Witches are young, but eager to contend again

BREWER – The 2005 season ended with the Brewer Witches bringing home the Class B state championship trophy, the ultimate prize for a dominating late-season run that concluded with a 33-0 blitzing of York in the title game.

But much has changed since Brewer captured its first state title since 1970. Graduation losses were heavy, led by 1,000-yard rushers Ricky Porter, Zach Wilson and Ben Caldwell. Head coach Ed Ortego resigned to move back to his native Louisiana to be with his family.

But the afterglow of that magical championship season remains.

“We definitely have a lot of momentum from last year,” said senior quarterback Rick Adams. “We’re used to winning and we know how to win, and now we want to keep it going. But this is a new year, everything starts fresh.”

And with that comes a different status for this year’s team. Instead of merely hoping to challenge the Winslows and Belfasts that have dominated the Pine Tree Conference Class B ranks for more than a decade, the Witches are now the focus of an added level of opposition attention.

“We definitely have to step it up,” said senior lineman Devin Fitzpatrick. “We have a bulls-eye on our back, and other teams want to get us, so we have to be ready because everyone wants to beat a state champion.”

Brewer returns a familiar face to the sidelines in head coach Don Farnham, who also coached the Witches from 1993 to 1997.

During his earlier tenure, Farnham made an additional contribution to the long-term welfare of Brewer’s football program by helping to start a local youth program that has grown to play a key role in developing today’s varsity Witches, including the players that keyed last year’s 10-2 season as well as those who return this fall in an effort to return Brewer to the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.

“The youth program certainly has helped, because the kids are learning the basics at a much younger age than when I coached here before seven years ago,” said Farnham.

That will be an important factor this fall, as nearly half of the Witches’ 52 varsity and junior varsity players are sophomores. That group will be integrated with 12 returning seniors and 11 returning juniors.

“The young guys have some great skills and good potential, but right now they are playing like sophomores,” said Farnham. “Hopefully they will play a lot better a few weeks from now than they are right now.”

There is a corps of veterans poised to guide the youngsters. Adams, who took a considerable number of snaps last fall when Porter shifted to wingback, is now the full-time starting signalcaller for the Witches.

Classmate James Butts steps in as the starting fullback, while Ryan Babin will be a top receiving threat at tight end for the third straight year. Fitzpatrick will anchor both sides of the line of scrimmage, while Babin at end, linebackers Butts and junior Tim Bush and Adams and juniors Tristen Oldmixon and Bobby Coombs in the secondary will help key the Brewer defense.

“We do have a lot of guys who got good experience last year, even though they may not have started,” Farnham said.

Farnham expects to mix his own coaching philosophies with those that served the Witches well under Ortego.

“I’ll put some of my own footprint on the offense,” he said, “but the philosophy will be pretty much the same.”

Farnham said one of the big changes he’s seen in the Brewer program at the varsity level since his last stint on the sidelines has little to do with what plays are run.

“Confidence is the big thing,” he said. “The program has continued to get better over the years, and last year showed the kids they can beat anyone they match up with. So much of football is mental, and I think last year lifted a mental elephant off their backs.”

Gardiner, Winslow, Belfast and Waterville loom as popular preseason picks to contend for top honors in the PTC Class B ranks this year.

But Brewer, which rebounded from a tough 21-0 loss at home to Winslow during Week 7 last fall to conclude the season with five straight wins, now knows it belongs in that same conversation.

“As long as we leave everything on the field and get better every game, we’ll be all right,” said senior lineman Anthony Ngo.

BREWER WITCHES

2005 results: 10-2, Class B state champions

Head coach: Don Farnham, first year

Key players: Rick Adams, QB-CB, Sr.; Ryan Babin, TE-DE, Sr.; James Butts, FB-LB, Sr.; Devin Fitzpatrick, OL-DL, Sr.; Anthony Ngo, OL-DL, Sr.; Matt Wilson, OL-DL, Sr.; Tim Bush, LB, Jr.; Tristen Oldmixon, WB-FS, Jr.; Bobby Coombs, WR-CB, Jr.

Outlook: Brewer’s returning players have the confidence of being part of last year’s state championship expectations, and they will be charged with spreading those good vibrations to a large and talented sophomore class. Adams will provide steady leadership from the quarterback position, while Fitzpatrick will play a similar role along the line of scrimmage. But the Witches’ ultimate playoff fate likely will be determined by how quickly its depth develops.