DYER BROOK, Maine — The Southern Aroostook boys basketball team will have someone new calling the plays from the sidelines this year as Greg Marter has taken over the program from veteran coach Bill McAvoy.
Marter brings a wealth of experience to the program. He started his basketball coaching career at Penobscot Valley High School in Howland as the junior varsity boys basketball coach in 2003 and stayed with that program for six years. From 2009-2017, Marter served as the varsity boys coach at Stearns High School in Millinocket.
“I took off the 2018 season to watch/follow my daughter’s senior year at Stearns as a player on the girls team,” Marter said. “I also have been actively involved with AAU basketball for six years. I have been fortunate to have some great mentors in my life to help direct me to achieve my coaching goals. Actually, Coach McAvoy was one of those mentors and a friend who helped me develop my coaching skills. I also, must make mention of Tony Hamlin and Jamie Russell who were always there to talk ‘X’s and 0’s.’”
Marter also is an assistant football coach at Husson University and served as the Old Town High School football coach last season.
The Warriors were a surprise success story last season in what was tabbed as a rebuilding year. The team finished 6-12 in the regular season and snuck into the Class D North playoffs as the 10th and final seed. SA went on to beat No. 7 Easton 70-52 in a preliminary playoff before falling to No. 2 Jonesport-Beals 64-55 in the quarterfinals.
All five starters from last year’s squad are back this season as the Warriors roster features seniors Jayden Burpee, Steven Rackliff, Jonathan Hardy and Garrett Siltz; juniors Xavier Morales, Matthew Rackliff and Brett Williams; sophomores Jacob Ritchie, Parker Skinner, Robert Chambers, Jacob Brooks and Dawson Noyes; and freshmen Hunter Burpee, Chris Caswell, Gunner Siltz and Ethan Webb.
“I am hoping to build on to that strong foundation Coach McAvoy created,” Marter said. “It appears we have some great offensive capabilities and threats.”
Key players for this year are Jayden Burpee, Hunter Burpee and Garrett Stiltz.
“All three have some great offensive skills to build on,” the coach said. “Hunter is a freshman returning starter from last year’s squad. He is young but has a great basketball mind and understands the game.”
Garrett Stiltz is the team’s tallest player, standing 6-feet, 4-inches, with the skill set of a guard, who has good shooting range and a solid presence in the post, the coach said. Jayden Burpee is a solid point guard with good ball handling skills and solid jump shot with good range, Marter added.
“Defense is one area we will definitely be focusing on,” he said. “There is always room for improvement defensively. It appears we have a solid chemistry within the team to build on throughout the year. Also, I will dedicate time to focus on developing the younger talent coming up. I find that very important in order to achieve long-term success in our basketball program.”
Coach Marter said Woodland and Jonesport-Beals, the two squads who met in last year’s regional championship, should once again be the top teams in Class D North, but he also expects Schenck, Easton, Hodgdon and GHCA to be competitive too.
