Hundreds of student athletes missed out last year when the spring sports season was officially cancelled. With increased regulations however, the Maine Principals Association (MPA) has confirmed that there will be a relatively “normal” season for teams around the state in 2021. Fortunately, this includes Gorham High School. Towards the end of March, GHS’s tennis, track, baseball, softball, and lacrosse teams hit the ground running. With social distancing, masks, and extra sanitization in place, practices have been held and competitions have begun. This past week, each coach was invited to answer a couple of questions surrounding themselves and their respective teams. Their answers follow:

GIRLS LACROSSE – COACH MEREDITH BICKFORD

1. How long have you been coaching? I have been coaching for 25 years. I started my coaching career as the Assistant Field Hockey Coach at USM and the JV Softball Coach at Gorham High School. When I left Gorham, I became the Assistant Softball Coach at USM. During my tenure at USM, I was also the Head Girls Lacrosse Coach and spent one season as the Cheer Coach. I have coached youth lacrosse, baseball, softball, and middle school lacrosse and have now been the Assistant Field Hockey Coach at GHS for five years alongside Becky Manson-Rioux. I am honored that GHS has also appointed me to the Varsity Girls Lacrosse position for the 2021 season.
2. Are there any key returning players/seniors/captains? Katie Kutzer (Senior Captain), Mary Dewitt (Junior Midfielder), Kate Dupuis (Junior Captain), Brooke Guimond (Junior Goalie).
3. Are there any new players who may make contributions? Our Junior class is very talented and brings a lot of leadership and dedication to the program. Allie Light, Allie Myles, Jill Morrell, Mary Dewitt, Brooke Guimond, Kate Dupuis, Morgan Chapman, Emma Stevens and Anna Provost. They are teaching the underclass players so much and really setting the tone for a great season.
4. What are your hopes for the season? It is so great to be playing. I want the girls to have fun, be competitive, and know they gave it their all everyday at practice and everyday they play in a game. I want the girls to be proud of themselves and feel pride when they walk on and off the field.
5. Are there any challenging opponents that you know of? Falmouth, Massabesic, Scarborough… These teams will always give us a good game.
6. Do you think missing out on last year’s spring season will affect this season? Missing last year has definitely affected the number of girls that have decided not to return to lacrosse this year. Some have decided to work while others are focusing on other sports. I lost girls from each class this year that I had anticipated having on the roster. However, the girls that we have are hard working, enthusiastic, dedicated, and truly are representing Gorham with great pride.
7. Do you think team bonding will be affected with COVID? We are managing to abide by the COVID rules while still having team bonding.
8. What will competitions look like for your team? GHS Girls Lacrosse never gives up! We are solid and ready to play to the last whistle. Look out.

BOYS LACROSSE – COACH CLAYTON JONES

1. How long have you been coaching? I am starting my 4th year coaching the GHS Boys lacrosse team.
2. Are there any key returning players/seniors/captains? Our captains are seniors Ben Tukey and Josh Labrie. A strong contingent has moved up at each position to take charge. Veterans Liam Moss and Josh Labrie anchor a solid defense, with Ian Connors in the cage. The other end of the field boasts an attack unit including veteran scoring leaders Ben Tukey and Ayden Lindsay. Between the lines, the Rams feature a youthful and very athletic midfield led by Juniors Connor Callahan and Brady Sawyer, and sophomore Jacob Lehmann.
3. What are your hopes for the season? Coming off a strong showing in 2019, the Gorham Boys Lacrosse team looks to continue to improve in 2021. Every day we try to put our best effort out there and get better. Good things are bound to happen.
4. Are there any challenging opponents that you know of? A completely different schedule this year has cancelled all the traditional rivalries, but offers opportunities to measure up against new opponents. Crossover games with Brunswick and Greely should be good tests.
5. Do you think missing out on last year’s spring season will affect this season? Covid definitely took away some of the momentum of our program. In addition, a few guys have stepped away from the game for work and other reasons. Many of the younger players who have moved up have changed so much in two years, and have really come into their own.
6. Do you think team bonding will be affected with COVID? The athletes we have are really committed. Each year’s team is a unique group that finds its identity over the course of the season. I expect that will be true for this group as well, and I am very optimistic based on what I have seen so far. We have already lost our second week of practice to covid restrictions, but we will “adapt and overcome.” The guys have done a great job of sticking together and working hard.
7. What will competitions look like for your team? With the strong leadership of captains Tukey and Labrie bringing along the younger players, this group could go far into the post-season tournament this year.

