Coach: Mike Hathaway (eighth year)

Last year’s record: 8-2 (lost in PTC Class B semifinals)

Returning letter winners: Seniors — Josh Strickland (TB/DE), Eric Theiss (QB/DB), Mat Porter (T/DT), Matt Pellerin (C/T/DT), Luke Wiley (G/DT), Cam Griffin (SE/S), Jon Letourneau (slot/CB), Buck Bochtler (TE/DE), Ryan Labbe (SE), Mitch Cobb (G/LB), Nick Urquhart (TE/LB), Isaiah Wright (slote), Nate Berube (G/DE), Steve Gibbings (NT); Juniors — Jason Fisher (slot/CB), Zach Frost (DE/TE), Luke Witham (SE/S), James Morin (T/DT), Max Cloutier (C/LB); Sophomores — Jordan Hersom (slot/S), Jake Ouellette (TB/LB) .

Key losses: Doug Nash (T/DE), Kolby Youland (LB), Tyler Green (TB/S), Kolin Gauthier (WR/DB), Landry Turner (DE), Zach Renaud (T).

Promising newcomers: Juniors — Christian McBriarty (DB), Curtis Brown (SE), Kevin Theiss (SE).

Outlook: With 12 seniors who lettered and 15 total starters back, the Hornets will be among the favorites in the Pine Tree Conference again. Theiss is a steady double-threat at QB, and Strickland, with impressive size and speed, should emerge as one of the top running backs in Class B. Letourneau is another running and receiving threat. The defense features three-year starters Porter, Pellerin and Wiley up front, plus a veteran secondary led by Griffin, Fisher, Letourneau and Hersom.  

Coach’s comment:

“We’ve got a lot of good individual players, but we’ve got to make sure we keep a good team attitude.” — Coach Mike Hathaway