EM B boys’ squads look to end KVAC dominance

Bragging rights in Class B schoolboy basketball knows only one home at present: the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference.

In Camden Hills of Rockport (2001, 2002), Winslow (2003) and Erskine Academy of South China (2004), the KVAC has won the last four state championships. Some of that success may be attributed to the depth of talented teams in the conference, depth that tests the elite programs during the regular season in preparation for tournament time.

“It’s been a strong league,” said Camden Hills coach Jeff Hart. “It should be strong this year. We’ve probably got as much coming back as anybody. Erskine should be solid, they’re coming off a state championship and there’s something that comes with having done that, and Winslow’s knocked us out the last two years.”

Erskine graduated two-time KVAC player of the year Matt Donar, but coach Tim Bonsant’s club returns 6-3 senior guard Darrell Haskell and 6-4 senior forward Josh Jones as the Eagles seek to defend the school’s first state title.

Camden Hills graduated seven seniors from the 2004 team that defeated Erskine in two of three meetings, but because 23rd-year head coach Jeff Hart routinely uses 10 to 12 players in a game, the Windjammers return a veteran club.

In 6-2 senior forward Tim Stammen, 6-3 senior point guard Jamey Davis and 6-4 senior Nick Tedford, Camden Hills has the versatility to create considerable matchup problems for opposing teams.

“Those three guys can play inside or outside, and that’s going to be a key to our success,” said Hart.

Senior guard Will Horn and 6-2 junior Cameron Puls round out the starting lineup on a roster that also includes four sophomores and one freshman.

“This is as diverse and versatile a group as I’ve had in a while,” said Hart. “We’ve got some guys who have played together for a long time.”

Winslow also figures to be in the KVAC mix, led by 6-3 senior Eric Lopez, considered one of the top guards in the state. Mount View of Thorndike, which finished one spot out of the preliminary round in 2004, has a new head coach in former Messalonskee of Oakland mentor Jim Pettis.

But depth this season may reside in the Big East Class B ranks, where Foxcroft Academy, Ellsworth, Presque Isle, Fort Kent and Mount Desert Island all are considered among the top tournament threats.

Foxcroft, 33-3 during the last two regular seasons with a pair of Eastern B semifinal berths, boasts three 2004 All-Big East B first-team players in seniors Matt Carey, Bobby Gilbert and Kyle Rideout, a transfer from Presque Isle.

Foxcroft also may be one of the deeper teams in the region despite just a 10-player roster thanks to junior forward Shayne Croan and senior guards James Tirrell, Jason Cynewski and Josh Prescott, the latter two transfer students.

“We’ve got pretty high expectations, and the kids have probably set them higher than I have,” said FA coach David Carey. “We’ve got some pretty good pieces, its just going to take time to put them all together. It’s not like a seasoned team that’s been together for three or four years, it’s still a work in progress.”

Ellsworth features the 1-2 punch of 6-4 junior forward Andy Tracy and sophomore guard Corey Dewitt, along with senior forward Andy Berry, junior forward Anthony Britt and sophomore point guard Demitrios Katsiaficas.

“That’s a solid starting five, without question,” said Eagles coach Dan Clifford.

Presque Isle lost Rideout but returns its other four starters. The Wildcats are led by 6-5 junior Greg Whitaker, 6-6 Matt Fowler and guards Chris Carlin and Matt McGlinn, and also have a promising freshman in 6-2 Adam Kingsbury.

“Greg’s a tough matchup because he’s 6-5, he’s the quickest guy on our team, and he’s put on 15 pounds of muscle,” said PI coach Tim Prescott. “One big difference this year is that all the guys have really worked hard to get stronger.”

Fort Kent earned a trip to the Eastern B preliminary round last year, and the Warriors now hope to earn their first trip to the Bangor Auditorium since 1996.

There’s reason for optimism. Eleven players return, including a 10-senior contingent led by 6-6 center Mitch Ouellet. Guards Tom Bard and Pat Caron, swingman Carson Hartman and 6-3 forward Seth Rivera round out the all-senior starting lineup.

“We want to get to Bangor and play at the auditorium, that’s our nuts-and-bolts goal,” said FK coach Tim Farrar.

Another County team that should be improved is Caribou, which suffered through the growing pains of youth last year but now boasts a year of additional experience under coach Chris Casavant.

MDI will be relatively young this winter, but it’s talented youth coach Wilton Jones hopes to mold into a team capable of returning to postseason play. Three seniors, Andy Pooler, Matt Grover and Kyle Staples, will be counted on for leadership, while 6-4 Robin Daley provides both perimeter shooting and low-post play.

How well the Trojans fare may depend on how soon sophomore point guard Nick Swanson can return from a stress fracture suffered during cross country season.

“I feel like we shoot the ball better than we have the last two or three years,” said Jones. “Our skill level is pretty good, and we have a lot of guys who can shoot pretty effectively.”

Hermon, which reached the Eastern B final last year, suffered heavy graduation losses, but return three frontcourt players in Ben Adams, Chris Harding and Tyler Deabay. Juniors Ryan Tarr and Mike Pellerin represent a promising guard tandem.

“The kids got a real good taste of playing on the auditorium floor last year, all the way to the Eastern Maine final,” said Hawks coach Alan Tweedie. “You’re not going to convince any of these kids that they can’t do the same thing.”