Windjammers set sail for first season Varsity status revs up Camden Hills

Camden Hills High School will make its varsity hockey debut Saturday at 7 p.m. when the Windjammers entertain John Bapst of Bangor at the six-year-old Midcoast Recreation Center in Rockport.

Tonight marks the start of countable games in high school hockey.

“We’re very excited to start this new program down here,” said Camden Hills Athletic Director Bill Hughes. “The school is energized by it and the student-athletes are very excited about having an opportunity to compete in this sport.”

The majority of the program will be funded by the hockey boosters club, according to Hughes.

“They will provide the uniforms, the ice time, and the officials. The school will provide the coaching stipends and the transportation,” said Hughes.

He said the boosters won’t have any say over coaching appointments or athletic policy, “but we welcome their input.”

The Windjammers had a club hockey team the previous two years and had 28 try out for the team, according to coach Bob Zontini.

There are six seniors among the 20 players who earned roster spots.

Zontini was elated with the numbers and said he wished they had a JV program.

“Things are going pretty well. We’re really working hard to try to be competitive in each and every game. That’s pretty much our goal,” said Zontini.

“It’s definitely a growing program which is really good to see. We’ve got a great feeder system,” said Zontini. “Now that we have a varsity program, the kids [in the youth program] will have something to look forward to.”

The Windjammers will compete in Western Maine Class B.

“[The MPA] explained to me that they wanted to even out the number of [Class B] teams in the state. There are a lot of Eastern Maine B teams,” said Hughes. “It’ll be a little more travel for us, but we’re just happy to be a varsity sport.”

Zontini said his team has players from all five towns that feed Camden Hills High: Camden, Rockport, Hope, Lincolnville, and Appleton.

And he has liked what he has seen from his team so far. That included a 5-2 exhibition loss to Kennebunk.

“If we get solid goaltending and can mount a good offensive attack, we could win more games than we lose. We don’t know anything about the teams we’re going to be playing, so we’re just going to take it one game at a time,” said Zontini.

“We want to be a team that gives the same effort from the first period through the third. We have hard-working kids. Hard work is our motto,” said Zontini.

The Windjammers will be led by senior defenseman Miles Davee.

“He’s a great athlete,” said Zontini.

Senior winger Calen Erskine and senior defenseman Casey O’Hara will be “high energy” players.

Senior center Anthony Zontini, Bob’s son, is a tireless worker.

“What he lacks in talent he makes up for with hard work,” said the coach.

Freshman defenseman Zac Dufour headlines the list of underclassmen on the roster.

Nate Ayotte, the starting goalie off last year’s 18-2 club team, has graduated, though.

So junior Dylan White and Bob’s son Jake, a freshman, will handle the goaltending chores.

“Hopefully, they’ll push each other,” said Zontini.