By Randy Whitehouse,Staff Writer
The Shockers open their third season today in New Bedford, Mass.

LEWISTON – It didn’t take long for the Central Maine Shockers to impress one of their newest additions.

“They have good attitudes. Everyone does, the players, the coaches …” said Troy Keach, a 1998 Leavitt graduate from Greene who will play fullback.

Lewiston’s semi-pro football team hopes to make the same impression as a newcomer to the AA division of the New England Football League, also known as the North Atlantic Conference. The Shockers are moving up a level after reaching the A division championship game the first two years of their existence.

They make their AA debut today against the Whaling City Clippers in New Bedford, Mass. (They also open their home schedule against the Clippers on July 30 at Lewiston Athletic Park). The butterflies have been accumulating over the course of intense spring and summer workouts, on the field and in the weight room.

“It’s built up. You can’t unleash it right away,” said right tackle Chris Cameron, entering his second year with the Shockers. “After that first hit, it’s like a switch that goes off. You’re all set.”

The fact that AA is more spread out around New England is one noticeable change the Shockers will encounter this year. They’ll be taking a lot more three-hour plus road trips than the past two seasons.

Another major change will be the skill level and the numbers that most squads bring to the field.

“Some of these teams are practicing with 70 guys. That’s the huge difference we’ve seen thus far,” said linebacker Zach Stewart, the team’s co-founder and owner, along with QB Steve Coleman. “But I think (defensive back) Nate Thibodeau said it best, You can only put 11 dynamites on the field at one time.'”

The Shockers carry 35 players on their roster, but nearly all 22 starters are back from last year. In fact, the roster is loaded with players who have been with the team throughout its three-year existence.

“We’ve kept that core together and it’s grown,” running back Marvin Langley said. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re in a good position because of that alone.”

Of course, it helps when some of that core makes up a big-play offense that collected bushels of points the last two years with big-play threats in the running and passing games. The shifty Langley is a threat to break one from any spot on the field behind the Shockers’ physical offensive line. Coleman and the passing attack complement that with an affinity for the deep ball.

After averaging 35 ppg, the Shockers’ quick-strike capabilities may be tempered a bit by the tougher competition. But they plan on making the necessary adjustments.

“Our offense was just so dynamic, so explosive. We put up a lot of points really early in the game and our defense ended up playing a lot,” coach Matt McKenney said. “Not that I don’t want to score a lot of points, but our defense can’t be on the field as much.”

“I think we want to grind it out some, just to give our defense a rest,” Langley said.

McKenney said the Shockers are hoping to “finish above .500 and give a good solid run in the playoffs.” A strong showing over the next season or two could earn them another promotion, to the AAA division.

Wherever they are a year or two from now, it’s likely the core of the Shockers won’t look a lot different.

“On a football field, you can’t beat that closeness,” McKenney said. “You can’t replace that with Xs and Os.”