EDWARD LITTLE RED EDDIES
Coaches: Angie Jalbert (fifth year), Rick Smith (first year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: A
2019 results: Boys: sixth in KVAC, 18th in Class A; Girls: second in KVAC, ninth in Class A.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Ana Moreno, Paige Morgan, Princess Monday, Weston Hartley, Will Sampson; Juniors — Breya Whitman, Lilly Watkins, Abigail Faucher, Nathan (Dru) Hyndman.
Key losses: Girls: Olivia Jalbert, Julia Berube, Brihanna Swift, Emily Kramarz, Hanna Roy, Ella Boucher, Lindy Hyndman, Marley Powers, Johanna Corey; Boys: Ben Strong, Hunter Young, Viktor Tripp, Brent Fortin, Jake Jackson, Noah Morgan, Devin Smith, Finn Thistle.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Mubayan (Lambert) Kasangalla; Juniors — Tulebari Monday, Elijah Morgan; Sophomores — Makenna Drouin, Neviana Fogg, Gabrielle Brezovsky, Marin Peck, Emily Bell, Gavin Therriault, Cody Vincecruz; Freshmen — Leilani Mitchell, Fatuma Awil, Lylah Archembault.
Season outlook: Edward Little’s numbers are down on both the boys and girls teams this season, so scoring at championship meets will be tough, according to co-head coach Angie Jalbert. On the girls team, sophomore Makenna Drouin is poised to build off her successful freshman outdoor track and field season and be a top sprinter in the state. Breya Whitman also has potential to be a top KVAC jumper. Nathan Hyndman will be a jumper to watch on the boys team.
GRAY-NEW GLOUCESTER PATRIOTS
Coaches: Mike Griffin (eighth year), Todd Mercer (18th year)
Conference: WMC; Class: B
Returning athletes: Seniors — Cam Hargreaves, Max MacCallum, Seb Leighton, Ryland Moore, Morgan Curtis (jumps); Juniors — Joe Burgess, Lorenza Piper (shot put), Lexi Hutchings (shot put), Emma Hutchings (shot put).
Promising newcomers: Sophomores — Ella Brown (sprints), Maisie Lerette (shot put), Kylie Thibodeau (sprints), Trevor Amos, Braeden Chute, Preston Gerry, Thomas Ladd, Curtis Lang, Wyatt MacLean, Tony Reiling, Phil Soule; Freshmen — Cole Frey, Gavin Gerry, Connor Hughes, Samuel Klosenski, Cameron Meek, Cole Ouellette, Cole Thibodeau.
Season outlook: Gray-New Gloucester will rely on its throwers to lead the rest of the team this winter, according to coaches Mike Griffin and Todd Mercer. Lorenza Piper finished in second place in the shot put and the discus at the 2021 Class B outdoor state meet, while Lexi Hutchings, Max MacCallum and Seb Leighton all are state meet qualifiers in the shot put.
LEAVITT HORNETS
Coach: Jamie Juntura (10th year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: B
Returning athletes: Seniors — Jack Boutaugh, Reeve Twitchell, Josh Chretian, Jacob Wilcox, Blaine Shaw, Manuel Driscoll, Jon Schomaker; Junior — Emma Couturier.
Key losses: Blaine Clark, Margo Kenyon.
Promising newcomers: Senior — Robert Oliver; Juniors — Natalie Poulin, Lilly Chabot, Desmond Corey-Young; Sophomores — Maddox Demers, Logan Berube, Cole Johanson, Drake Bartley, Nola Boutaugh, Lindsey Bates, Sarae Fish, Rakia Pierre; Freshmen — Stephen Pierre, Noah Gibbs, Landon Myers, Kaden James Aiden Lavesque, Olivea Miller, Carmin Libby.
Season outlook: While the girls team is small, coach Jamie Juntura said it is mighty. “There is a lot of new talent on the team and the girls have already shown they are ready to work hard to accomplish their season goals,” Juntura added. Serae Fish finished in second place in the high jump in the team’s first meet of the season. On the boys side, the senior-laden team is looking to have a successful season. The Hornets have football linemen Jack Boutaugh, Reeve Twitchell and Josh Chretian throwing shot put, and Chretian finished second in the shot in the team’s first meet. “The underclassmen are having a great start to their indoor career and should make a splash in competitions throughout the season,” Juntura said.
