New Lincoln Academy girls varsity lacrosse coach Will Bliss directs the first practice of the season on Monday, March 30 in Newcastle. (Mic LeBel photo)
Will Bliss, who assisted Mic LeBel for the past two seasons, is the new head coach for Lincoln Academy girls lacrosse team. LeBel coached the Lady Eagles for eight years.
Bliss lives and works on the Camp Kieve campus in Nobleboro. He is the associate Camp Kieve director and associate operations director for Kieve Wavus. Bliss also coached a season of boys lacrosse in 2021, but there were no games scheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
“I have not coached any other season of organized sport, but my experience as a teacher and summer camp director relate directly to my coaching,” Bliss said.
He played lacrosse from the time he was a toddler through high school. His father played collegiate lacrosse and coached throughout his childhood.
“I always had a lacrosse stick in my hand throughout the spring season and beyond,” Bliss said.
He played at The Millbrook School in Millbrook, N.Y. against some of the most successful prep programs in the country. He also played on the club team in college at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., where he majored in English with a minor in sports studies.
Bliss will be assisted by fellow Kieve Wavus staff Lily Casteen, Cloey McNichol, and Hank Bruininks.
Bliss said he is happy with his numbers this season with 28 girls out for the sport.
“We have a lot of depth in the freshman through junior class,” he said.
With just one senior, Ciara Stokes, the Lady Eagles field a relatively young team. Returning starters include Yzze Bhe, Samantha Kopp, Stokes, and Flannery Brady.
“The energy and vibe of this team is overwhelmingly positive this year,” Bliss said. “I think teamwork and confidence will be a great strength of the team. We have a lot of great young athletes who will improve on a steep curve this year, and I’m excited to see that happen. A strength will be the versatility of the scoring attack that we create.”
Bliss looks for Bhe, Kopp, Fauna Appell, and Charlotte Abello to lead the team and be impact players on offense and Stokes, Brady, and Laurelai Winslow on defense.
“Charlotte Abello has shown great improvement and I expect her to play a major role in the midfield this season,” Bliss said. “Samantha Kopp will lead the attack unit and has shown more confidence already. Yzze Bhe continues to improve and will play a huge role all over the field using her athleticism to make plays.”
Underclassmen who look to make an impact include returning sophomores Lily Coleman, Harper Farrell, and Georgia Griffith. Freshmen are showing promise include Alexis Bernier, Sarah Rushton, and Ava Larrabee Cotz.
With the graduation of all time leading scorer Mariam DeLisle, Lincoln looks to find scoring from multiple players this season.
“We’ll play with a win by committee mentality where any one player on offense could have a big game and be the leading goal scorer,” Bliss said.
“Obviously we will miss the production from (last year’s) seniors, however, I think the absence of those players will create room for our younger players to grow. I have already seen a boost in confidence, energy, and aggression in the junior class and the younger players will follow their lead as well. We will be dangerous from multiple positions this year, rather than relying on one or two players to carry the load of scoring and playmaking.”
The LA girls start off their season with what Bliss called a “big test” against Maranacook on Thursday, April 16 at 4 p.m. The Black Bears defeated the Eagles in the state Class C semifinals last year.
“We’d love some redemption but also won’t put too much stock into that result as it is the first game for both teams,” Bliss said.
Lincoln will finish its season with three home games and hopes to be in a favorable spot to finish the season strong heading into the playoffs, Bliss said.
“Lacrosse is a fun sport, it is meant to be fun. But winning is also fun,” he said. “My philosophy is to start with a foundational understanding of the fundamentals, and then to let the players use their athleticism and creativity to make plays. I want our team to play with joy, sportsmanship, and a love of competition that will make the season fulfilling no matter our record.”
Lincoln’s defensive structure will largely remain the same, with a conservative zone/man hybrid defense.
“We will be prepared to be aggressive when we need to be,” Bliss said. “We are lucky to have a strong goalie in Ciara Stokes, who will hold down the back end. We want to attack in transition, but also recognize the flow of the game and be able to possess the ball on offense to give our defense a break.”
The Eagles offensive structure will also largely remain the same.
“We want to be able to attack the defense in multiple ways,” Bliss said. “Dodging to score is important for an offense, but we also need to create scoring opportunities with quick and crisp ball movement. Sharing the ball and attacking from multiple angles will produce more goals and keep the defense on their heels.”
Bliss has lofty goals for his Lady Eagle team, with his ultimate goal to bring home a state championship to the hill.
“We have very high hopes for this season,” Bliss said.
