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You are here: Home / Archives for Season Preview

Season Preview: At Whitman-Hanson, football is all about family

September 23, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

First-year head coach Zack Botelho is building a family atmosphere. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The football team is looking to use its family atmosphere to its advantage amid a tough stretch of games.


Hanover, Foxboro, Rockland, Hingham, Silver Lake, Marshfield, Plymouth North, Duxbury and Abington.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team’s schedule is tough.
But at the end of the day, it’s all about what you make of it — and football is the ultimate team sport.

“They like playing the underdog role a little bit,” said first-year head coach Zack Botelho, who takes over for Mike Driscoll. “They’re like, ‘We’re in this together, we believe in us more than anyone else does.’ They’ve developed our little saying this year: only the family.”

Senior captain Will Stafford is no doubt the vocal leader of the Panthers.

“He doesn’t miss the weight room, he’s at everything — he’s the perfect kind of energy guy that we need,” Botelho said of his running back. “I had an opposing coach say during our passing league that he was the best leader of all the teams there because kids actually follow him.”

And with a new coach, comes a new playbook, but the Panthers still plan to be a run-first team. And why not when you have backs like Stafford, junior Will Frazier and senior Andrew Cloutman?

“We’re going to sprinkle in the passing game when we can,” Botelho said. “Spread it out when we can, take what the defense gives us in the passing game and we’ll dial up a few shots.”

Junior Cam Burrows is back under center and has plenty of additional targets at his disposal, including seniors Collin Briggs, Jake Guiliani and Bobby Hunter and juniors Evan Casey and Braden Kain.

Seniors Malcom Alcorn-Crowder, Rocco Ruffini and junior Maddox Colclough anchor the offensive line.

And while Botelho comes to W-H after a stop as Old Colony’s offensive coordinator, he believes the defense will be his new team’s calling card — at least for now.

“We’re playing a simple, not a lot of thinking, a whole lot of playing sort of defense,” Botelho said. “We’re going to attack and make big plays.”

Alcorn-Crowder (34 tackles, 11 for loss and four sacks last season), a lineman, and linebackers Casey and Guiliani and Cloutman, a safety, key the defense.

Despite the daunting schedule, W-H plans to hang tough this season.

“I want them to know that, when the going gets tough, they can lean on each other and if they compete, good things are going to happen so really just nonstop competing ness from kickoff to final whistle,” Botelho said.

W-H returns to the field Friday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Rockland.

“We’re going to play with outstanding effort, excellent attitudes,” Botelho said. “It’s one of our goals to be playing our best football at the end of the seasons. We’re building for something, we’re going to get better every single time.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Season Preview, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Football, Zack Botelho

Season Preview: Girls’ soccer taking things a day at a time

September 23, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Senior captain Nora Manning fights for the ball against Hingham. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ soccer team is focused on improving daily.


For a program that has qualified for 21 straight state tournaments, you would likely assume the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ soccer team sets the bar high.

Or maybe not?

“Honesty, we haven’t talked about any of it,” said 26-year head David Floeck when asked about his club’s goals. “Not to sound cliché, but we’re just trying to get better every day.”

So far that’s what they’ve done. Following a 3-1 start to the season — with their only loss coming against Plymouth North — W-H played to a 2-2 draw against unbeaten Hingham on Monday, Sept. 20 at Dennis M. O’Brien Field.

“I don’t think we’ve been playing as well as we’re capable of playing,” said Floeck, whose Panthers finished 9-2-2 last season. “I thought tonight our intensity was on a different level than it had been all season and that’s what we need to compete. We can’t play the Hinghams or Plymouths without this type of intensity level.”

Senior captain Olivia Borgen put the Panthers in front 2-1 early in the second half with her second goal of the night — this one on a penalty kick.

“We need her,” Floeck said of Borgen, who is committed to play at Penn State. “She is the engine that makes us go.”

That’s where it stood until four minutes remaining when the Harborwomen, who ended the Panthers’ season last year in the Patriot Cup semifinals, knotted it up at two apiece.

“When you get that close you’re definitely hoping to squeak one out,” Floeck said. “But it was another Whitman-Hanson Hingham battle.”

It was the first one for W-H freshmen goalkeeper Ava Patete, who made 13 saves to keep the Harborwomen at bay.

