EDWARD LITTLE RED EDDIES
Coach: Scott Berube (third year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: A
Last year’s results: Girls: Sixth at KVAC championships, fifth at states. Boys: KVAC champions, fourth at states.
Returning athletes: Girls: Senior — Kaeyln Langlois; Junior — Anaya Egge; Sophomore — Maddie Ranger. Boys: Seniors — Brayden Bashaw (captain), Ethan Levesque (captain), Evan O’Donnell (captain); Juniors — Kai Thistle, Cooper Potvin, Joe Leblanc; Sophomores — Calvin Vincent, Ben Cuetara.
Key loss: Max Brann.
Promising newcomers: Girls: Sophomore — Clara Wilson; Freshmen — Ava Bowie, Lola Cunningham. Boys: Sophomore — Finn Kunas; Freshmen — Nathaniel Bigos-Lowe, Tanner Melanson, Ryan Manson, Carter Hill, Sawyer Shanaman.
Season outlook: The Red Eddies are continuing to grow in numbers and talent on both the boys and girls teams, and they have a balance of experienced racers and younger members. On the boys side, coach Scott Berube said there is a strong and experienced crew of upperclassmen, a strong group of sophomores and an eager group of freshman who will all contribute. Berube said the girls team will be strong contenders in both the conference and state championships. The boys team is focusing on “working together to achieve a common goal.”
GRAY-NEW GLOUCESTER PATRIOTS
Coach: Uel Gardner (second year); assistant: Craig Fessler (second year)
Conference: WMC; Class: B
Last year’s results: Girls: One top 10 finisher at WMCs and states. Boys: Class B state boys sportsmanship team award.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Ella Fesler (captain), Alana Harris, Olivia Knudsen; Junior — Ava Beaudin, Gus Pfeifle, Rylee Brooks; Sophomores — Emery Ouellette, Brayden “BC” Russell, Matt Ladd.
Season outlook: The Patriots are relying on Ava Beaudin — who placed seventh in the Class B giant slalom and eighth in the slalom last winter — for regular podium finishes this year, and on big improvements to the technical and competitive skills of its squads, coach Uel Gardner said. The focus this season is on learning to go fast and being personally responsible for outcomes on and off the hill.
LEAVITT HORNETS
Coach: Scott Berube (third year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: B
Last year’s results: Fourth place at KVACs, fifth place at states.
Returning athletes: Junior — Sophie Simard.
Key loss: Lily Anctil.
Promising newcomers: Freshman — Ava Twitchell.
Season outlook: This will be a rebuilding year for the Hornets, who race as their own team but again train with Edward Little due to the MPA not allowing co-ops this ski season. Ava Twitchell will be gaining varsity level experience as she waits for next year’s freshmen to make a scoring team. Sophie Simard will be chasing some lofty personal goals as a scholar athlete and a member of last year’s all-conference and all-state teams, Berube said. Both skiers are looking forward to a fun and exciting year.
MONMOUTH MUSTANGS
Coach: Ronn Gifford (20th year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B
Last year’s results: Girls: 15th-place individual finish in slalom and 24th in GS at state championships.
Returning athletes: Girls: Senior — June Foyt; Sophomore — Annabelle Carlton.
Promising newcomers: Freshman — Lillian Carlton.
Season outlook: The Monmouth girls, who train with Maranacook, should be a force this winter. Coach Ronn Gifford said Annabelle Carlton and June Foyt are looking to improve upon their outstanding seasons from last winter while moving up team standings this year with Lillian Carlton joining the team.
MOUNTAIN VALLEY FALCONS
Coach: Todd Papianou (eighth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B
Last year’s results: Top-two finishes in slalom and GS at the girls state.
Returning athletes: Girls: Senior — Jaden Boulanger; Sophomores — Lily Boulanger, Aubrey Farnum. Boys: Seniors — Joel Tardiff, Nate Gallant; Sophomore — Dexter Rice.
Promising newcomers: Cahlil Durant, Sawyer Durant.
