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See the Two Top Picks in the KVAC "A" East
play
Tues. Nov. 25th
at Mt. Blue High School
Edward Little
vs
Mt. Blue
jv 5:300pm/vasity 7:00pm
www.mbr.org
by Fastbreak12 on Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:24 am
Here's my prediction of what the Class A East will look like when the
final heal pts. are released:
1. Edward Little Red Eddies(Mike Adams)...Dom Bailey and Cory Theriault are the top guard
duo in the southern division, with Theriault being the early pick for south player of the year. James Philbrook, Sean Daigle,
and Shane Cirello provide size and athleticism in the front court. Potential weakness...Not a deep bench, foul trouble or
injuries could derail this team.
2. Mt.Blue Cougars(Jim Bessey)...Jamison Sawyer and Ben Russell are clearly the top
guard combination in the north, with Russell the early pick for north player of the year. Jordan Hoyt, Ryan Backus, Sean Simpson,
and Adam Wiles-Rosell should provide solid support. Potential weakness...A lot of finesse players, and quite young once you
get past the dynamic duo.
BOYS BASKETBALL:
Edward Little picked
to finish 1st in KVAC A
By SCOTT MARTIN, Sports editor 
The Bangor boys basketball team's run as the overwhelming favorite in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference's Class A
division may be over, but the league's coaches don't expect the Rams to fall far.
"I think the only difference is we don't know these kids' names," Skowhegan coach Troy Scott said of a Bangor team that
lost 11 seniors after going 18-0 in the regular season last year. "But we've watched their freshman and their JV teams in
years past and I'm sure we'll learn those names real quick."
Bangor was picked to finish fifth in the KVAC A coaches poll on Thursday. The coaches picked a Top 8 and selected Edward
Little No. 1. Mt. Blue was picked second, followed by Brewer, Hampden, Bangor, Morse, Skowhegan and Lawrence.
"Bangor graduated all five starters and probably nine out of their top 11," Brunswick coach Todd Hanson said. "(Being voted
fifth) says a lot for their program."
The coaches feel there is a fair amount of parity in the league this winter.
"It is totally different from last year. Then it was like Bangor was night and everyone else was day," Lawrence coach Mike
McGee said. "Mt. Blue and Edward Little are the top two teams, but they are not that much better than everyone else. This
is as open as I've seen the league in years."
Mt. Blue was picked second thanks in large part to its talented guard duo of Jamie Sawyer and Ben Russell, both seniors.
Sawyer averaged 14.5 points and five assists per game, while Russell averaged 17 points and three assists per game for the
Cougars, who reached the Eastern A semifinals last season.
"If you have two solid guards and can keep the ball in their hands, you are very difficult to beat," said McGee, who will
be coaching his 25th season at Lawrence. "That is what has changed from when I first started to coach. It used to be the big
men dominated the game. Now it's the guards."
Skowhegan, picked seventh, could be without junior forward Paul Verville, who suffered a neck injury in the football season.
"He's a junior, but he has been starting since he was a freshman," Skowhegan coach Troy Scott said. "He is an important
missing ingredient."
Still, Skowhegan has a number of letterwinners returning, including Jordan Taylor and Billy Clark, who were named players
to watch by the KVAC A coaches.
Meanwhile, Lawrence had three players -- Ben Violette, Brooks Spaulding and Matt Perkins -- named players to watch.
"I thought we had a very good summer. We played without one of our better players, Matt Perkins, who was out with a back
injury," McGee said. "We have a lot of solid seniors this year."
Staff writer Gary Hawkins contributed to this report
Edward Little tops KVAC ‘A’ preseason poll
Mt. Blue, Brewer also look strong
Edward Little of Auburn, which reached the Eastern Maine Class A boys basketball championship game
last winter, was picked as the top team for the 2008-09 season in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A coaches
preseason poll.
Coaches had their annual preseason meeting Thursday evening and selected the top eight teams in the
16-team Class A division — encompassing all of the teams in Eastern Maine Class A — as well as a list of players
to watch.
