost — Jessica Russell, Paige Tetu, Henry Ditzel.

Personnel returning — Seniors Madeline Cowan ( state meet finalist in 50 and 100 free, part of state champion 200 free relay), Caroline Rivard ( backstroke), Cody Buchheit, Quang Durst, Cormick Gaughran, Reuel Wilgus, Kadin Woolever, Nick Zinni; juniors EmmaLeigh Aschbrenner, Rosalita Capoldo, Charlotte Cooney, Olivia Dumont (KVAC diving champion), Anna Ferdinand, Anna Kinnee, Laurel Margerum, Emma McKearney, Laura Meliante, Rachel Monegue, Marian Newby, Julia Rider, Allie Ring, Cody Brown, Jacob Cost ( KVAC champion in 100 butterfly and 100 back, part of three school record relay teams), Benjamin Flanagan, Owen Ginty, Alex Marc-Aurele, Ross Munn, Evan Murray, Lancelot Napier-Kane, Ezra Rogers ( defending KVAC diving champion), Oliver Smith; sophomores Quinn Alexander, Emma Blair ( KVAC champion 100 backstroke, on state champion 200 free relay team), Amelia Hawley, Maya Lopez, Ellie Peabody, Lynsie Russell (KVAC 200 free champion and 500 free winner, also on state champion 200 free relay team), Keenan Andrews, Ben Farrell, Alex Reny, Nate Samson (school record in 50 free and 100 backstroke; KVAC champion in 50 and 100 free), Rene Yost.

Newcomers — Freshmen Sarah Buckley, Hannah Escoe, Sarah Ferdinand, Lauren Grocholl, Erin Marc-Aurele, Caitlyn Tycz, Edward Capoldo, Henry Raker, Christopher Roderick.

Coach’s comments — “ We have a strong group back on both teams, and several new kids from Long Reach that will help out.

“The girls are very good swimmers, and we return a lot of point scorers from last year, despite graduating Jessica Russell and Paige Tetu. With Morse and Cape Elizabeth ( 2012/ 13 Class A champs) moving to Class B, that makes Messalonskee the biggest challenge come KVAC time in Class A.

“The boys also lost some good swimmers, but again we have several swimmers who have performed well for Long Reach. I believe the boys can win KVACs again, with Lewiston a big challenge.”

Season opener — Dec. 6 (at Morse).

Key dates — Jan. 14 (H, Mt. Ararat), Feb. 8 (KVAC Championships at Bath YMCA), Feb. 15 (Boys Class A Championships at Orono), Feb. 17 (Girls Class A Championships at Orono).

Indoor track

Coach — Dave DeLois, Dan Dearing.

2012 highlights — The Brunswick girls and boys both finished fifth in the State Class A Championship, with the Dragon girls accumulating 36 points and the boys garnering 29. Allison Hill paced the girls with a secondplace finish in the 55 hurdles, and anchored the 4 x 200 relay team to a runnersup showing. Alex Nichols took first in both the 200 and 400-meter runs to lead the boys.

Personnel lost — Hill ( hurdler, sprinter), who owns school record holder in hurdles. Nichols, Jamie Ross, Kyle Milbourn, Burton Rabinowitz, Nathaniel Vilas, Jason Carter.

Personnel returning — Seniors Anna Cowan (400, 800, relays, All- KVAC), Haley Murano ( sprinter, relays), Teresa Murphy ( relays, Distance, All- KVAC), Anna Turner (sprints, relay, jumps, All- KVAC), Caley Nicholson (distance, relays), Michelle Richards (shot out), Julianna Rattey (sprints, jumps), Natalie Grant ( sprints, jumps) Amy Lyons ( distance), Lily Sanders (distance), Angelo Gerardi ( sprints, relays, jumps), Walter Martin (800, relays), Philip LeBlanc ( jumps, sprints, relays), Zach Miller (distance, relays), Brandon Smith ( sprints, jumps, throws); juniors Brooke Escoe ( pole vault, distance), Sarah Judd (sprints, relays), Andrew Bobker (distance), Jacob Hunter ( distance, relays), John Murphy (distance, relays), McKinley Stinson ( distance, relays), Christopher Tanner (distance, relays), Benjamin Flanagan (distance, relays); sophomores Emma Nagler (distance), Tiffany Tanner (distance, relays, sprints), Tessa Cassidy (distance, relays), Lily Hood (pole vault, hurdles), Cleo Carrera ( distance), Maya Kosak (sprints), Kelly Patel (sprints, jumps), Reed Foster (sprints, long jump, triple jump), Jason Higginbotham (distance, relays), Shane Lyons (sprints, triple jump, long jump, relays), Joe Perkins ( throws, sprints).

Newcomers — Seniors Mariah Tardiff, Truman Slocum, Donovan Shea, Jimeel Garrett; juniors Ruth Van Kampen ( distance, relays), Jesse Arford, Andrew Kew, John Parker; sophomores Callie Crawford ( sprints, distance), Emma Van Kampen ( distance), Lena Martin (sprints, distance, relays), Caitlyn Olsen ( hurdles, sprints), Chase Tobey, Noah Koenig, Erik Huntington, Aaron Nadell; freshman Allie Burns (distance), Jessica Ashby , Gianna Barnhart, Julia Baumgarte, Emma Cowan (high jump), Rovan Horton, Shaunte Julien, Elaine Kew- distance, Leila Rollins, Sabina Smith- distance, Kira Walpow, Julia Webster, Nick White, Evan Guernelli, Bailey Fine, Seth White, Michael Ring, Jared Ambs, Hunter Garrett, Nelson Guy, Dylan Schinhofen, Andrew Duross, Dasol Kim, Sawyer Nicholson, Arron Gary, Brett MacMillan.

Coach’s comments — DeLois: “ The team (Brunswick girls) should be very competitive. We have a good group of veterans, many talented freshmen. Our goals are to stay healthy, be competitive and show improvement. Edward Little, Mt. Ararat and Brunswick should be in the mix.”

Dearing — “ We had a great turnout with 40 boys joining the team this year. We have replenished our sprinting and jumping athletes and should have balanced scoring throughout the season. The league will have a lot of parody this year, with Lewiston, Edward Little, Mt. Ararat and Brunswick all battling closely. Last year we were unable to compete at the KVAC Championship as it was canceled due to snow. We hope to make an impact at this year’s championship meet and at the state meet.

Season opener — Dec. 21 (Bowdoin Relays).

Key dates — Feb. 8 (KVAC Championships at Bowdoin College), Feb. 17 ( State Class A Championships at USM, 10 a.m.).