When members of the Lee Academy girls basketball team stepped on to the floor of Mallett Gym for the first day of tryouts practice today, it will have been with a much shorter layoff than normal.

Thanks to two postponements of the Class C state soccer championship, the Pandas who are on both teams will have had just 11 days in between seasons.

But this is a group of Lee players used to playing long into the postseason. So don’t expect coach Ron Weatherbee to cut anyone some slack – although he was OK with the lack of girls at open gym last week as the Pandas recovered from their 17-1 soccer season.

“I think it’s going to be business as usual,” Weatherbee said. “… I know the kids are excited to start.”

The Pandas have played in every Class D soccer, basketball and softball state championship game since the fall 2004 soccer season except for the 2006 basketball title game, with five state titles to their credit.

It’s an impressive streak -and one Lee hopes to keep alive even with a jump to Class C. Not that it made much of a difference in soccer two weeks ago as the Pandas won the Eastern Maine title and fell short in the state game, losing to North Yarmouth Academy 2-1 in double overtime.

“The expectations are high from both the coaching staff and the players,” Weatherbee said. “I think [the players are] eager to see how they’ll do after the season they had in the fall. They’re ready to accept the challenge.”

This season should be as good as any for the Pandas to play in EM Class C. Many of last year’s top squads suffered graduation losses, including 5-time defending champion Dexter.

Lee, on the other hand, brings back all five of its starters and graduated only Nikki Slevinsky, who came off the bench, from last year’s 19-3 team. In addition, the Pandas return their top substitute.

Last year’s starting five was made up of guards Amanda Gifford, Brooke Harris and Aarika Ritchie, 5-foot-9 forward Karin Bird, who scored 23 points in the state final, and 5-9 forward Dana Houghton. All five are now seniors and have been key pieces to Lee’s state titles in every sport.

Ritchie was the 2006 EM Class D MVP and Gifford, who poured in 24 points in the regional final, was a member of the all-tourney team. Bird and Harris were honorable mention. Houghton made plenty of contributions of her own, averaging 10.5 points per game in the postseason.

Top substitute Laci McLaughlin, who missed part of the 2006-07 season with a knee injury, is back in playing shape after starting for the soccer team.

One unknown is Heidi Sappier, a transfer from Woodland High whom Weatherbee said was planning to report to practice Monday. Sappier, a junior who would likely play a forward position should she end up on the team, did not play basketball for the Dragons last winter but was the starting left wing for the Lee soccer team this fall.

With essentially the same team back, Weatherbee didn’t make many changes. The Pandas played in the Bangor High summer league for the fourth straight year, where they tested themselves against everyone from Class A Bangor to Class D Bangor Christian, with teams from Classes B and C in between.

Weatherbee liked the fire his team showed, even in the much more laid-back summer atmosphere where teams didn’t always have all their players.

“I think they’ll be competitive regardless of who they play,” Weatherbee said. “They seem to play really well together, no matter who was there for us.”

The Pandas also played home and away games against Schenck of East Millinocket and Stearns of Millinocket.

Lee’s schedule has gotten tougher with the move to Class C.

The Pandas have dropped Greenville, Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook and Washington Academy of East Machias. They’ve picked up neighboring Mattanawcook of Lincoln, which advanced to the Eastern Maine Class B semifinals last season, along with Class C Houlton.

The Shiretowners, along with Fort Kent and George Stevens of Blue Hill, are among the teams that do return several key players.

“Class C is always competitive,” Weatherbee said. “Even when I was coaching the boys [at Mattanawcook Academy] in Lincoln and we were Class C, it was very competitive. But the girls are ready for it.”

Dirigo, Portland get new coaches

Two of the most successful girls basketball programs in the state will have new coaches this winter.

Reggie Weston will take over at Dirigo of Dixfield, replacing Gavin Kane who led the Cougars to six Class C state championships and 11 Western Maine crowns in his 13 seasons. Jan Veinot, who coached the Waynflete of Portland girls, takes over for longtime coach Ed Feeney at Portland High.

Weston previously coached the school’s boys junior varsity team and has also coached AAU basketball. His daughters, Brooke and Sheena, both played on state championship teams under Kane.

Kane is school’s boys head coach. He served in both roles last winter.

Veinot, who was at Waynflete for eight seasons, led the Flyers to the Class D state championship in 2003. Waynflete went 18-1 last fall in its second season as a Class C program.

Feeney, who resigned last month, coached the Bulldogs for 28 years. He won Class A state titles in 1984, 1985 and 1988 and eight more Western Maine titles, including four straight from 1989 to 1992. His Portland teams came up against Cindy Blodgett’s Lawrence of Fairfield squads in 1992 and 1994.

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.

Calendar

KEY DATES

Monday, Nov. 19 – First day of tryouts and practices for winter sports teams

Friday, Dec. 7 – First countable games and matches can be held after 3 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 8 – Last countable regular-season game day for basketball

Friday, Feb. 15 – Eastern and Western Maine basketball tournaments begin

Friday, Feb. 29 – Class B Basketball State Championships, at Bangor

Saturday, March 1 – Class A Basketball State Championships, at Portland; Class C and D State Championships, at Augusta