On the courts, fields, track and on the water, the regional high school spring sports teams are getting ready for their season openers this weekend. Ten sports will be represented this season, including boys and girls lacrosse, tennis, track and sailing, and boys baseball and girls softball.
As per usual, early practices featured a mix of New England spring weather, from cold to very cold.
Athletic director Mark McCarthy noted that this is typical and can be a positive for pre-season training.
“Actually having spring weather for spring sports is helpful,” he said. “I think we’ve had a good start.”
Some teams have experienced a rebound in participation, while others, like softball, will have to look to the middle schools to beef up the ranks.
Girls lacrosse coach Jo Douglass expressed excitement for the coming season.
“We have a much bigger team than we did last year,” she said.
Coach Douglass said the team has brought on 15 new players, with 20 returners. Last year, the team had just 22 players.
“There’s really great depth and good experience in the new players,” she said.
The team opens with an away game on April 11 against Lexington. Boys lacrosse opens its season with a home game on April 5 at 4 p.m. against Barnstable.
The baseball team will also be able to rely on a number of returning veterans, assistant coach Olsen Houghton said.
Coach Houghton said many the players have experience on the field together dating back years, and he hopes the team can make a bid for the state tournament like it did two years ago.
“Hoping to do it again,” he said.
The team opens with a home game on April 4 against Dennis-Yarmouth. First pitch is 3:15 p.m. Girls softball opens with an away game on April 5 against Bishop-Connolly.
A new coach will lead the boys tennis team, after the death of last year’s coach, Kevin Lewis. First-year coach Jonathan Bates will be working to rebuild the squad after graduating a number of key seniors last year. With seven freshmen on a 12-man team, he said the focus is on developing the team’s new talent.
“They’re playing hard, working hard,” Coach Bates said. “Most of them play pretty much year-round.”
The team opens its season with an away match on April 13 against Falmouth.
New players will also be key factor on the girls tennis team. Head coach Bill Rigali said he has confidence in the incoming players, especially with a number of experienced players returning to round the team out.
“We have six players back,” Coach Rigali said.
The team opens with a home match on April 2 at 12:30 p.m. against Lowell Catholic.
The high school track teams will be coached this season by assistant coach Don Brown. Head coach Joe Schroeder, who was named
cross country coach of the year by the Boston Globe in 2019 and 2020, said he was not coaching for personal reasons.
“It’s personal and I hope to be back soon,” Mr. Schroeder said.
Coach Brown said he is dealing with a pandemic setback in terms of experience after no freshmen joined the track program last year.
“I have two groups,” he said. “I have rookies and seniors.”
But he is already looking to the upcoming season with a sense of optimism, he said.
“We always do a lot with a little,” he said.
The track teams opened their season on March 31 with a home meet against Barnstable. Next up is Sturgis at home on April 6 at 4 p.m.
For complete spring sports schedules, visit arbiterlive.com.
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