Dubois only senior to lead squad
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
DYER BROOK — The youth movement is afoot for the Southern Aroostook Community School softball squad. With only one senior on his roster, seventh-year varsity coach Rob Betschner will be relying on his underclassmen to carry the load when the Warriors hit the field this spring.
Numbers are a concern for Betschner, as they are with many softball coaches this year. The Warriors have one senior, three juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen on the team.
The SACS roster includes senior Desirae Dubois; juniors Sable Altvater, Mataya Hartin and Cheyenne Dawes; sophomores Shanna Porter, Kennedy Smith, Jess Nye, Shayden Lewis and Katie Prescott; and freshmen Renee Faulkner and Georgeina Altmannsberger.
The good news is, of the 11 on the Warrior roster, many saw significant varsity playing time a year ago.
Pitching depth is another plus for SACS as Dubois, Smith and Prescott have the capability of shutting down opposing batters. The trio will share time inside the pitching circle. Coach Betschner said none of the other positions were guarantees at this point of the preseason.
“I told the girls that they will have to play wherever it’s best for the team,” he said. “They will all have to play a number of different positions.”
SACS lost several key players from last year’s team. Graduated players include Kaitlyn Sommers, Jessica Charest, Jillian Diaferio and Olivia Raymond.
“We are definitely very young,” Betschner said. “It’s tough with low numbers, but I am really pleased with what I have seen so far. The girls seem really focused and they are just a really good group of kids.”
Skill wise, coach Betschner said he has seen great improvements from where his returning players were last year to this year, which could bode well for a successful season.
SACS was slated to open the season on Tuesday at Hodgdon.
