Coach: Walter Polky (second year)

Class: Western C

Last year’s record: 3-5

Returning letter-winners: Seniors — Alwayne Uter (TB/OLB), Austin Couture (WR/DE), Tristan Castonguay (G/LB), Brandon Stearns (LB), Corey Ridley (SS); Juniors — Peter Theriault (QB/FS), Matt Vigue (WR), Deonte Ring (WR/CB), Anthony York (T/DE), Dylan Smith (T/DT).

Key losses: Kyle Souther (T/MLB), Josh Wilcox (T/DL), Brandon Hodges (LB), Nate Hamblin (WR), Austin Schmidt (RB).

Promising newcomers: Senior — Mike Brown (DL); Juniors — Ben Bilodeau (G), Luke Greenwood (C); Sophomores — Sebastian Lombardi (LB), Andrew Darling (RB/CB); Freshman — Austin Darling (DB/WR).

Season outlook: The Phoenix had plenty of offseason motivation after missing out on the playoffs in the old Western Class B division with a last-minute loss at Fryeburg in the 2012 season finale. Spruce was a team with a rookie head coach, loaded with first-year varsity players and learning new offensive defensive schemes. Familiarity with all those people and systems should help in restructured but equally loaded Western C. Theriault directs the triple option with ample help from Uter’s toughness between the tackles and Vigue and Ring’s perimeter speed. Eight starters return. Defensively, Polky switched from the 4-3 and 4-4 to a five-man front late last season with positive results. With Wells still on the schedule and neighboring Leavitt added, nothing gets easier, but Spruce has the horses to pull off the first winning season since Livermore Falls and Jay combined their programs.

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