SALEM –- The 2 0 0 9 / 2 0 1 0 Roadrunners girls’ and boys’ basketball teams are in the process of concluding their preseason scrimmages and practices and soon to start their regular season.

MTA boys’ coach Mike DeRaps says he’s coming into the season with experience, speed and has a team that can shoot. If a game was today, he said, he has four seniors who will be his starters. Lincoln Dyer, Joey Lampron, Jim Barker and Jarred Blood will all take the opening tip with sophomore Tyler Hupper getting the nod.

“Barker, Blood and Lampron should shoot very well off the press,” DeRaps said. “We’re going to look to run,” he added, saying he expects a high speed offense.

DeRaps said he looks for Kenny Moir to come around after missing some preseason events and has some great outside shooters off the bench like Alex Shaw and Aaron Jalbert. Keenan Dock will also contribute with his ball handling, DeRaps said.

“Our goal is realistic this year. Although there are only eight teams to qualify, we’re shooting to be one of them in the post season,” DeRaps said.

“We have the experience to try to get in it, but it depends on the boys and how hard they’ll work.”

DeRaps said he felt comfortable that his starting five are tough inside the paint, strong off the boards, and have strength and quickness.

The boys’ coach also spoke of some of his younger prospects as benefits down the road. Freshmen Ian James and Ethan Boyd are showing great promise and sophomore Parker Kennedy may be in the best shape of all of the team, DeRaps said.

The boys will start their season opener against last year’s Western C champions Dirigo on Dec. 4 in what is considered a challenging game.

“They have showed that they’re smart with the ball, have worked hard and played a good summer season,” DeRaps explained. “You just have to cut down on the turnovers and shoot when the time is right… They’re tough kids; they’re good kids and really fun to work with.”

MTA Girls’ head coach Doug Lisherness will not bring a highly experienced team on the floor this year. “It’s going to be a rebuilding year,” Lisherness explained.

He did speak of some very promising young prospects that have greatly impressed him.

“I told everyone, that in the 25 years that I’ve coached at Mt. Abram, this is the best group of freshmen that have ever had. The future and the next four years are looking very good with the players I have coming up.”

Lisherness said that he has two freshmen who’ll start for him and two who’ll be point guards. He said that freshmen Tori Beane and Mykayla Luce will be sharing duties as point guard, with Beane being the starter. Also freshmen Miranda Smith is expected to be one of the starting five.

“We’re so young at the varsity level,” Lisherness said. “It going to take one-half to three-quarters of the season to come together and the freshmen just doesn’t have experience to play at the varsity level and many others also lack in the experience needed to compete in this conference.”

Kylie Rolbiecki will be the only returning starter from last year. Injuries have sidelined Mykayla Burbank from a return to start the season.

Lisherness said he is also looking for contributions from Amanda Richards and Heather Campbell this year as some of the older players.

“It’s going to take a while and we’ll need to be patient as we go through this. We are a young team and we do have potential down the road. As a young team we should all notice that they will improve considerably.”

The Lady Roadrunners kick off their season at Dirigo on Dec. 5 with the junior varsity action starting at 5:30 p.m.

They’ll host their home opener on Dec. 11 against Winthrop. Coach Lisherness said he enjoys the challenges ahead and working with this young team and seeing them grow over the next few years. “Absolutely, I can’t wait for Saturday’s game,” Lisherness said.