Dirigo Cougars
Coach: Butch Mckenna (second year)
Class: C; Conference: MVC
Last year’s results: 10-0 in regular season; won MVC championship, fifth at state championships).
Returning players: Seniors —Sam Holmes, Chandler Redmond, Wyatt Lufkin, Nolan Degroot; Sophomore — Sam Skibitsky
Key losses: Jacob Gaudin.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Nate Child; Sophomore — Jacob Chow; Freshmen — Wyatt Smith, Dillon Wright.
What to expect: With the loss of Jacob Gaudin the Cougars will need someone to step up and fill in as the team leader. Skibitsky has the potential to be just that person. With the returning experience from last year’s fifth-place finish at the state championship, they should have a good season.
Edward Little Red Eddies
Coach: Chris Merrill (fifth year)
Class: A; Conference: KVAC
Last year’s results: 11th at the state championships.
Returning players: Seniors — Ben Cassidy, Aaron Perkins; Sophomores — Will Cassidy, Colin Merritt, Nate McBride.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Ethan Brown.
What to expect: The Red Eddies return five of their top six from last year’s team that qualified for the state championship. They look to again qualify for states and improve on their showing from last year.
Gray-New Gloucester Patriots
Coach: Jason Ouellette (first year)
Class: B; Conference: WMC
Returning players: Seniors — Cameron Andrews, Campbell Macomber, Josh Magno, Carson McEvoy.
Promising newcomers: Seniors — Cooper Winslow, Zach Pomerleau; Sophomore — Albert Doughty.
What to expect: The Patriots have a nice mix of veterans and newcomers. Led by seniors Campbell “Soup” Macomber and Josh Magno, Gray-New Gloucester has its sights set on qualifying for the state championship tournament as a team. The Patriots also hope to see several members play in the individual state championship.
Leavitt Hornets
Coach: Harry Haylock (first year)
Class: A; Conference: KVAC.
Promising newcomers: Juniors — Eli Lind, Steven Parshall; Sophomore — Morghan Dutil; Freshman — Ruby Haylock.
What to expect: Leavitt’s golf team returns after a four-year hiatus, and Harry Haylock, who had been with the team from 2000-2013, returns as head coach. The Hornets’ plan is to have fun and support and challenge each other. They want to demonstrate consistent improvement in skill level, course management and understanding the 34 rules. If they meet expectations in these four areas, Haylock will consider the season a success. The team will rely heavily on scoring from Morghan Dutil and Ruby Haylock.
Lewiston Blue Devils
Coach: Tom LeBlond
Class: A; Conference: KVAC
Last year’s record: 5-3
Returning players: Junior — Ryan Pomerleau; Sophomore — Parker Thibault.
Key losses: Alex Robert, Stephanie Rodrigue, Evan Cox, Cam Dionne.
Promising newcomers: Sophomores — Mason Beaudoin, Bryce Dufour, Nick Pomerleau.
What to expect: The Blue Devils will need to replace four golfers from last year’s squad, but will be a young and determined team that will be led by Thibault in the top spot and Pomerleau playing in the second spot. Competition for the remaining four slots will be spirited and will determine if the Devils can make a run in October.
Monmouth Academy Mustangs
Coach: Don Flanagan (first year)
Class: C; Conference: MVC
Last year’s results: Eighth-place finish at the Class C team tournament.
Returning players: Seniors — Trevor Flanagan, Joe Arps; Juniors — Ryan Burnham, Matthew Fortin; Sophomore — Abby Flanagan.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Spencer Richardson; Freshmen — Casey Kaplan, Andrea McDonald.
What to expect: The Mustangs return everyone from last year’s team that qualified for the state championship and are looking to improve upon their eighth-place finish. Playing as a stand-alone program after playing in a cooperative agreement with Winthrop for the past few years, Monmouth is excited to be able to compete for the MVC championship. The experience gained the past few years should help make Monmouth Academy a contender in the MVC with a good chance to return to the state championship.
Mountain Valley Falcons
Coach:? Adam Curato (fifth year)
Conference:? MVC; Class:? B
Last year record: ?3-7
Returning players:? Seniors — Montana Averill, Jacob Bellegarde, Aaron Cameron, Cam Godbois; Sophmores — Levon Mickeriz, Dalton Pingree, Colby Volkernick, EJ Weston.
Key losses?: Luke Beaudoin.
Promising newcomers:? Sophomore — Jack Jamison; Freshmen — Ian Cameron, Logan Cote, Jacob Cunningham, Egan Roy, Xavier Surrette.
Season outlook:? Mountain Valley has the largest team it has had in recent memory. With four returning seniors and five freshmen, the Falcons have a great balance of players who are knowledgeable about the game and those who are eager to learn it. The top five golfers have consistently played for the past four years and Curato expects that their scores will greatly improve throughout the season.
