By Marc Thaler
Staff Writer

SERIOUS SENIORS – Bill Clarke (left) and Ben Glover are this year’s senior co-captains for John Stark. The duo plan on a repeat trip to the Class I playoffs, but are working toward a different ending this time around. (Marc Thaler Photo)

WEARE – State finalists a season ago in Class I boys basketball, the John Stark Generals would certainly love to make a second consecutive trip to the championship round – this time topping off the trek with a title.

That said, there’s something else on the Generals’ collective 2004-05 agenda they are anxious to accomplish, and it doesn’t require receiving a postseason berth.

“We don’t like that teams think we’re going to be a pushover this season without (Nick) Drouin,” said senior co-captain Ben Glover, referring to the departure of Stark’s standout player from last winter.

“Teams probably think we’re underskilled,” added senior co-captain Bill Clarke. “When Drouin left, we lost a scorer who gave us 20 points a game. It’ll be good to see how we play when teams come in thinking they’re gonna win.”

Entering their fourth Class I game of the season at home against Bow on Tuesday, Jan. 4, the Generals were 2-1 – one two-point loss away from completing the ’04 portion of their schedule 3-0.

“We were actually one three-point shot away,” said Stark head coach Mike Smith of his team’s season-opening 67-65 loss at Coe-Brown Academy, the team JS beat in the Final Four last year. “We were up 65-64 when they hit a three with seven seconds to go.”

Following that tough start on Dec. 15, Stark rebounded nicely, knocking off Merrimack Valley on the road, 66-32, then opening up at home with a 68-55 win against defending state champion Souhegan of Amherst.

The Generals then rolled into the holiday break and went 3-0 to take the “White Division” of the exhibition tournament at Keene State University.

“That tournament reinforced a lot of the things we need to do to be successful this year,” Smith said the night before his boys welcomed Bow to town for a battle of 2-1 teams. “It was also great for allowing the younger guys to get some playing time to give them some opportunities to show what they can do.”

In the Generals’first six contests, including the three tourney games, Stark had 10 different players score a minimum of eight points.

Scoring aside, Smith said he was most impressed with the Generals’ depth coming off the bench. In addition to welcoming seven new players to the mix, the 2004-05 edition returns six key contributors – Clarke, Glover, Kyle Arsenault, Allen Davis, Nick Dixon and Brandon Montplaisir.

“We know we don’t have the big guys inside to force bad shots,” Glover said. “But having a deep bench full of guys with equal skill level really makes things competitive in practice and keeps us going.”

According to the head coach, this year’s JS squad plays at a faster pace offensively and is more aggressive on the defensive end than the group which played for last year’s championship.

Stark realizes it doesn’t have as much height on the roster as it once did – a major reason the boys’style of play is now quicker and relies on creating defensive pressure.

There’s one other significant piece to the John Stark game plan.

“Defensive rebounding,” Clarke said of a major key to the Generals remaining competitive in Class I. “We want to keep teams to one shot per possession because we know we can score.”

“These guys came in with the attitude that they got close last year,” Smith said. “And close wasn’t good enough. They returned and they weren’t excited about how they played in the championship game. Last year’s seniors cast a pretty big shadow, but this group wants to prove they can do it on their own.”