2015 Oak Hill football preview

Coach: Stacen Doucette (fourth year)

Conference: South Class: D

Last year’s record: 11-1, Class D champions

Returning players: Seniors — Dalton Therrien (QB), Garrett Gile (C/NG), Levi Buteau (RB/LB), Austin Goucher (G), Brendon Tervo (G/MLB), Connor Elwell (T/S), Jonah Martin (WR/DB), Connor Nilsson (WR), Colby Spencer (RB/DB); Juniors — Adam Mooney (T/DT), Gavin Chasse (T/DT), Matthew Strout (TE/DE), Steven Gilbert (RB/DB), Peter Flaherty (DT), Austin Noble (DE/LB).

Key losses: Kyle Flaherty (TB/DE), Alex Mace (slot/TB/SS), Samson Lacroix (MLB), Mike Pease (G/DE), Cody Voisine (T/DT), Kyle Tervo (WR/CB), Logan Childs (T), Drew Gamage (WR/FS).

Promising newcomers: Senior — Nick Aripez (DT); Juniors — Brian Thorpe (RB/MLB); Sophomores — Darren Bailey (WR/OLB), Cruz Poirier (RB/OLB), Mike Harper (DL), Nick Dennis (DL).

Season outlook: The obvious question for the Raiders heading into their second title defense is how they replace Flaherty and Mace, who accounted for more than 7,000 all-purpose yards together in their brilliant careers. The good news: When Flaherty went down with an early-season thigh injury in 2014, Spencer, Gilbert and Buteau all saw significant time in the backfield. That by-committee system shoud prevail this fall, with each of the components a year older and stronger. Oak Hill’s strengths offensively are Therrien, who is one of the top signal-callers in Class D, and three-year starters Goucher, Gile and Tervo on the line. The Raiders have enough depth in the trenches that Doucette likely won’t have to use many of those players on both sides of the ball. Buteau has started at linebacker since sophomore year and will anchor the defense. Oak Hill has a legitimate chance to turn the triple play.