Mt. Blue Cougars
Coach: Mark Cyr (10th year)
Promising newcomers: Juniors — Preston Ross, Gabe Robinson, Lord Casey, Evan Stone, Jack Cushman, Aubrey Barrett; Sophomore — Nick Fraser; Freshmen — Isabelle Fifield, Ryan Keaton, Reese Keaton
What to expect: The team is made up of all new players because it did not have enough players last year to justify having a team. The Couigars will play a JV schedule this year since all of the players are new to golf competition. Cyr said he is trying to keep them interested and having fun. The hope is that the Cougars can win a few matches to show the players they can be successful. Now the players are learning the rules of game and some of the skills needed to be successful.
Oxford Hills Vikings
Coach: Ben Goodall (first year)
Class: A Conference: KVAC
Returning players: Seniors — Anthony Michaud, Connor Ward; Junior — Connor Dailey.
Key losses: Emery Chickering.
Promising newcomers: Juniors — Rodney Bean, Wyat Bryant.
What to expect: The Vikings are a young team with a lot of promise. They may not have that one player who’s going to go out and shoot even at some of the tougher courses they play, but Goodall said every player will compete hard. The seniors will lead the team in matches, and if a few of the younger players develop a little consistency the Vikings could be tough to beat.
Poland Knights
Coach: Greggory Rose (fourth year)
Class: B; Conference: WMC
Last years record: 2-8
Returning athletes: Seniors — Matt Ray, Trent Vaillancourt; Junior — Justin Jarvis; Sophomore — Chris Tiner.
Key losses: Garrett Goss, Ivan Sheloske
Promising newcomers: Max Arel, Colby Bell, Trent Letourneau, Dylan Sellinger.
What to expect: With four of their top six players back and a crop of promising newcomers, the Knights are looking to improve on last year’s record in a tough Western Maine Conference. They should have a successful season if their returning players play to their potential and help foster the growth of the newcomers.
Rangeley Lakers
Coach: Timothy Straub (13th year)
Class: C; Conference: East-West
Last year’s results: Second place in East-West conference.
Returning players: Senior — Callahan Crosby; Sophomore — Will Brey.
Promising newcomers: Junior — Ian Lillis; Sophomore — Luke Beaulieu; Freshman — Lily Lavallee; Eighth-grader — Trevor Dolbier.
What to expect: Crosby made it to the Class C individual state tournament last year, and his prospects look good to return in 2018. Brey, meanwhile, was a conference all-star, and Straub hopes he can bring his game to another level this season. The team is shaping up to have another solid performance this year.
Spruce Mountain Phoenix
Coach: Dianne Fenlason (fifth year)
Class: B; Conference: MVC
Last year’s results: 7-3, qualified for the state championship.
Returning players: Seniors — Haley Turcotte; Juniors — Dylan Gordon, Scott Jackson; Sophomores — Madeline Labonte, Hannah Coates.
Key losses: Shane Pelletier, Halie Perkins.
Promising newcomers: Sophomores — Sara Henderson, Drew Delaney; Freshman — Matthew Fenlason.
What to expect: Spruce Mountain is fielding a young team this year. The Phoenix have moved to Turner Highlands as their new home course, which is much more difficult than Maple Lane, so course management will be key, according to Fenlason. Turcotte and Gordon come in with the most experience and skill. Fenlason expects to see great improvement in all the new players as the season progresses.
St. Dominic Academy Saints
Coach: Chris Whitney (first year)
Class: C; Conference: WMC
Returning players: Senior — Valerie Doucette (Lisbon); Junior — Demetri Gammaitoni; Sophomore — Neil LaRochelle (Lisbon).
Key losses: Markella Gammaitoni, Janelle Bryant, Adam White, Austin Richard-Benda, Matthew Roser, Matthew McLean.
Promising newcomers: Junior — Will Fletcher; Sophomores — Noah Pratt, Emma Skolfield.
What to expect: With only one senior, this is a younger team than St. Dom’s has had in recent years. The team comes in with the ability to compete, but the Saints’ best attribute, according to Whitney, is their work ethic — they practice hard until it’s time to go home. Whitney said that he expects the team to get better and better as the season goes on.
Winthrop Ramblers
Coach: Lonney Steeves (10th year)
Class: C; Conference: MVC
Returning players: Seniors— Jackson Ladd, Ben Thomas; Juniors — Brad Bourne, Cam Hachey, Jake Carter, Zach Pray; Sophomore — Nathan Miller.
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — Nathan Hachey, Cam Hurd.
What to expect: With everyone returning from last year the Ramblers have high expectations, but realize they have a long way to go to catch up to the top teams in the MVC and Class C. They hope to be in the top half of the league and have a chance to qualifiy for states.
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