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CALAIS – The standards set by the Calais boys basketball team couldn’t be higher.
After all, the Blue Devils have won 44 consecutive games, a run that has included back-to-back undefeated seasons and the 2006 and 2007 Class C state championships.
“It’s been a lot of fun, going out there and working hard,” said Calais junior forward Cal Shorey this week as the Blue Devils were waiting to host Class B contender Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln in a preseason game. “Winning championships is always fun. It’s a lot of pressure, too, going out there every night and performing.”
But as Calais prepares for a new season, the thought permeating the program is that the Blue Devils aren’t defending anything. What’s won is won, and what’s to be achieved this winter depends not as much on reputation as it does on preparation and performance.
“I feel like we’re starting the same as everyone else, 0-0,” said fourth-year head coach Ed Leeman. “We’ve got some new faces that are going to fill bigger roles, and we want those kids to play without a harness on them and not feel like that they’re defending anything. We’re playing for the same thing everyone else is, and that’s where we’re at right now.”
Calais will sport a slightly different look this season, in that one of the primary catalysts in its last two championship runs, All-Maine swingman Brandon Tomah, is now refining his game on the postgraduate level at Lee Academy.
Other graduation losses from the 2007 gold-ball edition include key contributors Chris Taylor, Robbie Rogers and Chris Stewart.
“We have some returning players who are going to fill their same roles, but we’ll also need those players to step up a little more,” said Leeman. “Losing Brandon and Robbie and Chris, not only do we lose a lot of scoring punch, but with Brandon and Robbie we lose some of that intensity on the defensive end, and I think that’s a void we’re looking to fill.”
Several key veterans are back as Calais bids to become the first Class C boys team to win three consecutive state championships since Falmouth accomplished the feat in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
Senior guard Sam Bell leads a backcourt contingent that also includes junior defensive stopper Jordan Leeman and senior Nathan O’Neill, who along with Bell are the team captains. Sean Cavanaugh, a junior swingman, is another valuable perimeter player.
Cal Shorey, a 6-4 junior, and 6-3 senior Rod Tirrell are returning starters in the frontcourt, with 6-3 Cam Shorey – one of the more highly touted freshmen in the region – and 6-5 Caleb Blake providing additional size and strength.
“We’re still going to push the ball, but if we do get in a halfcourt set we’ll probably look to go inside more,” said Bell. “Mr. Leeman is still going to let us push the ball and play pretty freely, but he may call sets more often to get it inside.”
Calais expects plenty of competition as it attempts to return to the top of the Eastern C basketball world from the likes of Down East rival Washington Academy of East Machias, Houlton, George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill, Orono, and Schenck of East Millinocket and Lee Academy, both up from the Class D ranks.
“We lost some key players, obviously, when you’re talking about 60 percent of your offense or maybe more, so it’s going to be an interesting year,” said Leeman, whose team opens at Lee on Dec. 7. “We’re not going to take a back seat to anybody, but every night we step on the floor we’re going to respect our opponent and hopefully be ready to go.”
And whether every night they step on the floor produces an addition to their winning streak or not, that’s not the primary goal for these Blue Devils.
“We just have to go out there every night and try to do our thing,” said Cal Shorey. “We may not win all our games this season, but we’re really playing for a championship, not an undefeated season.”
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