“This was a huge night for her,” Floeck said. “Neither goal was anything she could have done [to prevent]. She made a ton of saves tonight and more importantly in an atmosphere with two great teams going at it, big crowd cheering, the pressure of the game and she really did a phenomenal job.”

Senior backs Megan Bizier and Skylar Jordan and classmate Ava Melia, who is headed to play at Bryant University, locked down the backend.

As for the offense, junior Kayla Cassidy, Stonehill-bound senior captain Nora Manning and classmate Jenna Lindstrom will chip in plenty this season.

The Panthers are back in action Friday, Sept. 24 at 3:30 p.m. on the road against Silver Lake.

“We have to keep it going,” Floeck said. “And if we do, we think we can get on to something special and in those (league title and state title) conversations.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, David Floeck, Season Preview, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Soccer

Season Preview: Tournament is field hockey’s goal

September 16, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

The Panthers. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The field hockey team is shooting to make the tournament.


Olivia Phelps, Lauren Dunn, Joli Flamos, Mary Kate Ryan, Rosie MacKinnon and Paige Cosgrove are all back for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High field hockey team

So why not set the bar high this fall?

Phelps and Ryan, are two former Patriot League All-Stars and team MVPs, Dunn has established a knack for finding the back of the net, MacKinnon is a force on defense and Cosgrove, a sophomore, is already a first-liner.

“We would like to make the tournament,” said Todd Humphrey, who is in his ninth year coaching the Panthers.

Phelps, a senior captain, scored a team-high six goals and was named the Panthers’ MVP last season. Dunn, also a senior, added four goals and two assists.

“[They] are quite the tandem,” Humphrey said of his forwards. “[They’re] super fast and always looking for each other on the field.”

The sophomore Cosgrove joins them on the top line at forward this season.

“She has great skills for her age,” Humphrey said. “A true playmaker. A good passer and shooter.”

Ryan, a senior captain, and Flamos, also a senior, are back at midfield. They’re two of 17 seniors on the roster.

“[Ryan] has always been excellent at reading offenses and creating turnovers,” Humphrey said. “Joli has always been a great two-way player and we expect to see that again this season from her.”

Seniors Ashley Sawtelle and MacKinnon, a captain, will anchor the defense in front of first-year goalie, junior Reagan Heath.

“Ashley was voted by her teammates as the most improved player last season,” Humphrey said. “Rosie is strong, fast, agile and mentally tough.”

This is Heath’s first year on varsity.

“She is quick, has good lateral movement and she has a good directional kick,” Humphrey said.

The head coach added he’d like to see his team, which finished 2-9-1 last season, turn the ball over less this autumn.

“We have the talent to move the ball up the field and create offensive opportunities.,” Humphrey said. “We need to be mindful of maintaining ball possession.”

 The Panthers, who are hoping to build off last season’s 1–0 Patriot Cup win over Marshfield, are back in action Friday, Sept. 17 at 3:30 p.m. on the road at West Bridgewater.

 “We had our first playoff win last year,” Humphrey said. “We would like to make the tournament and see where that takes us.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Season Preview, Sports, Todd Humphrey, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Field Hockey

Season Preview: Boys’ golf driving to be competitive

September 15, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

The boys’ golf team. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The boys’ golf team hopes to hang tough this season.


Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

That’s Brian Dempsey’s message to his Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ golf team.

“This sport, unlike others, will stay with these players for the rest of their lives, so the more they can get out of it now, the better off they will be down the road,” said the 10th-year head coach. “We may not win every match, and we may not always have the best shots, but if we can accept that and always try to play present, we can hopefully gain a lot more.”

The Panthers are coming off a 1-10 abbreviated campaign last fall. Additionally, they graduated five seniors, headlined by 2020 Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star Aidan Miller.

“The overall goal this year is to not just enjoy the season and make the most of it, but to be as competitive as we are capable,” Dempsey said. “… this year will look very different than what most of the team has come to know over the past couple of years. Of course we want to stay competitive and put ourselves in a position to win, but the reality is that nothing is guaranteed and I really want the team to appreciate what they have. All that being said, if we can maintain a positive attitude and enjoy our time together and on the course, I think that ultimately helps us to accomplish our goal.”

Dempsey said he believes his team’s strength is its balance.