GIRLS TRACK – COACH JOHN CATERINA

1. How long have you been coaching? I have been head coach for 27 years. 2. Are there any key returning players/seniors/captains? Our key returners include senior co-Captain MacKenna Holmes (PV and distance), and junior co-Captain Sydney Connolly (sprints). Other key returners include juniors Emma Green (HJ), Alyvia Caruso (LJ and 300h), Elizabeth Loranger (mid-distance) and Caroline Bishop (1600 RW).
2. Are there any new players who may make contributions? We have several new additions to the team representing all four classes.
3. What are your hopes for the season? We hope to have a very successful and, more importantly, complete season. We should be among the top teams in the SMAA and Class A.
4. Are there any challenging opponents that you know of? While we won’t compete against all of them directly, top opponents will include Scarborough, Thornton Academy, Cheverus and Bonny Eagle.
5. Do you think missing out on last year’s spring season will affect this season? It will take some time for our kids to regain their competitive “fire” and to gain some confidence. I expect them to be near the top of their game by mid-season.
6. Do you think team bonding will be affected with COVID? We will certainly miss the team dinners, bus trips and other team activities.
7. What will competitions look like for your team? We have 5 coed duel meets and a state championship.

BOYS TRACK – COACH JASON TANGUAY

1. How long have you been coaching? 13 years at GHS.
2. Are there any key returning athletes? Calvin Cummings, junior, distance; Andrew Farr, junior, sprints; Ryan Gendron, senior, jumps and hurdles; Reed Henderson, senior, distance; Josh Lehmann, senior, distance; Evan Russo, junior, pole vault.
3. Are there any new athletes who may make contributions? Jacob Lehmann, sophomore, jumps; Nolan Feyler, freshman, hurdles.
4. What are your hopes for the season? We will have a dual meet schedule for our regular season. I am hopeful our team can cover all the events so we can be competitive in team scoring. This will require some new athletes on our team to step up and contribute. Our boys team returns with some big meet scorers so hopefully we can be a better team come the state championship.
5. Are there any challenging opponents that you know of? Our last regular season home meet against Scarborough will be a good test for us before the state championship.
6. Do you think missing out on last year’s spring season will affect this season? Our sport is focused on individual improvement each season so missing last spring has set all our athletes back in this regard. We do not dwell on this though, and focus on what we can control; our attitude and our effort in our opportunities this season.
7. Do you think team bonding will be affected with COVID? We will not be able to have team dinners which are typically great opportunities to socialize for our team. Our team also is not allowed to hang around after practice this year. Both of these changes have impacted our team socially.
8. What will competitions look like for your team? As I said above, we will have a dual meet regular season schedule and only one post-season meet; the state championship. Athletes will have to meet a qualifying standard to participate in the state championship.

SOFTBALL – PHIL MCGOULDRICK

1. How long have you been coaching? This is my second season as the Varsity softball coach, obviously last year doesn’t really count as we got shut down before we even got started. I have been coaching softball overall for 12 years now, from U10 GYBSA softball to College Showcase level during the summer with Maine Thunder, as well as a season as a volunteer assistant at USM a few years ago.
2. Are there any key returning players/seniors/captains? It’s really hard to say who our impact players will be having only limited experience with the roster thus far. I do know that I will rely heavily for leadership from Seniors Tatyana Biamby, Molly Murray, and Morgan Roast. I will say that we have a very well rounded group of versatile athletes that can play multiple positions well. We are very deep with talented pitchers and we have speed and power up and down the line up. We also have a great mix of youth and experience that will help us be successful now and in the coming years.
3. Are there any new players who may make contributions? We have 3 very talented Freshman in Amber Bretton, Andria Cloutier, and Sophia Diphilpo who should all get quality playing time early. I also expect Sophomore Kaci Mollison to make a big splash early.
4. What are your hopes for the season? My only real hope is to have a full and safe season. Every day on the field is a gift for sure. From a purely competitive standpoint, I would like to win a few more games than the kids did in 2019 and get the team back in the playoffs.
5. Are there any challenging opponents that you know of? I think there will be a lot of parity in the league this year. It should be very competitive. Scarborough will be Scarborough, always a tough game. South Portland, TA, and Massabesic are all very well coached and talented as well.
6. Do you think missing out on last year’s spring season will affect this season? I think the girls are more likely to appreciate every opportunity they get this year after losing all of last year. All of the teams are in the same boat though in trying to rebuild and establish themselves.
7. Do you think team bonding will be affected with COVID? It’s going to be tough doing some team activities that we would normally do, but the chemistry on this team is great. We’ll find other ways to grow as a team.

*both tennis teams as well as the baseball team were not available at the time of publication