’Cats hoping for another big year
By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
Preview
PRESQUE ISLE — The Wildcats played a quarter of their regular season during spring break, a week usually reserved for exhibition contests serving as preseason tune-ups. PI still was able to get in five such exhibitions before being thrown into the “countable” part of the schedule
Regardless, PI was competitive in those four regular season games, all played on the road. The ’Cats split a doubleheader at East Machias last Wednesday (against Washington Academy) before losing two close games at Bar Harbor Saturday (to Mount Desert Island).
Tim Olore heads into his 29th season as PI’s head coach with some genuine confidence. Despite losing five starters from last year’s team that finished No. 1 in the Eastern Maine Class B standings with a 15-1 record before being upset by Camden Hills in the quarterfinals, the Wildcats have demonstrated plenty of potential.
“The team has shown a willingness to work and learn the game,” Olore said. “We have a very nice team work ethic and attitude and all the players want to be here, and these qualities make for excellent team chemistry, which is very important to have in team sports.
“We have eight players returning from last year’s successful team and now it’s their turn to make history,” he added.
Five starters from last year graduated, including All-Aroostook players Jacob Player, Wilder York and Ryley Norton and Isaac LaJoie and Evan Waddell. “They were our team leaders and were all very good student-athletes,” Olore said.
The team is led by junior Saul Nunez, one of the team’s four captains and the ace pitcher. He teamed with Norton for a very competent 1-2 combination on the mound in 2012 and was a Penobscot Valley Conference second-team all-star. He went 6-1 with a 0.37 earned run average and was a top hitter as well with his .368 batting average. He will play third base when not pitching.
“We can compete with anyone when he is pitching,” Olore said. “He loves the game, was a major contributor to our success last year and will be counted on to pick up where he left off.”
Jonah Stephenson, Tyler Seeley and Adam Flynn are the senior captains. Stephenson will make the switch from second base to shortstop and is coming off a fine 2012 in which he hit .389 and was selected as a PVC second-team all-star. Seeley batted .339 with 17 RBIs and is a very good first baseman who can hit for power. Flynn will be a corner outfielder and occasional pitcher and is a good leader and team player.
Senior Corey Belanger will be this year’s No. 2 pitcher behind Nunez and can also play outfield and serve as a designated hitter. Ben Buckley, a sophomore, will be the primary catcher and has worked hard to gain that job. Junior Josh Gordon also possesses a great work ethic and will be the Wildcats’ second baseman. Senior Kyle Goupille returns as the starting center fielder and is an excellent defensive player.
Sophomore Andrew Patterson will be the squad’s third pitching option and can also play all over the infield. He and senior Scott Rhynold, junior Karson Wilcox, junior Frank Nunez, sophomore Cristian Nunez and freshman Kyle Rider are other team members vying for playing time.
Juniors Kaitlyn Michaud and Paige Gagnon and sophomore Aubrey Gross are the managers, while James York is back as an assistant coach.
“If we continue to improve in all phases of the game, stay healthy, stay with the fundamentals and start to hit consistently, we may be able to make a run at the playoffs,” Olore said.
