Sports

Gardiner Area High School spring sports previews
Baseball
Coach: Jim Palmer (9th season)
Last season: 17-3, won Class B state championship
Top returners: Alex Wheelock (Sr. C), Nick Maschino (Sr., 1B), Chris Howe (Sr., 2B), Forrest Chadwick (Jr., SS-P), Eric Botterbusch (Sr., INF), Tony Plourde (Sr. C-OF), Donnie Cray (Sr., (P-CF), Andrew Bobrowiecki (Sr., OF-P)
Key newcomers: Ben Chesley (Jr., INF), Carl Witham (Sr., UT), Spencer Allen (So., P-OF), Mike Phelps (So., UT), Kory Proser (Jr., OF-1B)
Outlook: Palmer said the team hasn't talked about last year's state championship, prefering to concentrate on this season instead. But there's little doubt the Tigers have the talent to repeat. Chadwick and Cray are two of the hardest throwing pitchers in the Class B division of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference. And Bobrowiecki and Allen have looked good in preseason. Wheelock returns for his second year behind the plate and is one of the team's top hitters along with Chadwick, Maschino and Cray.
Coach's comment: "I think player for player we're more talented than we were last year. It's going to some down to how hard we work throughout the season."
Boys track
Coach: Eric Hall (7th season)
Top returners: Colby Fortier-Brown (Jr., throws), Josh Hallett (Sr., throws), Kyle Hickey (Jr.), Will Quirion (Jr., jumps, throws)
Key newcomers: Cody Whitcomb (Fr.), Nate LaPointe (Soph., throws, jumps), Brad McCollett (Fr., distance)
Outlook: The Tigers once again are lean in numbers, with only about 13 boys on the team. Still, Hall hopes to spread most of them out to be able to be competitive.
Coach's comment: "We'll be young across the board. We'll have to try to mximize most of the talent. We'll try to stretch our athletes in multiple events. We'll try to go across the board, the distance runners may also jump. We have to maximize what we can do."
Girls track
Coach: Eric Hall (7th season)
Last season: 13th in KVAC B
Top returner: Nikole Robbins (Sr., sprinter, jumps), Emilie Hillman (Jr., sprints, jumps), Mariah Duncan (Soph., hurdles, sprints), Emily Staples (multi)
Key newcomer: Pia Sondermann (Sr., multi), Olivia Reny (Fr., sprints, jumps), Carly Rose (Fr., sprints, jumps), Anne Schide (Fr., distance, race walker), Meryl Kus (Fr., distance).
Outlook: Robbins qualified for the Class B meet in four events last spring, the 800, 400, triple jump and long jump. Robbins finished second in the triple jump and is poised for another big spring.
Coach's comment: "We don't have high numbers so we'll have to spread a lot of our athletes across many events. We're hoping to qualify as many as we can for the states. Nikole seems to be excited about putting it all together this spring."
Boys lacrosse
Coach: KC Johnson (11th season)
Last season: 5-7
Top returners: A Kory Peckham (Jr.), A Kaleb Smith (So.), M Zoe Fisk (Sr.), M Jason Ledoux (Jr.), M Jordan Grant (Sr.), M Jake Wright (Sr.), M Dalton Eldridge (So.), M Nick Grover (Jr.), D Sam Wenckus (Sr.), D Nick Kozma (Jr.), D Ben Godfrey (Jr.), G Caleb Ross (Sr.)
Key newcomers: A Alex Ferland (Sr.), M Garrett Benson (Jr.), M Jake Usher (Jr.), M Dillon Hendsbee (Jr.), D Tyler Salley (So.), D/M Terry Marks (So.), LSM Jason Coan (Sr.), G Peter Williamson (So.).
Outlook: Gardiner just missed a playoff berth last season. The Tigers return enough experienced players to carry them back into contention. Zoe Fisk moves into the midfield from his goalie position to make that a strength for the Tigers. A strong midfield group, buoyed by the move of
Zoe Fisk, from his traditional goalkeeping duties into the transition game, should prove beneficial. Gardiner will compete in a balanced KVAC B, where teams will be looking for players who can score.
