OHCHS teams are looking good

OXFORD HILLS -- Here at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School the winter sports programs have taken flight. Almost midway through the season there are mixed results within the teams.

The JV Boys Basketball team has a record of 7-2 and is coached by Joesph Oufiero (Coach O). The team is lead by leading scorer Alex Ferguson, and leading rebounder Jake Plummer.

No play-offs for the JV league so its goal is to get better everyday and work harder then everyone else, according to Coach O.

"Every year brings new and exciting challenges. JV teams are never the same from one year to the next. We just try to maintain a consistent level of hard work and sportsmanship. With seven games remaining they just hope to end with more wins than loses," he said.

Oxford Hills' girls JV team is coached by Shane Slicer. Slicer has coached for five years at Gorham MiddleSchool and this will be his twelfth year coaching at OHCHS. The teamsrecord is 4-3 with Crystal West the leading scorer and Claire Gregorythe leading rebounder. Slicer says that his team is very young withmostly freshman. Since OHCHS doesn't have a freshman team anymore,the freshman have been playing on JV and playing against otherschools regular JV team, not their age group.

“Overall, the team has been up and down,” said Slicer. “They have been working hard but we are youngand need to work on our offensive execution. The team chemistry isexcellent and the girls have been wonderful to coach.”

The coach also says there is also improvement to be made. The teamcan become more aggressive, executing offensively, and improvingoffensive skills. Most of all, Coach Slicer wants his team to have fun.

The Varsity Boys Basketball team is in a slump but Coach Scott Graffam says he hopes to be 9-9 by the end of the season. The team is 2-7 at the moment, with two huge homes games this week with Lewiston and Brunswick.

The team will then go on a tough four-game road trip.

"To get better we need to learn how to play in close games, and become a better free-throw shooting team," said Coach Graffam, who has been coaching the team for 29 years.

'This has been the best group of players I've coached in 10 years. They are hard working, and they really want to learn."

Top point scorers are Josh MacDonald and Dan Taylor while the top rebounders are Matt McVety and MacDonald.

The Girls Varsity Basketball team is coached by Nate Pelletier and assisted by Kyle Morey. Pelletier has coached basketball for 10 years and this will be his sixth year coaching varsity. Morey has been coaching for 18 years.

The Varsity team's record is 3-5 and it has been competitive night in and nightout, Pelletier says. Captains are Abbie Eastman, Ashley West, and Dayna Schultz.

The leading scorer and rebounder is Crissy Lewis, with 12 points and 10 rebounds per game. Abbie Eastman is second in rebounding (five) and first in assists (five). The team is young this year with only one senior, Dayna Schultz.

Pelletier says improvement will come with time and experience on the court. "We are very young this year and every game we seem to get better and better," he said. "Once the younger kids get the confidence that is needed we'll be very good."

Morey says the girls need to believe in themselves.

"This is the youngest team Coach Pelletier has ever had at Oxford Hills and the team has a lot of potential of being a well balanced team," explained Morey. "As the team continues to grow, Coach Pelletier expects us winning the close games we were unable to win early in the season. The girls play hard every night and are due for a big victory. I think it will be sooner than later."

Other sports include alpine skiing coached by Micheal Grace, cross country skiing coached by Coach Easton, wrestling coached by Coach Stevens, hockey coached by Coach Tucker, and cheering coached by Coach Becker.

Alpine has had two meets and has done well despite its 0-2 recordcdonald.

Cross country skiing has yet to have a meet due to the lack of snow.

Wrestling has also done well despite its 0-7 record.

Hockey is 0-4 but has potential to get better.

Cheering has been straight practice for its first competition on the 17th at KVACs.