Fourth year head coach Bryan Dionne is a very happy man as he prepares the Boothbay Region High School Seahawks for the 2013 football season. With over 40 kids in the program, things are looking up after years of trying to get enough players to scrimmage as a team.

“It is so exciting that we have so many kids,” Dionne said. “We are running out of jerseys and helmets; we have 14 freshmen. Isn't that incredible? To have the depth just makes you so feel better.”

The Seahawks return to Class D under the new realignment put forth as the state goes back to four classes in football. However, the opponents are very familiar as everyone in the lower classes just got pushed down while the larger Class A schools were put in what should have been called AA. The larger former Class B schools were paired with the smaller Class A schools.

Class D West includes by enrollment: Oak Hill (427), Lisbon (416), Maranacook (400), Sacopee Valley (399), Dirigo (330), Traip Academy (273), Old Orchard Beach (268), Telstar (243), Winthrop (223) and Boothbay Region (217), the second smallest school in the state playing football.

The Seahawks were in Class D up until reclassification before the 1987 season. While in Class C, the Seahawks won four Western Maine championships and two state championships in 2001 and 2002.

The 2013 version will be led by some experienced seniors in Shawn Simmons, Tony Hammond, Jude Alamo, Jason Maddocks, along with juniors Nick Kilgus, Antonio Maulolo and Julian Aponte.

The season gets underway on Friday as the Seahawks travel to Sacopee Valley for a 7 p.m. game, before returning home on September 13 to host Telstar.