“We have wide range of talent, experience, and ages, which I think can help to keep things in perspective for us and not let anyone feel like they are either outnumbered, outplayed, or most importantly, left out,” Dempsey said. “I’m hopeful that our leadership can help to mend any gaps between them and utilize everyone’s experiences to better the team.”

As for improvements, Dempsey said he wants his club to focus on understanding the game a bit more.

“Realizing that practice isn’t just pounding through a bucket of balls at the range, but instead being deliberate with our choices and being purposeful in our approach to it,” Dempsey said.

Seniors Matt Casarano, Pat McBroom, Chris Ross and Drew Sullivan will captain the Panthers.

“All four of these guys bring something different to the table, whether it’s the experience, academics, work ethic, grit [or] resilience,” Dempsey said. “Hopefully because there are four of them, it takes the pressure off of each of them to relax and be able to play more comfortably and consistently, while modeling good work habits to the rest of the team.”

McBroom is W-H’s No. 1 golfer, but Sullivan has also shown some improvements, according to Dempsey.

“I’m hoping that more players can step up and surprise us with their talent,” Dempsey said.
There’s a chance it could be a newcomer. The Panthers boast six on this year’s squad.
“Everyone who is new to the team seems to really love the sport and is enthusiastic about improving,” Dempsey said. “We have one freshman,
Cooper Britton, who brings a lot of tournament play experience and dedication to the sport to the team, so we’re also excited about that.”

W-H is back in action Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 3:30 p.m. when it hosts North Quincy at Ridder Farm Golf Course.

“I really just want to see our team be competitive and show that they care,” Dempsey said. “There’s a fine line in golf about getting too upset about a shot, hole, score, or match and not showing any concern at all, but I’m hopeful that we can be a respectful team, regardless of wins and losses, and can learn from our experiences to hopefully grow as a team and individuals.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Brian Dempsey, Season Preview, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Boys' Golf

Season Preview: New voice leading boys’ soccer team

September 9, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Senior captain Sean McAlpine during a scrimmage. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Under new head coach Tony Reis, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team has its sights set on the state tournament.


There’s a voice leading the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team this fall.

Tony Reis has taken over the reins of the club from Dave Leahy, who stepped down after four seasons due to a work commitment.

Reis spent six seasons as the head coach at Upper Cape, where he won three league titles and qualified for the MIAA tournament every year.

“Coaching at Whitman-Hanson appears to be a good fit for me as the soccer culture in this area is quite different from the Bourne area as I am gradually embracing it all,” Reis said. “There are many more kids who are serious in regards to playing this sport as most of them also play club soccer in the spring.”

His message to the team is centered on positive sportsmanship.

“Teams can play aggressively clean, along with desire, hustle and passion and still come out victorious at the end of 80 minutes,” he said. “There’s no need for any of the unnecessary negative aspects of the sport, such as arguing with the referees, talking to opposing coaches, playing dirty at times.”

And while it may be a new spot, Reis’ expectations remain the same: Make the postseason again.

“My team goal to achieve this season is to qualify for the state tournament and with a winning record,” Reis said. “One can still get into tournament play with a .500 record.”

W-H, which went 6-7 last autumn, returns a solid core, led by senior captains Jacob Donovan (center defender), Sean McAlpine (right fullback) and Jayden Stafford (center midfielder).

“They all are good leaders in their own way, whether it’s vocally or leading by example,” Reis said.

Senior Adam Sousa, junior Wes Marquez and sophomore Ethan Fostello are also key returnees.

Reis coined Sousa as the team’s best forward and Marquez as its best skilled player. Fostello will be starting at right midfield.

“The squad’s strength is at the midfield,” Reis said. “Our starting four half backs, as we usually play a 4-4-2, are good and play well on both sides of the ball. We also have a couple of midfielders off the bench who won’t miss a beat when called on. As long as those positioned players play together as a team, we should compete in all our contests.”

Senior Ethan Smith, who shared time with Randy Elfman (now playing at Western New England University), takes over the No. 1 role in net.

In addition to Elfman, EMSCA All-Star Peyton Collins (four goals, team-high six assists last season) and Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star Brendan Nehiley (team-high five goals, five assists last season) are also key departures.

W-H opens the new campaign Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. on the road at Quincy.

“A successful season for me is finishing in the top two or three of the entire league with the least amount of yellow card cautions shown to my players by match referees, no player getting seriously injured along with being competitive, score-wise, in at least most games,” Reis said.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Season Preview, Sports, Tony Reis, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Boys' Soccer

Season Preview: Improvement key for girls’ cross country

September 9, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ cross country team is searching for improvement.


Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ cross country coach Steve George wants to see improvement from his team this fall.

“Not necessarily with respect to their win-loss record as we still have three outstanding opponents in Marshfield, Hingham and Silver Lake who all return some really phenomenal runners,” said George, whose club finished 2-3 last season. “But from an individual standpoint, I’m looking for big things from our captains Myah Kamperides, Anna Flynn and Sarah Boulger. Each is talented and has worked very hard over the summer preparing for the upcoming season. We had a good freshman class last year and with another year of experience and after a good summer of training, they too will make an impact this season.”

Kamperides legged out two first-place finishes, a second and a third last season to earn league all-star status for the second straight fall.

“Myah is one of the more dedicated and enthusiastic runners I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach,” George said. “She also follows our training plan to perfection. Well almost. On a [run last month], she was asked to run an out and back on the Rockland Rail Trail/Hanover Branch Rail Trail, 5.3 miles. When she returned to the starting point she continued running. ‘In order to get to an even six miles,’ she said. Myah loves being a runner. I expect she’ll be doing this for another 50 years or so.”

Flynn had top-five finishes in wins over Duxbury and Plymouth North last season, while Boulger was a few spots behind her in that Plymouth North win. Both will be key this season.

The girls open the season Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. at home against North Quincy/Quincy.

“I’m really looking forward to see the results in Week 1,” George said. “Not just the final score, but even more so how our girls finish. Where they stand, relatively speaking, right now. Can somebody step up and challenge Myah? Will Sarah challenge Anna? How about Erin (Kelly) and McKenna (McCarthy) in their first year of cross country? Who else has made a big jump in competition? I honestly don’t know what to expect, but I can’t wait to find out.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Season Preview, Sports, Steve George, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Cross Country

Season Preview: Boys’ cross country a ‘confident’ bunch

September 9, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ cross country team, the defending Patriot League Keenan Division champion, is brimming with confidence heading into the new season.


After running the table last season en route to the Patriot League Keenan Division title, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ cross country team is a confident bunch.

“Last year, we went into the season thinking we could win each time out,” said head coach Steve George, who enters his eighth season leading the Panthers. “I think this year that mindset has carried forward. They are putting in the same effort and taking the same approach as last year’s team.”

The faces have changed. League MVP Theo Kamperides has graduated, as have league all-stars Liam Cafferty and Chris MacDonald.

But the Panthers do return some talent in the likes of senior captains and 2020 league all-stars Gordon Johnson and Nathan Tassey.

“Both [were] top-five runners last year [and] are really inspiring their teammates,” George said. “They got a taste of success last year and are out to prove it was no fluke.”

The sophomore class also has George really excited.

“Logan Bourgelas, Gavin McCarthy and Shane Johnson, all top-seven runners a year ago, are back,” he said. “And we’ve added Alex Kehayias and Ryan Crowley, both of whom have considerable potential. While others returning from last year’s team, Connor McCarthy, Adam Vinton and Andrew Buckley have shown dramatic improvement already. All told, we have 16 boys from the Class of 2024 who will impact our program over the next three years. That’s exciting.”

George said juniors Jonathan Young, James Molito and newcomers, Nathan Scaccia and Shaine Mwicigi should also make an impact.

W-H opens the season Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. when it hosts North Quincy/Quincy.

“I’ve always said the most important tool in distance running is in each team member establishing and working toward individual or personal goals while being fully supported by his teammates,” George said. “If every runner does that, everything else will fall into place.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2021-22 Coverage, Season Preview, Sports, Steve George, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Boys' Cross Country

Season Preview: Indoor track running in a virtual space

March 18, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Courtesy photo

Indoor track has a bevy of changes this Fall II.


Indoor track meets have a different look this season.

First off, they’ll be held outside instead of inside. Second, teams won’t be boarding busses to head to the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center because that’s being used as COVID-19 vaccination center.

All meets are scheduled to be held at home in a virtual form with teammates competing with each other and then their scores will be entered online after for the rest of the league to see. Finally, there will also only be three field events: shot put, long jump and high jump. Other than that, it’s business as usual.

