Basketball beckons as football finish nears

Monday marked the end of a long wait for some Maine high school student-athletes. For others, it came much too soon.

For basketball players competing in Classes B, C, and D, it was the first day of preseason – the first stop on what many hope is a road eventually winding its way to a regional, maybe even state title.

It was the opening day for all winter sports, including cheerleading, gymnastics, ice hockey, skiing, swimming, track and wrestling.

Instead of shooting foul shots that would win or lose imaginary championships in the backyard, basketball players are shooting for spots on their varsity teams.

But others, like John Beck and Cameron Giroux at Bucksport, Sazi Guthrie and Matt Darres of Belfast, Peter Baker and Alger Yanush of Old Town, or Nate Laita and Brock Hartford of Foxcroft Academy, would probably just as soon wait at least one more week.

Those players are either concentrating on preparing to play in a state championship football game or are only two days removed from playing in a conference championship game and still feeling the bumps and bruises from it.

“It hasn’t really clicked in yet that it’s basketball season.” said Cameron Giroux. “The air’s a lot heavier and it’s harder breathing. We’re used to being outside.”

It isn’t much easier on some local coaches either, as many have to juggle their duties as assistant coaches in one sport and head coaches in another the same week.

Butch Richards, the offensive coordinator on Belfast’s Class B state final-bound football team and the varsity basketball coach, is one of those coaches who has been caught betwixt and between seasons.

“Our varsity basketball season, in reality, will begin in earnest next Monday,” said Richards, who is attending football practice from 3 to 5 p.m. and basketball from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The same goes for Foxcroft Academy football coach Paul Withee, who’s handing most of his head basketball coaching duties to his assistants this week as he prepares for a second straight appearance in the Class C state game.

“This is just like last year… I think. I really don’t remember it last year. It was kind of a blur,” said Withee who, like Richards and FA football assistant-Piscataquis boys hoop coach Steve Bell, were caught last year in the same jam.

It results from the seven-year calendar and the lateness of the fall football season’s starting date.

“It’s not fair to the four teams that are still playing [in clases B and C]. They’ve either got to start the football season earlier or move the basketball season back. It’s not going to happen, but it’s the right thing to do,” said Withee, who has about a dozen football players who will be trying out for basketball.

Both Withee and Richards are strictly limiting the involvement of their football players in basketball tryouts and drills.

“Those guys can come by if they want to, but they can only sit and watch. We don’t want any of them getting hurt,” Withee said.

“Football players are limited to non-contact basketball from Monday through Thursday… and not practicing or even thinking basketball at all on Friday or Saturday,” added Richards.

Second-year Bucksport basketball coach Larry Deans gave the football players, who played Foxcroft Saturday, a couple of days off before attending hoop tryouts.

“We’re in good shape already from football so I think we can go right from one sport to another,” said Bucksport’s John Beck, one of the 10 who could have taken the day off, but just couldn’t stay away from the gym.

Beck is eager to lead Bucksport back to the Class B state title game. Beck has been on six straight postseason teams at Bucksport (baseball, basketball, and football) dating back to the 1995-96 basketball season.

After losing five players to graduation, two more (one a projected starter) to grades, and another – young phenom Bobby Carmichael – to a move to New Jersey, the Bucks are young and green.

“We still have talent, and I think our football team’s success will carry over into basketball. They all have high expectations,” said Deans.