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FAIRFIELD — The Lawrence girls basketball team has lived with the ups and downs of expectations the past few years.
The Bulldogs won an exciting Class A final against Brunswick in 2023. With one of the best lineups in the state, Lawrence was expected to repeat the following season, only to lose to Cony in the A North final. Last season, Lawrence went undefeated in the regular season but lost to Camden Hills 64-56 in the regional semifinals.
The Bulldogs are motivated by how the previous two seasons ended, but with a revamped roster are trying not to focus on it.
“(Last year) is certainly a pretty big motivation,” Lawrence coach Greg Chesley said. “We’ve been trying to peel it back a little bit. The last couple of years I’ve come in and said, ‘You know girls, from the win at states, we have the blueprint for how it can be done.’ This year we’re really focused on not talking about the past at all … We’re just really (following) the Bill Belichick, ‘We’re on to Cincinnati’ (strategy) and try to get better every day.”
Added senior guard Maddie Provost: “It’s obviously in the past, and you take things and learn things. We know what it’s like to cut down the net and we know what it’s like to come up short. There definitely is a lot of fire (for the new year) for sure.”
Lawrence graduated 6-foot forwards Lilly Gray and Nadia Morrison. Both had the ability to score in the post and gave the Bulldogs a rebounding advantage. Kayci Ross, a 6-foot senior, should help fill that void, though she missed time in the preseason with an injury.
“We’ve been pretty big for a while,” Chesley said. “To have (Ross) not out there, we look pretty small. That’s been a big difference. We’ve got to create (opportunities) on the outside. We’re looking for some new ways to create on offense.”
Chesley said Provost and senior forward Ashley Shores will be key to generating points.
“We still have to rebound,” said Shores. “Everybody’s been trying to find their role now; everyone is in different positions coming into this year. I think we’ll be fine as long as everyone boxes out. We’re not super tall, but we can still get down and dirty and get rebounds.
Provost, who committed to Division I Holy Cross in October, averaged 20.9 points, 4.6 assists and 3.1 steals per game last season, when Shores was also among Lawrence’s top scorers. Both understand the need to take on a bigger role.
“It’s just part of our roles,” Provost said. “Each year we’ve had a different role, but I think that’s good for us.”
Lawrence is also making a shift in class, moving from A North to B North. Rival Cony will also be in B North, with Nokomis, Gardiner, Hermon, Old Town, Erskine Academy, Ellsworth, John Bapst, Waterville, Mt. Desert Island, Belfast and Presque Isle.
The Bulldogs will also face challengers from Class B South, starting with their opener Tuesday at home (6:30 p.m.) against Oceanside, a preseason favorite led by freshman standout Olivia Breen.
“It’s definitely different but it’s good competition, no matter who we play and in what class,” Provost said. “The fact that we know we’re going to have battles night in and night out is definitely going to help us get ready for the playoffs.”
