Rebecca Fletcher is getting her team up to speed on how to do things the Dirigo way.
“It’s a new coach, so there’s a new system, trying to teach them how we want to do things,” Fletcher said. “It’s been good having as much time as we have had. We’re starting to put together what we want.”
Fletcher is entering her first season as the Dirigo girls’ head coach. She won a state championship as a player at Dirigo in 1996 and later served as an assistant to Gavin Kane (who is now Fletcher’s assistant) for part of the Cougars’ run of 11 straight championship game appearances. She also led the Dirigo boys’ team to a title game appearance in her one season as head coach in 2011.
The Cougars are coming off a 12-7 season that ended in the Class C South preliminaries. Some building needs to be done in order for the Cougars to return to the program’s salad days.
“We are really young and quite inexperienced,” Fletcher said. “A majority of our team is that sophomore class.”
That class includes Alexa Varnum, Sophia Jacques, Mackenzie Ladd, who have prior varsity experience. Ladd will be particularly important early in the season. She’ll have to run the point the majority of the time if senior Olivia Noyes’ injury keeps her sidelined for an extended period of time.
Fletcher said that scoring will be a team effort this season, though Noyes, when she returns, Varnum and the team’s other returning senior, Kaicey Conant will likely be relied on.
Fletcher’s defensive plan is more direct: she wants the Cougars to force a lot of turnovers.
“Defensively, I would love, this is what I hope, that we’re going to get up and pressure people,” she said.
Coach: Rebecca Fletcher (first year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C South
Last year’s results: 12-7 (lost in Class C South preliminary)
Returning athletes: Seniors — Kaicey Conant, Olivia Noyes; Sophomores — Alexa Varnum, Sophia Jacques, Mackenzie Ladd.
Key losses: Emma Lueders, Sabrina Daoud, Lauren Henderson, Mariah LaFleur.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Brittany Greig; Sophomores — Ashley Perrault, Lillie Williams.
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