Defending champ Dexter has new look with three freshman starters

DEXTER — The Dexter Regional High School girls basketball team has a new look this season.

It is a building year for the defending Class C North titlists, who wound up 16-7 a year ago.

Six-foot center Megan Peach, a 1,000-point scorer who dominated the paint during her exemplary career, has taken her talents to Bangor’s Husson University. Productive guards Abby Webber and Ashley Reynolds and resourceful forward Kayli Cunningham have also departed.

That has left coach Jody Grant with just two returnees with noteworthy experience in 5-4 guard Kaitlyn Webber, Abby’s sister, and 5-10 forward Becca Batron, who were part-time starters a year ago.

So Grant has found himself starting three freshmen along with Batron and Webber: 5-4 guards Peyton Grant, Cheyenne Beem and Avery Herrick.

And they have been getting the job done.

Dexter won five of the team’s first six games. The Tigers’ only loss came at Central of Corinth, which went 14-6 in Class B a year ago and lost to Class B North finalist Foxcroft Academy 52-44 in the quarterfinals.

Grant, the coach’s daughter, has been a prolific scorer with several 20-point games already this season. She can score both outside and inside.

“Peyton has played real well and Avery and Cheyenne are both versatile,” said Jody Grant. “They can play inside or outside. They do a lot of things for us.”

Grant, Herrick and Beem are already battle-tested thanks to their exploits this fall.

Grant and Herrick helped lead Dexter’s 12-5 soccer team to a berth in the regional final, where the Tigers lost to eventual state champ Houlton 4-2. Grant and Herrick scored the goals in Dexter’s 2-1 semifinal win over Central and Herrick scored again in the 4-2 loss to Houlton.

Beem started for the Tigers’ 13-3 field hockey team that reached the regional semifinals where it was beaten by Winthrop 2-1 in overtime.

“The freshmen have definitely stepped up and helped us a lot (already). And they’re going to improve,” said Webber, who along with Batron was also an integral part of the field hockey team.

“This is going to be a completely different experience for us,” said Jody Grant. “We’re going to work really hard and get better. Hopefully, through the course of 18 games, those freshmen are going to have to grow up.

“I expect to see a lot of growth out of those kids,” Grant added.

He pointed out that last year’s seniors had four years of practices and games under their belts while his current freshmen have six games and around 20 practices.

“There’s no substitute for (experience),” said Grant. “It’s going to take some time. We’ll see what happens.”

Batron will provide the Tigers with an inside presence and Webber is a multi-purpose guard who guards the best scorer on the opposing team.

Juniors Addyson Herrick, Danielle Cummings and Kaylee Deering are among those who will provide depth off the bench.

“We’ve had really good defensive players in the past,” said Webber. “My sister played a really big part on defense. We have to fill those spots as well as (Peach’s) offense. I think our shooters with Peyton and Avery and all the other ones will fill in for Megan’s shooting. I think they will definitely fill in for the seniors we lost last year.”