Vikings setting sail for another championship run

SEARSPORT – The Searsport Vikings have struggled in boys soccer and basketball during the current school year.

In fact, they haven’t won a game in 32 tries.

But don’t expect a similar outcome when the school’s varsity baseball team begins play later this month.

Searsport reigns as the two-time defending Eastern Maine Class C champion, and is in search of its fifth straight trip to the regional final.

It’s a far cry from the Vikings’ travails on the other major fields of play.

“It’s frustrating, but we just put it behind us when it comes to baseball,” said senior righthander Nate Adams, who also plays basketball and golf for the Vikings.

The boys’ athletic program at Searsport is not without other success stories – the Vikings are the Penobscot Valley Conference Class C golf champions – but it is the baseball program that has been a constant under fifth-year coach Dave Pepin.

“Coach really pushes us in baseball,” said senior pitcher-infielder Tom Cameron. “He expects a lot from us and we usually give it to him, I guess.”

Pepin, also the boys varsity basketball coach at Hermon, has guided Searsport to a 61-18 record over four years, 12-3 in postseason play.

“Their first love is baseball, that’s the big passion here,” said Pepin. “We have good feeder systems. They have three Little Leagues that are very competitive between Frankfort, Searsport and Stockton Springs, so I think baseball’s the No. 1 love with these kids right from the start.”

The Vikings won their first state title in 31 years in 2006, then fell to St. Dominic of Auburn 7-3 in last year’s 10-ining state final.

Searsport, 15-5 last spring, graduated the left side of its infield and its 3-4 hitters in shortstop Caleb Ashey and third baseman Josh Nickerson.

“Those are pretty big shoes to fill because they both played fantastic,” said senior pitcher-catcher Casey Ashey. “Caleb and Josh were big bats in our lineup, so we’re going to have to come up with some extra hitting this year.”

Virtually all of the Vikings’ pitching staff is back, a staff that pitched 26 straight scoreless innings during the playoffs until St. Dominic scored in the sixth inning of the state final.

Adams is the ace after going 6-1 last spring, highlighted by a no-hitter against George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill in the Eastern C final. Adams, whose fastball was clocked at 86 mph last year, pitched 13 scoreless innings during postseason play but may be even stronger this spring, Pepin said.

“He’s going to get the ball in the big games,” said Pepin, “and I think he’s going to be tough to put a big inning against because he has the ability to punch people out.”

Cameron (5-1) and Ashey (2-1) also have big-game pitching experience.

“All three senior pitchers have worked in a state championship game, and that’s huge,” said Pepin.

Those three seniors also figure prominently in a Searsport offense led by Cameron, who has four walk-off game-winning hits in the last two years.

And the team collectively became more dedicated to its off-season weight-training workouts since last season.

“We’ve been there before, and we’re working hard to get there again,” said Ashey. “One of our goals during the off-season when we were working out was that we have to work harder than any other team out there. That’s something that Pepin tells us every day and we live by that.”

Searsport’s schedule will change this year, with Class B Bucksport and Central of Corinth replaced by Class C rivals Dexter and Washington Academy of East Machias.

The Vikings will be tested by those new teams, as well as the likes of George Stevens and defending Class D state champion Deer Isle-Stonington.

They hope such challenges will prepare them for another run deep into postseason play.

“We have specific goals,” said Ashey, one of seven seniors on the roster. “The first goal is to get a 1 or 2 seed through the playoffs, to get to the Eastern Maine championship, to win the Eastern Maine championship, and to win the state championship. That’s our four goals for the season.”

eclark@bangordailynews.net

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