Valley High School spring sports previews
SOFTBALL
Coach: Robin Lindeman (3rd season)
Last season: 5-8, Western D quarterfinals
Top returners: SS/3B Jessica Brown (Sr.), 1B Allyssa Vitalone (Sr.), 2B Hannah Belanger (Jr.), P/CF Torie Costello (Jr.), P Kassandra Gilbert (Jr.), C Maria Leathers (Jr.), UT Katie Blanchard (So.), OF Shannon Rich (So.), C Cindy Schultz (So.), LF Whitney Vincent (So.)
Key newcomers: OF Ashley Hines (So.), UT Jennifer Hovey (Fr.)
Outlook: The Cavaliers appear to be strong enough to again earn one of the playoff spots in Western D. Valley has a strong offense led by Brown, Schultz and Belanger. Lindeman said Costello and Gilbert will split time on the mound. Although they have only two seniors, the Cavaliers have 10 players who were with the team last spring.
Coach's comment: "We lost one senior who saw any playing time, so we're really a more experienced version of the same team."
Girls track
Coach: Ken Nadeau
Last season: 24th at Class C meet
Top returners: Jocelyn Laweryson (Soph., distance), Hannah Belanger (Jr., sprints, jumps)
Key newcomers: Jen Hovey (Fr., sprints), Shannon Rich (Soph., distance)
Outlook: Laweryson is coming off a highly successful season, which culminated with a fourth-place finish in the 3,200 at the Class C state meet. Belanger also qualified for two events long jump, 100 meters at the state meet as well.
Coach's comment: "If all the girls stay heathy we should be fairly competitive. They brought home quite a few points. We're never a top team because we are a small school, but we're competitive for what we have."
Boys track
Coach: Ken Nadeau
Top returners: Cameron Miller (Jr., jumps, sprints), Julian Smedberg (Jr., throws), Chris Beane (Jr., throws)
Key newcomers: Josh Beane (So., throws)
Outlook: Nadeau expects another strong season from Miller, the lone Valley representative at the Class C state meet last spring. Miller finished ninth in the high jump and 15h in the long jump at the state meet last season.
Coach's comment: "We should do fairly well. Cameron usually does pretty well. I have high aspirations for him. He's one of my better athletes."
Baseball
Coach: Caleb Morin (1st season)
Last season: 3-9 in Western D
Top returners: Zack Mathieu (Sr., 1B-P), Jonathan Hunnewell (Sr., P-C), Travis Rich (Sr., C), Tyler Pinkham (So., 3B-SS), Moe Schultz (Sr., 2B)
Key newcomers: Julian Jackson (So., C) Caleb Wade (Fr., SS-P), Brian Messer (Fr., IF-OF), Doug Brown (Fr., IF-OF), Matt Hunnewell (Fr., IF-OF)
Outlook: There's not much depth on first-year coach Morin's roster. Jonathan Hunnewell and Mathieu are the Cavaliers' top returning pitchers. With a few more wins, Valley could qualify for the Western Maine Class D tournament.
Coach's comment: "We want to come away with a better record than last (season). We'll build on the positives."
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