If the rest of Western Class D began the season hoping that graduating a couple of stars and losing another to transfer would weaken Rangeley’s defense of its state title, they are seeing for themselves just how wrong they were.

The Lakers have reloaded and are off to a 9-0 start that has them perched atop the Heal Point standings.

Staff ace Luke Hammond transferred to Class A power Deering (where he is 3-0), and five other starters graduated or transferred, but plenty of help arrived this spring.

The reinforcements started when senior Quinn Philbrick, who had been a starter his freshman and sophomore years, returned after missing last season with a knee injury. The Lakers made, in essence, a one-for-two trade in transfers from Carrabassett Valley Academy, losing shortstop Alex Rodway but adding Pat Anthony and Craig Marshall. Anthony, a junior, has helped fill the void left by Hammond’s departure, posting a 3-0 record, while Marshall has added catching and outfield depth.

The additions have given the Lakers a balanced team, with one of the deepest lineups in Class D, with hitters 1-9 capable of contributing.

“It’s been pretty much a team thing. I can’t pinpoint one individual,” Rangeley coach Mark Gordon said. “We have three good pitchers, three catchers, with Craig probably being the main one right now, a strong middle infield and strong outfield.”

It appears the only team standing between the Lakers and a third straight regional title is Richmond. The teams have met in the last three Western D championships. Rangeley won the inaugural meeting last month, 2-1, behind a 12-strikeout performance from Anthony. They will meet again on Wednesday, with the top seed in the Western D tournament likely at stake.

“It’s between us and them, I would think. Of course, anything can happen in baseball,” Gordon said. “It’s been back-and-forth. It’s a pretty even rivalry.”

No Saints rest

St. Dom’s began the Class B portion of its schedule Wednesday with its first loss of the season, 6-2, to Cape Elizabeth. The Saints led Cape and its ace, Andrew Guay, 2-1 heading into the Capers’ half of the third inning.

“We didn’t get the key hit when we needed it,” Saints coach Bob Blackman said. “We had the bases loaded and one out in the first and got one run across. Then in the third, we got the bases loaded again and didn’t score a run. Through five, it was a 3-2 game. We can compete with that team.”

“It’s a good lesson to learn. It brings us down to reality a little bit,” he added.

Cape was ranked second in the most recent Western B Heals, just behind Greely, which the Saints face on Memorial Day in Cumberland. Two other teams that are in the playoff picture, Fryeburg and Poland, loom on the horizon. A couple of wins could vault the Saints, fourth in the current Heals, towards the top seed.

Twin Cities turnaround?

The good news for Edward Little and Lewiston, both coming off tough defeats on Wednesday, is that they will have had six days to recover. Both teams also have a chance to make up some ground in the stretch drive.

Lewiston’s 19-8 defeat at the hands of Mt. Ararat was its third straight. During that stretch against EL, Cony and the Eagles, the Blue Devils have given up 46 runs. The defense hasn’t helped the pitching, committing 10 errors in the three games.

“Our goal this year was to be one of the best defenses in the KVAC South and we haven’t done it,” Lewiston coach Todd Cifelli said. “We’re going to continue to work at it.”

The Red Eddies fell behind Cony in the first inning and could never quite get the measure of pitchers Ryan Minoty and Nick Lucas, who limited them to a season-low three hits in a 7-0 shutout. That, coupled with their win over Lewiston on Monday, vaulted the Rams ahead of the Eddies in the KVAC South and Eastern A standings.

Both teams return to action Tuesday, with the Devils at Oxford Hills and the Eddies hosting Brunswick. EL travels to South Paris the following day, while Lewiston, after facing Morse Wednesday, gets its crack at Heal points-rich Brunswick on Friday. The Eddies host Mt. Ararat on Friday.

“There are still opportunities for us. With Heal points, it’s not how many wins you have, it’s who they are,” Cifelli said. “It can get dicey. We were 10th in the Heals starting the week, but Mt. Blue got a big win over Skowhegan and they vaulted us and Hampden was 2-8, but they beat Messalonskee and they’re two points behind us.

“But it’s not about worrying about playoffs right now. We’ve got to worry about the little things in our defense and our baserunning and our pitching staff before we worry about playoffs,” he added.

Etched in history

Last Friday’s 10-inning marathon between EL and Lewiston will go down in history as one of the wilder affairs between the two rivals. But the game already had a touch of history before EL’s 14-13 win, as the Auburn/Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame presented plaques to both Edward Little and Lewiston high schools.

Each plaque contains the names of that school’s inductees into the A/L Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the names of the more recent students honored with the Chamber President’s Award.

Auburn Middle School teacher and Edward Little public address announcer Bim Gibson donated proceeds from his anthology titled “The History of Edward Little/Lewiston Basketball” to create the Edward Little and Lewiston plaques, as well as one for St. Dom’s.