“Our virtual meets are essentially weekly time trails run at our facility with no opponent on campus,” explained seventh-year W-H girls’ head coach Steve George. “Our athletes compete with each other and run against the clock.”

Junior Myah Kamperides knows a thing or two about running against the clock. The reigning league all-star will lead the pack for the girls’ team this season. She competed in six running events last week and posted her best time in each of them.

She’s also brought along her younger sister, Savannah, a freshman. She competed in five individual events last week and was top three in four of them.

“We’ve got some extraordinary athletes among our distance runners in addition to the Kamperides girls,” George said. “Isabelle Amado, Anna Sullivan, Anna Flynn and Sarah Boulger all have experience and would be big factors in dual meet competition. And we have a couple of very talented sprinters/hurdlers in Hailey Minicucci and April Keyes, who also compete in the jumping events as well.”

George said the focus remains on improvement, like any other season.

“Some of the kids are trying events for the very first time as a byproduct of the jamboree format,” George said. “For example, we started working with a dozen-plus athletes on the long jump and in only four sessions they are hitting their marks and jumping like veterans.”

George said he believes this new track format could benefit his athletes in the near future.

“The virtual format really provides an opportunity for experimentation and I expect we’ll see enormous improvement among those who have joined in,” he said. “When spring track arrives, we’ll have a group of kids who are ready for anything.”

BOYS’ TEAM

The boys’ team is led by the other Kamperides, senior Theo Kamperides, who is the back-to-back boys’ cross country MVP in the Patriot League Keenan Division.

“[He] will continue to be a dominant runner this winter,” said second-year W-H boys’ head coach Stephen Schlicting.

He is joined by cross country league all-stars, seniors Liam Cafferty and Chris MacDonald and juniors Nathan Tassey and Gordon Johnson.

“We have a very strong contingent of distance runners,” Schlicting said.

Juniors Jake Caterer and Jacob Donovan should push each other in the sprints. Senior Chris Blackman runs the 300 and 600, while junior Chase Baker will lead the way in the hurdles and long jump.

The Panthers’ mission this season is to just keep working on their skills together.

“[The] goal will be to improve and to encourage all to try new events, building a strong team culture of support and togetherness and having fun as we work this winter,” Schlicting said.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2020-21 Coverage, Season Preview, Sports, Stephen Schlicting, Steve George, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Boys' Indoor Track, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Girls' Indoor Track

Season Preview: Football team ‘extremely happy’ to be back together

March 4, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

The field on Day 1. / Courtesy photo (@coachscarps)

The football team is finally back on the field.


There’s definitely a different feeling in the air, but at the end of the day football is still football.

After being apart for nearly 15 months, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team is back on the field — and it isn’t taking it for granted.

“It felt pretty good to be running around with the kids,” said head coach Mike Driscoll, who is entering his 10th year on the Panthers sideline. “We’re very, very fortunate and we’re extremely happy to be playing football. We’re very blessed to be out there — it feels great.”

The Panthers began practice on Feb. 22 and their first game is scheduled for March 12. That’s less than three weeks to prepare.

“It’s definitely different,” Driscoll said. “In the summer, normally we have our 7-on-7s and our workouts and everything leading up to it and you kind of know what you have.”

W-H has taken a few different approaches to account for missed time.

“We can’t have our usual meetings inside, so we’ve slowed things down,” Driscoll said. “We’re going to do what we can do. We’ve limited our playbook and we’re going to teach to our best ability and get ready to go out there and compete every Friday.”

The Panthers, who are looking to bounce back from a 2-10 campaign in 2019, will have a new-look offense this season.

“We’ve made a lot of changes to our scheme and we’re hoping that scheme fits our build better than in the past where we’ve had some really good running quarterbacks,” Driscoll said. “We don’t really have that right now so we’ve gone to more of a Wing-T-type set and we’re hoping that helps us out.”

The Panthers quarterback is still to be determined, at the time. Driscoll said there are five kids battling it out. That’s because senior captain Jason Murphy, a returning Patriot League All-Star, converted back to running back after he was thrust under center last year due to an injury.

“Jason is a great kid,” Driscoll said. “He has a great work ethic and is a real leader of the football team.”

Fellow senior captain Nik Dolan could take some snaps at quarterback.

“He’s gonna play all over for us,” Driscoll said. “You could see him lineup at wingback, you could see him at wideout, you could see him at quarterback, he’s gonna play one of those positions. Defensively, he’s gonna be our safety back there and he’s gonna be running the show.”

