Two years ago, 6-foot-2 Cordelia Stewart and 6-1 Mary Butler led the Bangor High School girls basketball team to a 17-5 record and their first Eastern Maine Class A championship since 1982.
Stewart sat out last season after having knee surgery, and the Rams went 6-12 and failed to make the tournament.
Stewart is healthy and will join Butler and other returnees like Katie Butler, Mary’s sister, Emily Gilmore and Sarah Bragg to try to return the Rams to the top of the Heal points standings.
The Rams have a new coach in girls soccer coach Joe Johnson, who is replacing Katie Herbine.
Herbine left after posting a 43-36 record in four seasons and guiding the Rams to that EM title.
Winter sports teams began practice on Monday and Stewart was excited to be back on the court.
“We got just about everybody back from last year, and I’m back and ready to go. I think it will be a successful season,” she said.
Stewart had an exceptional sophomore year.
She led the Rams in points (16 per game), rebounds (11) and blocked shots (4) and was selected the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern Maine Class A Tournament.
Butler averaged 13.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, two steals and two blocked shots in 2012-13 and was chosen for the Bangor Daily News’ All-Maine Third Team.
The Brown University-bound Butler averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds a year ago and was an All-Maine honorable mention.
“Last year didn’t end up the way we wanted it to, so we’re motivated this year. We’ve got Cordelia back and we’re focused and ready to start a good season,” said Butler. “We have a year of experience under our belts and we have some young kids coming in who will contribute.
“We have all the building blocks we need to have a good season. Now we need to work hard and execute,” added Butler.
There was definitely a void on the court left by Stewart’s absence last season, according to Butler.
“She’s everywhere on the court. She’s a soothing presence to have out there. We missed her a lot offensively and defensively,” said Butler. “She was such a leader on and off the court even though she couldn’t play. Having her being able to play with us is that much better.”
Butler said they aren’t going to dwell on the 2013-14 season.
“We’re going to wipe the slate clean and come in with a positive mindset,” she said.
Stewart and Butler have played soccer for Johnson, who is the varsity girls coach, and they feel he is a good choice to lead the Rams.
They pointed out that he was an assistant coach under highly regarded Bangor High School boys coach Roger Reed for 14 years and has a lot of basketball experience.
The 50-year-old Johnson — who has guided the soccer team to a 78-6-4 record over the past five seasons, four EM championships and one state crown — is looking forward to the challenge.
“Everything is up for grabs,” said Johnson, who also spent a year as an assistant coach under Reed’s successor, Ed Kohtala, and admitted their will be a learning process for him and the players.
“We certainly had a good summer [league]. I know what some of their capabilities are,” he added. “I’m just going to start from scratch. I’m going to assess the talent and work ethic and go from there.”
Bangor opens its season at Lewiston on Friday, Dec. 5, and its home opener is against Hampden Academy the following Tuesday.