Were we in a helicopter when we snapped this picture? Nope, just teetering on the top row of the massive bleachers at the football field. Memorial Field on South Fruit Street is probably the city’s biggest sports complex, complete with the aforementioned football field (home of the Crimson Tide and Bishop Brady Giants), multiple basketball courts and tennis courts, as well as several softball fields, the Doane Diamond baseball field, a track and a covered picnic area. There are also trails to walk on, or to cross country ski on during the winter.
Were we in a helicopter when we snapped this picture? Nope, just teetering on the top row of the massive bleachers at the football field. Memorial Field on South Fruit Street is probably the city’s biggest sports complex, complete with the aforementioned football field (home of the Crimson Tide and Bishop Brady Giants), multiple basketball courts and tennis courts, as well as several softball fields, the Doane Diamond baseball field, a track and a covered picnic area. There are also trails to walk on, or to cross country ski on during the winter.

Bishop Brady

Division: II

Coach: Christopher Parent (1st year)

Last year: 4-10, did not make tournament

Returning starters: Ethan Jalbert, jr.; Harry Zha, soph.

Top newcomers: Carl Avrill, jr.; David Wei, soph.; Matthew Daley, fr.

Outlook: The Green Giants lost four of the top six from last year’s team and Rick Skarinka stepped down as head coach after six years on the job. But Parent, who was an assistant last year, is impressed with the work Avrill and Wei have put in over the offseason and has a pair of returners in Jalbert and Zha. Skarinka is confident that Daley can adapt to high school tennis. There’s also a group of four battling for the No. 6 spot, so Brady has some depth on its side.

Teams to beat: Portsmouth, Kennett, Lebanon

Coe-Brown

Division: II

Coach: Sam Struthers (16th year)

Last year: 11-4, reached quarterfinals

Returning starters: Gareth Owen, sr.; Nathan Griffiths, sr.; Nick Sanderson, jr.

Top newcomers: Todd Holman, so.; Hunter Olofson, jr.; Andrew Pease, sr.; Donovan Corless, sr.; Scott Ireland, fr.; Don MacCallum, sr.; Mason Lebello, so.; Luke Wiggin, fr.; Matt Vachon, fr.

Outlook: Coe-Brown will look to its seniors to for leadership with a handful of younger players on the squad. With only three returning starters, the Bears will need some of those newcomers to step up quickly if they want to make it back to the tournament this season.

Teams to beat: Portsmouth, Lebanon

Bow

Division: III

Coach: Drew Groves (10th year)

Last year: 13-2, reached quarterfinals

Returning starters: Brayden Binder, jr.; Evan Alfano, sr.; Mike Mullen, sr.; Dillan D’Alessandro, so.

Top newcomers: Zach Mullen, so.; Caleb Olson, so.; Will Angarella, jr.; John Cook, fr.; Jake Valpey, so., Neeraj Naik, so.; Daniel Silva, so.; Seamus O’Reilly, so.; Dustin Wells, fr.

Outlook: The Falcons return their top three singles players – Binder, Alfano and Mike Mullen – from last year’s team, which lost just once in the regular season. There is also “great potential” at the No. 4 and 5 spots, according to Groves, who has seen plenty of talent during his 10 seasons at Bow. If the Falcons can figure out their doubles pairings, they could be one of the teams to watch out for come tournament time.

Teams to beat: Gilford, Inter-Lakes, Profile, Kearsarge

Gilford

Division: III

Coach: Terry Wilson (16th year)

Last year: 17-0, D-III champions

Returning starters: Grant Workman, sr; Christian Workman, jr.; Tyler Hanf, jr.; Connor Craigie, sr.

Top newcomers: Mike Eisenmann, so.; Ethan Warren, jr.; Colton Workman, fr.

Outlook: The Golden Eagles have been to eight of the last nine finals, dating all the way back to the Class M/S days. They have won six of the last eight championships, including four straight, and are riding a 67-match winning streak coming into this season. Gilford did lose its top player from last year’s team, Alex Soberon, but four of the starting six are back to help Wilson continue what has become a remarkable tradition in the Lakes Region.

Teams to beat: Inter-Lakes, Prospect Mountain

Inter-Lakes

Division: III

Coach: Bill West (31st year)

Last year: 11-6, D-III runner-up

Returning starters: Noah Sullivan, sr.; Gable Busby, so.

Top newcomers: Jean-Pierre Chavarri, sr.; Robbie Sassan, fr.; Simon Bird, so.; Sam Noe, fr.; Stephen Bean, fr.

Outlook: Sullivan returns to his No. 1 singles role for the Lakers, but for the second straight season, Inter-Lakes lost four of its starting six to graduation. Busby is expected to take over at No. 2 and the rest of the lineup will be newcomers and inexperienced players. After falling to Gilford in the championship two years in a row, the Lakers fully expect a return to the postseason.

Teams to beat: Gilford, Bow

Kearsarge

Division: III

Coach: Lynn Miller (2nd year)

Last year: 12-3, reached semifinals

Returning starters: Tyler Valovic, sr.; Tucker Valovic, so.; Charlie O’Conner, sr.; Matt Hubley, jr.

Outlook: The Cougars graduated four starters and weren’t able to add any new impact players to the roster, but they should still be competitive within the division with the Valovic brothers at the top of the lineup.

Teams to beat: Gilford, Bow