How do you top an undefeated season and state championship?

You don’t. You just try to repeat. And that’s exactly what’s on the minds of the Foxcroft Academy football players.

“We’ve told the freshmen that anything less than going back to the state game is a disappointment,” said Andrew Pomeroy, a senior who will start at fullback and linebacker this fall.

“We want to repeat,” he added. “No Foxcroft team has ever done that.”

It won’t be easy, as the Ponies lost seniors from both sides of the ball, but in a wide-open LTC, Foxcroft is among the early favorites.

First off, Foxcroft needs to replace Josh Withee, who started at quarterback for three years. It’ll come down to juniors Shayne Croan and Logan Forrest – two players with different styles. Forrest is a 5-foot-9 lefty who has been playing the position since he was in fifth grade; Croan was an athletic 6-3 wide receiver last year who has been converted to QB.

Paul Withee, Josh’s father, said both quarterbacks will get playing time all preseason so the coaching staff can name a starter for the opener against Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield.

But as Withee says, it might not matter who hands off the ball – as long as it ends up in the hands of Bobby Gilbert. The former Greenville High soccer player turned Foxcroft football standout rushed for more than 1,000 yards last year and will be the focal point again this year.

“We’ll be a run-oriented team,” Withee said. “As long as they know which direction to hand the ball off to Bobby, they’re gonna be OK.”

Gilbert, who attended camps at Ohio State and Boston College this summer and is known to be a dedicated weightlifter, said he knows the pressure’s on the whole team.

“I know I have to step my game up, but the fact is people don’t know what [the other players] can do,” he said. “We’ve got players that nobody has seen. It’s just going to take us a couple of games to get into it. We just don’t have the experience, so it’s going to take us some time.”

Senior Jessie Lewis will back up Gilbert, and junior Jacob Devers, a transfer from New York, has been converted from tight end to running back to help out in that position. James McPhee, an offensive lineman last year, will rotate with Pomeroy at fullback.

“Those guys can do some damage,” Gilbert said.

The Ponies will be huge up front, both on offense and defense. So the coaching staff has decided to go with a 5-3 alignment instead of the 4-4 of previous seasons.

“We want to take advantage of our size,” said senior Kris Preble, who at 6-2, 260 pounds is one of those big guys.

Frank Tibbetts is 6-2, 300. Robbie Blackburn is 6-2, 290. Josh Pelletier is 6-3, 235.

Center Randy Briggs (5-9, 180) is by far the smallest of the linemen, but Withee likes his experience. Briggs and Preble are both three-year starters.

Briggs, Pomeroy, and Gilbert will start at the linebacker positions. Withee will likely start Croan, Speed, and Lewis in the defensive backfield.

“We’re going to play defensive football, use field position, those types of things, and take advantage when hopefully we can create a turnover,” Withee said.

FOXCROFT PONIES

2003 results: 12-0, won Class C state title

Head coach: Paul Withee, 15th year

Key players: Bobby Gilbert, HB-CB, Sr.; Andrew Pomeroy, FB-LB, Sr.; Randy Briggs, C-DL, Sr.; Kris Preble, OT-DT, Sr.; Jesse Lewis, HB-DB, Sr.; Dan Speed, WR-DB, Sr.; Shayne Croan, QB-DB, Jr.; James McPhee, FB-DE, Jr.; Frank Tibbetts, OT-DT, Jr.; Robbie Blackburn, OL-DL, Jr.; Josh Pelletier, OG-DE, Jr.

Outlook: There are two injury-related kinks for the Ponies this year: Gilbert is dealing with a slight shoulder injury which should be resolved by a recently ordered shoulder harness. And WR-DB Matt Carey, who Withee said was having a fine preseason, suffered a season-ending fractured tibia in a preseason scrimmage against Brewer.