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BY BILL STEWART
Staff Writers 08/30/2008

AND TRAVIS LAZARCZYK

Staff Writers

The head coach is gone. So is the tailback. And the quarterback.

For most teams, this is an ocean-sized problem.

But Gardiner Area High School isn't like most teams, and the defending Class B state champions are out to prove just that this fall.

"Like I told the players, if you think being a state champion is easy, it's not," said Gardiner first-year head coach Jim Palmer, who is taking over the program from Matt Brown. "It's going to be tougher. People will want a shot at us. Every team is going to come for us. But I think we'll be ready."

The Tigers are loaded up front on both sides of the ball, which makes them a contender in the Pine Tree Conference B, along with Winslow, Waterville, Morse and Leavitt.

However, that doesn't mean there aren't holes to fill. The biggest, of course, is the quarterback position vacated by the graduated Kyle Stilphen, a Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist who accounted for 15 touchdowns (nine passing) and threw for 458 yards.

Palmer has four quarterbacks on the roster -- Mike Denham, Forrest Chadwick, Spencer Allan and Kory Prosser -- and each will get ample opportunities to showcase his abilities.

Denham, a senior, backed up Stilphen last season, which gives him a slight edge to win the job this fall.

"The QB is a tough spot to replace," Palmer said. "But I don't think we're asking anyone to be Kyle Stilphen. We just want them to go in and run the offense, and we have guys who can do that."

The Tigers will also have to replace Bass Chadwick, who rushed for 1,146 yards and 15 touchdowns on 134 carries. Palmer said if Forrest Chadwick isn't the quarterback he could see the bulk of his time in the backfield, along with bruising fullback Peter Caradonna.

"It's really going to be a matter of where they fit," said Palmer, who will be defensive coordinator after running the offense last season. "We'll see where the pieces fall."

Winslow has played in the conference championship game in eight of the last 10 years, including the last five. Coach Mike Siviski feels he has a lot of question marks, and he hopes to have answers before his team opens with games against Mt. Desert Island, Belfast and Leavitt.

"We have an extremely tough opener," Siviski said. "MDI may be the team to beat."

There's some movement on the Winslow offensive line, with Ryan Rancourt switching from guard to tackle and Jacob Pellerin moving from tackle to guard. Dan Wendell will play center, with Ryan Pelletier at tight end.

Scott Siviski and Cody Souviney were battling for the quarterback job in the preseason. Fullback Eric Bezanson had his appendix removed late in the summer but was back to practice the first week of camp. Lucas Jones, a newcomer, could see time at tailback.

Wendell and Rancourt anchor the defensive line, along with nose guard Derek Clark. Bezanson led the team in tackles from his spot at middle linebacker last season. Scott Siviski, Souviney, Charlie Kriegel and Ben Fredette have experience in the secondary.

Scott Siviski was the most accurate kicker in the conference last season, making 39 of 41 point after tries.

Winslow's chief rival, Waterville, also was looking for a quarterback in the preseason. Junior Josh Gaudette and sophomore Kyle Bishop were locked in a tight battle for the position.

Whichever player wins the job, the other is sure to be on the field, too. Bishop can play a number of positions, and Gaudette caught 23 passes for 316 yards last season. If he's not throwing the passes, he'll be a piece of the Panthers' deep receiving corps. Tight end J.D. Gurski (26 catches for 359 yards) and receiver Cam Bishop (13 catches, 184 yards) are quick targets. Tight end Nolan MacDonnell will contribute to the passing game also, along with receivers Tyler Roy and Nick Stinson.

Pete Cote saw some carries last season and is back at halfback. Kris Huggins and Tim Locke will play fullback.

Waterville's defense is deepest in the secondary with Gaudette, Kyle Bishop and Tyler Roy at safety, and Cam Bishop, Cote, Deune Hardy and Sam Nashed at corner.

The Panthers are entering their fourth season in Class B, and reached the PTC semifinals in each of the past three seasons.

"We've settled into B now," Waterville coach Frank Knight said. "We'd like to get into that B final. I think we have a chance. There are a lot of good teams out there. It will take a lot of work."

Oak Hill and Maranacook each finished 3-5 last year, although the Raiders slipped into the postseason. This year, both teams' coaches expect to be in the hunt again.

"If we can win three football games we can probably sneak in again," Oak Hill head coach Bruce Nicholas said. "But we think we can win more this year. Maybe we can win four or five. There's not much talk about us, which is fine."

Oak Hill features 21 seniors, including quarterbacks Josh Sirois and Brett Turcotte. Senior split ends Tyler Wells and Ben Rines and halfback Clyde Tibbets should help set the tone for the wing-T offense.

The Raiders again this year will play two quarterbacks, senior Josh Sirois and junior Brett Turcotte.

"We used them equal last year," Nicholas said. "It's a little problem I have. No one is emerging, but no one is losing it either. We'll play it day by day, game by game. It's a strange situation."

Like Gardiner, the Black Bears will also have to replace a starting quarterback, Mike Brennan. Second-year coach Kevin Norwood said junior James Mrazick will assume the responsibilities. Mrazick quarterbacked Maranacook's junior varsity team last season.

"He has a very good arm and understands the position," Norwood said. "He's been biding his time, waiting for the chance."

Tailback/linebacker Pat Norwood and wide receiver/corner back Corey Palmer will anchor the offense and defense.

"We can play power football, and we have the speed to go outside," Kevin Norwood said. "We can go downfield to Palmer when we need to. We expect big things there."

Nokomis is in its second year of varsity football, and the Warriors have a new coach. Haggie Pratt, a longtime head coach at Dexter and an assistant at Nokomis last season, takes over for Dave Evans, who guided the Warriors from club status to varsity.

Nokomis has returning players at some key positions. Junior Derek Amoroso is back at quarterback and Brandon Philbrook at center. Last season's leading tackler, Teddy Smith, can play either linebacker or on the defensive line.

"We just need to prove to the kids their hard work will pay off," Pratt said.

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