DYER BROOK, Maine — Could this be the year a championship comes back to Dyer Brook?
Third-year coach Bill McAvoy and his staff, Greg Bivighouse and Kevin Craig, are hoping so.
Last year, the No. 5 Southern Aroostook Warriors reached the Eastern Maine finals only to lose to defending Class D state champs Hodgdon, 49-37.
The Warriors finished the season with a 15-7 record.
The team also lost five players to graduation — Cody Lassonde, Will McGary, Kaleb Burpee, Trent Cullinan and Logan Buckley — all who contributed to the team’s success.
But, looking to fill the lead role for the Warriors in the starting lineup are seniors Cam Landry, Everett Bivighouse and Justin Nelson, along with sophomores Jackson Mathers and Nolan Altvater.
“Cam is really a fiery type of player,” said McAvoy. “What he gives you is 100 percent every second that he is on that floor. He can score, he can pass and he probably is my best defender.
“Everett is a guy you don’t expect to do the things he does. Last year was not a good year for him. All of the things we went over last year, it is almost like, it is all clicking in. Right now, he is playing well defensively and he’s doing a good job off the boards.
He is getting everybody involved. And, he is that guy because of my other three players; he will find himself left alone a lot,” he added.
“Jesse does not like to shoot period … yet … unless he has a layup,” said McAvoy. “But, he has the ability to be a scorer. But right now, he will take the other team’s best big person defensively. He really enjoys rebounding and playing defense.”
Also looking to contribute wherever they can are senior twins Alex and Austin White. McAvoy said these boys are both very consistent players and will help the team on the boards and within the interior play.
The Warriors have a talented sophomore tandem in Mathers and Altvater.
“Jackson is a lot better than he was last year and so is Nolan,” McAvoy said. “The chemistry with this team right now is so much better than last year, individually and as a team,” he noted.
Looking to spark the team are sophomore reserves Tyler Batchelder and Luis Morales.
“Tyler is very quick and he is trying to learn the varsity mentality,” said McAvoy. “He is showing me much more as the season gets going.
“Luis is a kid with some natural talent,” he added. “I can see this kid, especially after this year, really stepping up in another year.”
Clay Mathers is another sophomore player that McAvoy wants to get involved in the rotation.
“Clay is an all-around good player for his size. He is a banger and he’s very aggressive. That is what I like about him,” McAvoy said. “He is not a bad shooter either.”
Capping off the sophomore roster are Riley Robinson and Rob Lillis.
“Riley is making progress for his size. We are going to lose a lot of size after this year and I am hoping Riley will come and step right in,” said McAvoy. “And, Rob has more natural talent than half of the team. He just needs to get playing time and learn the game.
“All of my sophomores are not bad,” he said. “They are pretty good.”
McAvoy sees Washburn as the team in the D East. He looks at Stearns, Schenck, Fort Fairfield and Katahdin as teams that may surprise some people.
McAvoy noted if the team stays healthy the Warriors will be among the top contenders in Class D, as well.
“I thought I was going to have some problem with quickness and rebounding,” said McAvoy. “We were poor at that last year. “A key for us is that we are better at getting the ball inside, which was one of our major problems last year.”
McAvoy is not overlooking any opponents. He does not want to worry about the tournament until he sees how his team comes along.
“I look at one game at a time,” he said. “The kids’ attitudes are super and they don’t like losing. That is a good thing. On the floor, they are working hard.”
Pioneer Times photo/Joseph Cyr
WARRIORS — Members of the Southern Aroostook boys basketball team for the 2014-15 season include, front row from left, managers Makayla Crandall and Lacey Lindsay, Tyler Batchelder, Jackson Mathers, Luis Morales, Alex White, Cameron Landry and volunteer Kevin Craig; and back, assistant coach Greg Bivighouse, Clay McArthur, Justin Nelson, Everett Bivighouse, Riley Robinson, Nolan Altvater, Austin White and head coach Bill McAvoy.
