As the fall sports season began last week, the only opponent Boothbay Region High School teams battled was the heat and humidity.

All four teams began preseason workouts with the hope that the new season proves successful, whether it’s on the gridiron, pitch, field or wooded running course.

Two teams are hoping to build upon last year’s playoff appearances. A third is welcoming a new coach. And the school’s most successful fall sports program is primed for another successful season. 

On the gridiron, the football team finished 3-5 last season and qualified for the Western Maine Class D playoffs. Thirty-five players are on this year’s squad, including 20 veterans. Coach Bryan Dionne said the early focus is on conditioning and fundamentals.

“We have a lot of youth especially in our offensive line,” Dionne said. “We’re looking to see who the football players are, making sure we’re lining up in the right place, and then we’ll start to decide who plays what position.”

At quarterback, Duncan Drapeau, a junior, is the early favorite to be calling offensive signals this fall. Drapeau was the quarterback for the final regular season and playoff game last year.

“He’s the front-runner. His experience is a plus,” Dionne said. “But, it’s still early, and were looking at a lot of people at a lot of positions.”

At running back, junior Dima Gosselin is the fastest player on the team.

“He’s strong and smart,” Dionne said. “He is a dedicated athlete. And we expect a lot of great things from him.”

Senior Abel Bryer will play a key role in the passing game. Bryer missed most of last year due to an injury. Dionne said Bryer’s size and speed puts pressure on opposing defenses.

“He’s probably one if not the best receiver in the league. Abel is tall and fast, which makes a great target to throw to,” Dionne said.

This is Dionne’s sixth year leading the program. His early season goal is for the team to play as a unit.

“I’m looking forward to watching these players come together as a team,” he said. “We want to make football fun again. No matter what happens, we want this to be an enjoyable experience.”

In field hockey, Donna Jordan is beginning her second year as the Seahawks’ coach. The 25-year coaching veteran also played the sport for University of Maine.

Last year, Boothbay Region finished ninth in the Eastern Maine Class C Heal Points, and lost a preliminary tournament game to Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln. Jordan has 25 players on this year’s squad. The Seahawks have eight starters returning from last year’s 6-6-2 season.

Among those returning starters are the team’s top two scorers: sophomores Sidney Meader and Page Brown. Meader was named last year to the Mountain Valley Conference All-Second Team.

Jordan is looking forward to watching the players develop their skills this fall.

“We only lost three to graduation. So we have a lot of players returning with experience,” Jordan said. “The best part is watching them grow individually as players, and later grow as a team.”

In girls soccer, second-year BRHS teacher Ben Powell is the new coach. His coaching experience includes one year as an assistant BRHS baseball coach. He has also coached youth soccer. Powell played for Erskine Academy. He also played on a college club team. He continues to play in adult leagues.

This year’s soccer team has 20 players. The roster is loaded young talent, according to Powell. The soccer finished last year with one victory. Powell believes last year’s underclassmen benefited from a lot of playing time, which bodes well for this season.

“We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores. There are a lot of good players with potential. Our prospects are good for winning more games this year,” he said.

On offense, Powell expects strong play from senior midfielder Lisa Pawlowski. On defense, senior goalie Jamie Wheeler returns for her third year as a starter.

Coach Nick Scott’s cross country teams proved to be the school’s most successful last fall. The boys won the Western Maine Class C championship. The girls qualified for the state meet for the second straight year.

The cross country team has four runners returning who earned all-conference honors. As Scott enters his 10th season, he has 12 boys and eight girls on each squad. His top returning boys are Matt Burnham and Kyle Ames, who both made the All-Mountain Valley Conference team. The girls also have two returning runners who received all-conference honors: Hannah Morley and Lincoln Hamblett. 

Scott’s goal for the first week is preparing his team for running the three mile distance.

“It’s about base building this week. They need to become acclimated to running the distance. So each day we run a little more,” he said.

The team’s first meet is Friday, Sept. 4 at Medomak Valley in Waldoboro. Boothbay Region competes in five other meets. The  season commences with a trio of post-season meets: MVC championships, regional qualifying and state championship.

The regular season for all sports begins on Sept. 4. The football hosts Old Orchard Beach on Friday, Aug. 28, in a preseason game. The field hockey team hosts a pre-season game versus Lincoln Academy at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25. The team will also play in Mount Ararat’s six-team tournament on Aug. 29 in Topsham.  The tournament is a fundraiser for the Barbara Bush Children’s Cancer Program. Boothbay Region joins Mount Ararat, Lincoln Academy, Morse, Maranacook and Freeport in the tournament.