Knight and day

Poland moves from Class B into Class C this season, and the conservative train of thought is whether or not that change in the level of competition will be enough to dub the Knights a Campbell Conference playoff team for the first time.

“Sure we’d like to get in,” first-year coach Ted Tibbetts said, “but really we want to win it.”

Before the rest of the league trips over each other to reach for the scissors and turn that clip into bulletin board material, let the Knights’ new boss clarify that comment.

“Just in our division, Dirigo was defending champion two years ago. Oak Hill and Maranacook are Claass B schools in just about everything else,” Tibbetts said. “It’s certainly going to be competitive.”

Bishop lands at Mt. Blue

The coaching staff at Mt. Blue is one of the most venerable in the state. Gary Parlin is entering his 19th year as head coach. Defensive coordinator Craig Collins joined Parlin’s staff in 1994. Offensive line coach Peter Franchetti has patrolled the sidelines with him for 15 years.

That staff has added a fourth coaching mainstay, Brad Bishop, who spent the last decade as head coach at Livermore Falls. Bishop is coaching the Cougars’ linebackers and tight ends.

“It’s great to have a different perspective,” Parlin said.

Prior to Livermore Falls, Bishop coached against Parlin and Mt. Blue during a six-year stay at Lawrence. Parlin said he doesn’t want his newest assistant to hold anything back in deference to the coaches who have been there longer.

“We’ve told him not to worry about stepping on anybody’s toes. We all have thick skin,” Parlin said. “Brad has some great ideas and he gives us a perspective none of us have had being together the last 10 years.”

“We don’t have a lot of money for free agents, but that’s a good pickup for us,” Parlin added.

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