LEWISTON BLUE DEVILS
Coach: Steve Virgilio (third year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: A
2019 results: Boys: first in KVAC, seventh in Class A; Girls: third in KVAC, 10th in Class A.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Abdirizak Abukar (sprints), Josh Brito (sprints), Prince Likibi (sprints, jumps), Jabreel Muhammad-Aceto (hurdles, jumps), Ari Santana (sprints, jumps), Amelia Wedderburn (sprints, jumps); Juniors — Feysal Abdirahaman (middle distance), Adam Bilodeau (hurdles, jumps), Farid Muhammad-Aceto (sprints, shot put), Deston Rogers (sprints), Julien Turmenne (middle distance).
Key losses: Alem Vassell (sprints), Bryce DuFour (middle distance), Sydney Roy (shot put).
Promising newcomers: Seniors — Raimundo Lubota (sprints, shot put), Wayne Shaw (shot put), Aydrianna Bowman (jumps, shot put), Lexi Freeman (hurdles, pole vault, sprints); Junior — Danny Zhang (middle distance); Sophomores — Zawadi Debola (middle distance), Naisha Francisco (sprints, jumps); Freshmen — Somana Hassan (middle distance), Jenni Flynn (sprints, jumps), Ryker Paradis (shot put), Marissa Beaulieu (middle distance).
Season outlook: Lewiston head coach Steve Virgilio said that the Blue Devils’ boys and girls teams should be “Competitive at the KVAC and championship levels.” On the girls side, Lewiston has many newcomers that Virgilio said could “emerge in the top-10 at the state level,” including Amelia Wedderburn, who is a top jumper and sprinter in the KVAC. On the boys team, Virgilio thinks depth will help the Blue Devils compete at the state level. Jabreel Muhammad-Aceto is a top hurdler and jumper in Class A, while Farid Muhammad-Aceto is a top thrower and sprinter.
POLAND KNIGHTS
Coach: Laurie Gaudreau (second year)
Conference: WMC; Class: B
Returning athletes: Seniors — Domenic Antonelli, Tory Davis, Riley Day, Lucas Frechette, Ellen Marquis-Boutin, Arianna Miller, Evelyn Miller, Tyler Robbins, Trinity Sands, Emma Turkington, Jake Twigg, Christian Vachon; Juniors — Nick Garry, Nolan Garry, Lagan O’Driscoll; Sophomores — Abby Hamilton-Borkowski, Dodge Lafrinea, Cadyn Langlois, Jonathan McNally, Alerick Sands.
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — Brianna Corriveau, Autumn Demelia, Jason Garneau, Connor Neal, Nolan O’Driscoll.
Season outlook: Second-year head coach Laurie Gaudreau is focusing on the positives this winter. “The focus for (our) season is not what they can’t do, but what they can,” Gaudreau said. “This is a team that focuses on their strengths and will build upon them. Without the availability to practice at an indoor facility twice a week, many events like long jump, triple jump, etc., will not be at the same advantage as the running and throwing events.” Ellen Marquis-Boutin should be a point scorer at the championship meets in the girls sprints and jumps, while Jake Twigg should score points in the boys distance events.
ST. DOM’S/LISBON/OAK HILL/WINTHROP
Coach: Tyler Shennett (first year)
Conference: WMC; Class: B
Returning athletes: Seniors — Hunter Burkhardt, Darien Davis, Sydney Dick; Juniors — Matt Homan, Abbie Mitchell, Chloe Whited, Aidan Laviolette.
Key losses: Liam Levasseur, Owen Mitchell, Sarah Brown, James Cognata.
Promising newcomers: Seniors — Autumn Gerry, Joshua Gosselin; Junior — Kiana Goldberg; Sophomores — Emmet Mooney, Cadence White; Freshman — Jack Gilpatric, Aiden Walling.
Season outlook: The co-op between St. Dom’s, Lisbon, Oak Hill and Winthrop is replacing a lot of athletes from the indoor track season two years ago. With first-year head coach Tyler Shennett at the helm, with the help of assistant Dan Campbell, the team hopes to continue its success in the distance events. “Two years ago, the last indoor season, we had the boys state title-winning 4×800 team, and with new acquisitions and exciting prospects the distance team is hoping to retain the title,” Shennett said. “Hunter Burkhardt and Joshua Gosselin will be two of our top distance runners and we have high hopes for them this season.”
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