Griffin Mountcastle, a two-year starter up front, is another senior captain.

“We expect big things out of him as well on the line,” Driscoll said.

Senior Declan Hanaphy and juniors Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder, Hunter Baker, Zach Boisjolie, and Will Stafford will also play key roles this season.

W-H is scheduled to kick off its five-game schedule at home on March 12 at 6 p.m. against Silver Lake.

“The goal is to get five games in without having any interruptions,” Driscoll said. “We’re going to be competitive every week. This team is better than any team we’ve ever had in a few years. Athletically — it’s probably the most athletes we’ve ever had. But as a unit they have a long way to go as far as jelling that together.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2020-21 Coverage, Mike Driscoll, Season Preview, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Football

Season Preview: For boys’ basketball team, the focus is on now

January 21, 2021 By Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Senior captain Cole LeVangie is a one of two returning Patriot League All-Stars for W-H. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Bob Rodgers’ bunch is aiming for its sixth Patriot League Keenan Division crown in the past eight seasons.


The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball team experienced that first-hand last season when it was deprived of a chance to finish off what it started in the Div. 2 state title game. 

So the mantra for this season is simple: 

“The biggest thing is to make sure we all appreciate every day we have,” said 21st-year W-H head coach Bob Rodgers. “We try to practice every day like it’s going to be our last practice and we have to hopefully play every game like it could be our last game – just appreciate what we have while we have it.”

That’s pretty easy to do when you have two guys like senior captains Nate Amado (13.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg last season) and Cole LeVangie (11.4 ppg, 5 rpg last season). Both are returning Patriot League All-Stars and two of the “most talented” players Rodgers said he has ever coached. But that’s just part of what makes them special. 

“They are just such tremendous teammates and phenomenal leaders and just good people,” Rodgers said. “I’m excited we get to play the season in part because all of these younger players get to play with them and they get to see how they go about their business and how unselfish they are. Obviously, their talent is off the charts, but what I will remember years from now is just how both of them are willing to do whatever it takes for our team to be successful and to help other kids grow.”

As for departures, reigning Patriot League MVP Stevie Kelly (14 ppg, 6.3 apg and 5.1 rpg last season) is gone from the point and Rodgers knows it will be a joint effort to make up for his contributions. 

“No, we don’t have Stevie Kelly,” Rodgers said. “But we have a trio of (junior) guards that have really stepped in nicely. Ryan Vallancourt is just so dedicated and has so much passion for the game of basketball. Amari Jamison’s potential is off the charts. His skill level and athleticism are something I haven’t really had in a long time. And Andrew Guardia is a steady Eddie — runs the position and gets people involved.”

And as always the defending Div. 2 state champions will rely on their ability to knock down the 3-ball.

“We have a lot of guys that can shoot it,” Rodgers said. “That’s one of the blessings like when you have two players like Nate and Cole, you don’t get worried that the other team is just going to try and just shut down those guys, but if the coach has that as their game plan, I think they’re going to have some difficulties because we do have some other guys that can shoot it.”

And why make playing W-H more difficult than it already is? Rodgers’ club is riding the state’s longest winning streak at 26 games, as it takes aim at its sixth Patriot League Keenan Division title in the past eight seasons. 

“A league championship is always where we start and since there isn’t a state championship on the line this year, I think that’s even more so this year,” Rodgers said. “One of the things I always say to the kids is you look at that banner with all of the league championships on it. Each one of those years represents a group of kids that came committed to a goal, came committed to a certain level of work ethic, and a team attitude. If you want to be on that you’ll have to replicate that same kind of effort.”

The Panthers are scheduled to be back on the court Friday, Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. when they host Plymouth North.

“I think that most of the teams in our league get up to play us for a lot of reasons,” Rodgers said. “We’re one of the games that they circle on the schedule and after having the season that we had last year, I think that will be even more so. I’m sure every team would like to be the team that stops our winning streak.”

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: 2020-21 Coverage, Bob Rodgers, Season Preview, Sports, Whitman-Hanson Regional High, Whitman-Hanson Regional High Boys' Basketball

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Whitman mulls uses for Park Street land

May 29, 2025 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

WHITMAN – What to do with the Park Avenue School building?The Select Board on Tuesday, May 20 … [Read More...]

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