Wildcats need underclassmen to play key roles
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Faced with the task of replacing many key players, especially some talented offensive pieces, Wildcat coach Joe Greaves is going with a youth movement. That doesn’t mean he is giving up on the season as he feels the Wildcats will certainly be a formidable foe.
The ’Cats placed third in the final Eastern Maine Class B standings a year ago with an 11-2-1 regular season mark. The season ended in disappointment as PI lost to Mount Desert Island in a home quarterfinal.
Graduating was Ben Nickerson, who scored 20-plus goals each of the last three seasons. Alex Michaud and Chase Norton are other players who were offensive threats that Greaves will no longer be able to rely on. Jake Carter was another who graduated that added to the Wildcat attack.
“We will be rebuilding on the offensive side of the ball,” Greaves said, “but there are some very talented underclassmen who will play a huge role. We will need some of these young guys to step up and put the ball in the back of the net.”
Senior captains Cooper Madore and Brycen Libby look to lead the way, but junior Josiah Morse, sophomore Griffin Guerrette and freshmen Kyler Caron and Jaren Winger will also be expected to provide some goal scoring. Morse and Winger, in fact, tallied in the team’s opener Thursday against Fort Kent.
The midfield corps is loaded with younger players as well, with sophomore twin brothers Randon and Ryle Mortland serving as the anchors in the middle of the field.
“A lot of our success this year will depend on how these two step up and control the midfield,” Greaves said. “Ideally, I’d like to have juniors and seniors [in those spots] but these guys are so talented and work so hard that I think they can do it.”
The defensive midfielder is junior Nick Bartlett, another key performer who is beginning his third year at the position.
The defense also lost some important players in goalkeeper Andrew Paterson and defenders Keeghan Lowe and Mike McLellan. But two senior leaders return in captains Sam Gray and Kyle Rider. Gray is a third-year starter and the leader on that end of the field. Rider is another who provides leadership but has missed a lot of time with a knee injury but was expected to be back on the field this week. Khasen Lowe, a junior, is in his third year as a starter. Junior Jake Kinney, sophomore Adam Paterson and freshman Jonah Hudson will round out the defense. Hudson suffered a broken foot during the preseason but should return within a month. “I’m expecting breakthrough seasons from these three guys,” Greaves said.
Pat Cash is the starting goalkeeper. The junior “is a big tough guy and has the perfect body for a ‘keeper,’” Greaves said, adding Cash has to improve his positioning but has been “working hard and doing all the right things.”
Senior Zach Rice is an integral utility player who will see plenty of action. Mike Mahon, another senior, has been battling an injury. Juniors Denny Young, Marcus Ouellette and Brad Kinney hope to contribute off the bench.
Elise Guerrette, Cole Paterson and Maddie Cummings are the managers and Tim McCue is Greaves’ assistant coach.
PI had a solid preseason, including a victory in the invitational tourney it hosted in mid-August. Greaves was also pleased with the result, a 2-2 draw, in the first regular season game against a strong Fort Kent team. The coach knows the competition will be rugged all season, but feels his Wildcats could be a contender.
“The PVC is as tough as it has been and there are a lot of teams looking to make a big run this year,” Greaves said, noting Ellsworth, MDI and Foxcroft all return plenty of talent.
“We know we have a lot of underclassmen compared to some of these other teams, but these young guys are really talented and will get better as the season goes along,” he added.
The team took on Caribou Tuesday and is now gearing up for a huge test Saturday — at home against Eastern Maine champ Ellsworth.