Edward Little was the No. 1 pick by the league's coaches, followed by Mt. Blue of Farmington, Brewer,
Hampden Academy, Bangor, Morse of Bath, Skowhegan and Lawrence of Fairfield.
Edward Little, 16-5 a year ago after falling to Bangor 61-54 in the regional final, will be led this
season by senior forward Corey Therriault, who broke through last winter to earn Bangor Daily News Eastern Maine Class A All-Tournament
Team and honorable mention All-Maine recognition.
Mt. Blue, an Eastern A semi-finalist that finished 13-7 last season, features one of the top backcourt
combinations in seniors Ben Russell, an honorable mention All-Maine choice for the 2007-08 campaign, and All-Eastern A tourney
pick Jamie Sawyer.
Brewer finished just 6-12 and out of the tournament picture a year ago, but the Witches have an additional
year of experience and a solid corps of returning players that includes guards Dom Drake and Kyle O'Connell, as well as a
new coach in Clayton Blood.
Hampden Academy, 11-8 last winter, has been one of the more consistent programs in the KVAC ranks in
recent years, and the Broncos return what should be a solid 1-2 front-court punch in Jacob Moore and Noah Burditt.
Bangor, which finished 21-1 after winning the regional title before being upended by Cheverus of Portland
in the 2008 state final, will have a new look this year as the bulk of last year's squad, including All-Maine choices Ryan
Weston and Jon McAllian and honorable mention selections Lee Suvlu and Bill Zolper, have graduated. Senior guards Ryan Larochelle
and Nate Frazier are two of the most experienced returning players for coach Roger Reed's club.
Morse (6-13 in 2007-08) and Skowhegan (11-8) each qualified for the Eastern A preliminary round last
season, and both are threats to improve on that effort this winter. Morse has a talented inside player in Ryan Chaney along
with Alex Kee, Alonzo James and Nate Elwell, while Skowhegan will rely on the leadership of Billy Clark and Jordan Taylor.
Lawrence, which reached the Eastern A semifinals last year with a 12-9 record, boast returning veterans
Ben Violette, Matt Perkins and Brooks Spaulding.
KVAC Class A players to watch are the following: Bangor: Nate Frazier, Ryan Larochelle; Brewer: Dom
Drake, Kyle O'Connell; Brunswick: Rob Basquez, Steve Carter, Rashon Edgerton; Cony: Brian Carville, Greg O'Neill; Edward Little:
Shane Ciriello, James Philbrook, Corey Therriault; Hampden Acad.: Noah Burditt, Jacob Moore; Lawrence: Matt Perkins, Brooks
Spaulding, Ben Violette; Leavitt: Kolin Gauthier, Doug Nash; Lewiston: Omar Mohammad, Ronnie Turner; Messalonskee: Zack Brown;
Morse: Ryan Chaney, Nate Elwell, Alonzo James, Alex Kee; Mount Ararat: Cam Vermette, Josh Walker; Mt. Blue: Ben Russell, Jamie
Sawyer; Nokomis: Chris Braley, Jordan Richards; Oxford Hills: Jordan Farrar, Cody Hadley; Skowhegan: Billy Clark, Jordan Taylor.
Preseason practices in all classes get under way Monday, with the 2008-09 regular season set to begin
Dec. 5.
| Let's go over the top this year. |
|
3rd
Anual
Foul
Shooting
Fund
Raiser
We will be asking our Freshmen, JVs & Varsity teams to participate
in taking 100 foul shots on Sat. Nov. 29th.
Each of our players will be asked to get at less 5 sponsors to pay them for
each shot made out of their 100 shots. Our goal is for each player to try and get $5.00 per sponsors or a goal of $50.00
per player. Our goal is $1700.00.
This will go towards our freshman & assist coaches' stipends(which
are not paid by MSAD9), warm-up jerseys for games, etc.
Thank You all in advance for you generiousity!
Mt. Blue's Boys Basketball Coaching Staff
| Win 422 |
|
| 33rd year for Coach Jim Bessey |
Tune-In On 99.3 WKTJ Live High
School Sports Broadcasts PROVING
PLAY BY PLAY IS AWARD-WINNING SPORTS ANNOUNCER AL
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