If the mild summer weather wasn't enough to make you smile, this year's Boothbay football team has about 30 more reasons. The 2025 season marks Boothbay's seventh in 8-man football, and this year's roster has a remarkable 30 players and counting. On Aug. 28, the Seahawks had 28 players participating in unpadded practice prior to the team's Aug. 29 scrimmage in Yarmouth, and Coach Ed Crocker estimated two or three more would likely begin participation next week.

After years of scrambling to field enough players for a season, Crocker was surprised with a bonanza of players who arrived to begin pre-season workouts Aug. 18. 

"First of all, I'm a little shocked. I thought we might have 12-15 this season," Crocker said. "We have 10 who have never played before and several more who returned to the program after a year or two away, but this is a great way to start what we think will be a successful season."

One player who is definitely not new to the football program is senior Keegan Murray. He has played organized school football for well over a decade. This is his fourth season playing for Crocker and is extremely glad to see such a large roster. "I've been playing football since kindergarten, and honestly, it's more like family to me than a team," he said. "It's great to have so many players on the team, and it really looks like we are going to have a great season."

Murray is the starting offensive center. He is part of a group with big and strong linemen which Crocker points to as the team's strength. Another is sophomore Rick Wyatt, an estimated 6-foot-plus, 275-pound lineman who along with Murray will anchor a possible imposing offensive line. The biggest beneficiary of the offensive line may be senior Griffin Yereance, a senior running back and defensive end who made conditioning a priority to start his senior season.

"This summer a friend of mine and I decided to lift five days a week. No days off," he said. "I've put the work in and am looking forward to a great season."

On defense, sophomore Shawn Gamage will move from the backfield to linebacker. "He is one of our biggest hitters. Shawn is big and has excellent tackling form," Crocker said.

With a large roster, Crocker expects to have fewer two-way players than in past seasons. "We have several players who could definitely play on both sides of the ball, and, they will. But not as much as in the past," he said.

Running the offense is quarterback Miles Murray, who Crocker described as a "smart kid, who moves well with a decent arm and can connect consistently with receivers 10-15 yards down field with a solid good ball." Boothbay also has a couple of tall, fast athletic targets for Murray. New players Aiden Locke and Will Sledge will play tight end. "These guys are tall and fast. So they will contribute as receivers and run blockers."

Boothbay opens the season at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6 in Bethel against Telstar, a rival which dates back to their 11-man football days. Boothbay won last year's match-up at home, but Crocker cautions games in western Maine often prove difficult. "Their program gets better and better and when we go there, they play us tough," he said.

Crocker expects his team to play competitive match-ups in all seven games.