With expectations high, the 2014-2015 edition of the Boothbay Region Seahawks boys basketball team is set to get the regular season underway on Friday, Dec. 5 when they host the Dirigo Cougars.

Under the direction of long-time head coach I.J. Piinkham, this club looks to put the past behind them and look to the future after a unfulfilled ending to last season, where after finishing the regular season with a 16-2 record that was good enough for the number two seed going into the tournament, six players were suspended from the team for violations of the school's substance abuse policy.

With plenty of experience returning, the Seahawks are, as usual, one of the top teams in Class C as they embark upon the regular season in the Mountain Valley Conference, which has lost another school as Spruce Mountain as moved to the KVAC.

Four-year starter John Hepburn will be looked at to fill a leadership role along with the remaining seniors on the squad, Evan Hepburn, Aaron Dickinson, Julian Aponte, Nick Kilgus, Joseph DiMauro, Nick Burge and Andrew Blackman.

Juniors Nick Gorey and Abel Bryer are second-year varsity players, with Matthew Burnham and Daniel Drummond rounding out the junior class. Jacob Leonard saw varsity action late last year and could make big contributions as a sophomore.

The opening night contest against Dirigo should be a big test for the Seahawks as the Cougars finished with the one seed a year ago and again look to provide some of the toughest competition. Unlike recent years, the Seahawks and Cougars will be playing twice in the regular season.