Rams’ seniors eyeing return to state final

BANGOR – Ian Edwards, Kyle Vanidestine and Shane Walton are developing quite a baseball legacy at Bangor High School.

As sophomores, they started on a state championship team. As juniors last spring, they helped extend the program’s winning streak to 30 games en route to a second straight Eastern Maine Class A title.

But the season ended on a downer – an 11-4 loss to Deering of Portland in the state final – a fact that adds to their motivation level as the trio prepares for their senior seasons.

“Right after that [Deering] game we were saying ‘next year,'” said Edwards. “It was hard to say it around the seniors, but with our class and the then-sophomore class that’s the first thing we said, that we’ve got to get back to that game next year and prove them wrong.”

The Rams, 19-1 last year and 37-3 over the last two seasons, suffered some significant graduation losses, as catcher Gordon Webb, outfielder Tom Crews and pitcher-first baseman Alex Gallant are all playing collegiately this spring.

“Tom and Gordy and Alex had such great offensive years that they’re going to be tough to replace,” said Rams coach Jeff Fahey.

Edwards, Vanidestine and Walton – all first-team All-Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A North choices last spring – should fill the leadership void, and will team with junior outfielder Ryan Larochelle, a second-team All-KVAC choice, to provide much of the offensive punch.

Bangor also returns middle infielders John Cox and Chad Kelley, as well as veterans Tyler McDade and Tyler Brookings.

“Ian, Shane and Kyle have been big members of the team for three years, but other guys like myself need to step up this year,” said Cox, a senior shortstop.

“Last year we had a ton of depth, even with the kids who weren’t playing much. But everyone’s going to have to step up this year, and I think we have some players who will surprise people.”

Bangor returns its top two pitchers in 2007 KVAC Class A North player of the year Edwards (7-1 with four shutouts) and junior Jordan Clarke (8-0).

They’ll be joined by junior lefthander Zane Gray as well as some promising pitchers up from the junior varsity as the Rams seek to eliminate a lack of pitching depth that caught up with the team in last year’s state final.

“We’re not going to make the same mistake we made last year where we kind of hoped Alex would be back for the playoffs,” said Fahey. “He was close, and we thought he was going to be able to go and then he wasn’t and we really kind of hung ourselves when we didn’t have that No. 3 guy.”

That pitching depth will be tested during a regular season that features a slightly revised schedule. Former foes Old Town and Erskine Academy of South China have dropped to Class B, and Bangor will have three new opponents in Cony of Augusta, Mt. Blue of Farmington and Brunswick.

“Overall I think this is probably the most competitive league Bangor’s ever been in, even going back 25 years,” said Fahey, who brings a 106-24 record into his eighth season as the Rams’ coach.

While Bangor may not have quite as many lopsided victories this season as it did a year ago when 10 of its wins came via the 10-run rule, the Rams are optimistic that they will remain among the top contenders to return to the state final.

“We’d like to finish strong this year and get another title,” said Vanidestine, who may move to center field after playing right the last two seasons. “I know a lot of people are thinking we’re not the team we were last year. We definitely lost some good players, but we’ve got some underclassmen coming up who if they step up will be pretty good.”

“Senior year, I think we’re just looking to give it our best shot,” added the University of Maine-bound Walton. “Obviously we want to get back to the last game and come out on top, but we’re just going to take it one game at a time, really, and do what we can and see how it goes.”

Where the Rams hope their season will go is where it went each of the last two years – to the final game.

“I’m just looking forward to another good season,” said Edwards, who will play football and baseball at Bowdoin College in Brunswick next year. “We’ve had two great seasons, and I’m just looking for the same this year.

“I want to go out on top, as they say, and hopefully with this group we can do it.”

eclark@bangordailynews.net

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