Coach's comment: "Commitment, discipline and intensity. These are the three pieces to the puzzle that will make us a very good team. We will compete every time we step on the field."
Girls lacrosse
Coach: Sharon Gallant (1st season)
Last season: This is Gardiner's first season as a varsity team.
Top returners: D Steph Eaton (Sr.), D Ashley Hickey (Sr.), A Becky Pelletier (Sr.), A Kim Macomber (Sr.), A Shawna Carleton (Sr.), A Ashley Work (Sr.), M Becca Paradee (So.), M Kaylee Heath (So.).
Key newcomers: M Emily Kozma (Jr.).
Outlook: This is the first year that Gardiner has a varsity team. For the last two seasons, the Tigers have been a club team that has been very competitive with the local teams they have scrimmaged. With 36 girls on the roster, Gardiner could be very competitive in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference.
Coach's comment: "This will be a very interesting year for us as we jump into varsity competition. My goal is to begin to build a program that will allow our girls to learn, participate in, enjoy, and share the excitement of women's lacrosse."
Boys Tennis
Coach: Rob Disch (14th season)
Last season: 5-7, Eastern Class A Quarterfinals
Top returners: Dan Paradee (Sr.), Ethan Pierce (Sr.), Brian Jortner (Jr.), Travis Mason (Jr.), Ryan O'Neill (Jr.), Mike Simmons (Jr.), Joe Coughlan (Jr.), Isaac Luken (So.), Jordan Caradonna (Jr.)
Key newcomers: Bryant Whitley (Fr.), Mike Hersom (Jr.), Jared Hornecker (Jr.), Matt Nadeau (Sr.)
Outlook: Paradee continues to grow as a player after picking up the game as a freshman. He hopes to advance further in the Round of 40 tournament this season. Jortner and Hornecker will join Paradee as singles players. A transfer from Texas, Hornecker may be good enough to push Paradee for the No. 1 spot.
Coach's comment: "It's our last year in Class A where we face Lewiston, Brunswick and Mt. Ararat twice. I'm suspecting we can push those teams this year."
Girls tennis
Coach: Mark Biggs (6th season)
Last season: 5-7, Eastern Class A Quarterfinals
Top returners: Jessica Ladner (Sr.), Alysha Mosher (Sr.), Katherine Haas (Jr.), Katie Silver (Jr.), Allison Casey (Jr.), Katrina Nikropan (So.), Katie Schide (Jr.), Ashlynn Smith (Jr.), Grace Temple (So.)
Key newcomers: Eloise Harnett (Fr.), Broghann Fles (So.), Mariah Fleury (So.), Celeste LeFurgy (Jr.), Jenna Wright (So.), Jen Manning (Jr.)
Outlook: Gardiner suffered significant losses to graduate, but thanks to five news courts, the Tigers numbers are up. Ladner, Mosher, Nikropan and Schide will be major contributors for the Tigers as the season begins.
Coach's comment: "Five of the eight starters from last year graduated so I would say it's going to be a rebuilding year. The courts are in great shape and that has helped with attracting kids to the program."
SOFTBALL
Coach: Conrad Lewis (13th season)
Last season: 2-14
Top returners: SS Chelsea Striker (Sr.); 1B Hannah Lawrence (Jr.); 3B Ashley Abbott (Jr.); P Cassie Snell (So.); RF Becky Allen (Sr.); 2B Jillian Philbrook (So.).
Top newcomers: IF/OF Jenny Kestel (Sr.-Exch.); IF/OF Kaitlyn Turmelle (So.); 2B/OF Jenna Moore (Fr.); IF/OF Katie McAllister (Fr.); IF Ashley Taylor (Fr.).
Outlook: Snell took over as the team's pitcher as a freshmen and had some struggles early on, though her improvement this season should help keep the Tigers competitive in the KVAC B. There are a lot of battles for open positions, but the team's hopes hinge on finding a way to score runs to support Snell.
Coach's comment: "Cassie's one of those gritty athletes. She won't quit on you. If she continues to improve, like I'm sure she will, our goal is the playoffs."


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