Season outlook: The Falcons are excited for this season, fielding both a girls and boys teams that will be able to score as teams. Jaden and Lily Boulanger finished first and second in both state races last winter — Jaden winning the slalom title and Lily taking first the giant slalom. Papianou said the team is also excited to host the MVC championships and state meet at Black Mountain this year.
MT. ABRAM ROADRUNNERS
Coach: Leah Danala (eighth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B
Last year’s results: Boys: MVC conference champions.
Returning athletes: Senior — Trey Reed; Sophomores — Trevor Nichols, Addie Paul, Charlie Davenport.
Key losses: Graduated seven.
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — Cheyenne Allen, Lya Pepin, Caitlyn Doucette.
Season outlook: The Roadrunners are looking forward to a busy and exciting season with a young team that has a mixture of new and seasoned racers. The team has been working hard in the gym this fall and are eager to get out on the snow to start training.
MT. BLUE COUGARS
Coach: Mark Cyr (20th year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: A
Last year’s results: Girls: First at KVACs, second at states. Boys: Third at KVACs, fifth at states.
Returning athletes: Girls: Seniors — Katie Yeaton, Abbey Goodspeed; Juniors — Taylor Lancaster, Maddie Keller, Ashlyn Dailey. Boys: Senior — Trent Beadoin; Juniors — JJ Alexander, Brodie Farmer.
Key losses: Girls: Taylor Gordon, Molly Kearing, Vivian Cormier. Boys: Dylan Farmer.
Promising newcomers: Girls: Sophomore — Izzy Marcote. Boys: Finn Morton.
Season outlook: The girls team lost talented skiers but has added athletic newcomers. They have been putting in hard work in the offseason, hoping to hunt for conference and state titles again this season. The boys side lost key racers from last year to graduation and injuries. The team is hoping to come back stronger, despite these key losses, with hard work and a rigorous training regimen.
OXFORD HILLS VIKINGS
Coach: TBD
Conference: KVAC; Class: A
Last year’s results: Boys: Fourth in KVAC. Girls: Fourth in KVAC.
Returning athletes: Seniors — Saige Winslow, Jack Bessette, Ross Campbell; Juniors — Richard Dieterich, Gianna DeVivo; Sophomores — Caitrin Meagher, Alyson Cash, Samantha McPhail.
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — Elizabeth Wilkens, Mia Beauliey, Cooper Libby, Grady Miller, Chloe Bowen.
Season outlook: The Vikings are expecting great results from the returning skiers, especially the juniors and seniors. They are also hoping some of the newcomers will be able to contribute to the overall success of the program.
RANGELEY LAKERS
Coach: Jeff Hawksley (11th year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B
Last year’s results: Girls: Third and seventh place at states in slalom.
Returning athletes: Breezy Quimby, Natalie Stokes.
Key loss: Amelia Stokes.
Season outlook: Rangeley is in a rebuilding year and Hawksley said is a few years away from having full teams. Hawksley said he anticipates Quimby, who competed in the New England High School Championships last winter, and Stokes will be competitive in both the regular season and postseason this year.
SPRUCE MOUNTAIN PHOENIX
Coach: Leah Danala (eighth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B
Last year’s results: No team.
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — Ashley Nelson, Leah Welch, Cohen Pelkey, Owen Dunn.
Season outlook: Coach Leah Danala is excited about the Phoenix’s young group of freshmen skiers who are a mix of experienced and new skiers. Danala said everyone is working hard in the gym and looking forward to getting on the snow soon.
TELSTAR REBELS
Coach: Will Kline (first year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B
Last year’s results: No team.
Returning athlete: Junior — Jocelyn Nivus.
Promising newcomers: Junior — Lily Souther; Freshmen — Lucas Peterson, Carter Inman, Kaiden Manjourides.
Season outlook: After taking a season off, the Telstar Alpine team is back and ready to compete hard, coach Will Kline said. The Rebels, behind captains Jocelyn Nivus and Lily Souther, are hungry to make a statement this season. The team is young, with no seniors and comprised of freshman who Kline said punch above their grade level. The team is looking forward to beginning the process of coming into its own over the next few years.
WINTHROP RAMBLERS
Coach: Ronn Gifford (20th year)
Conference: MVC; Class: B
Last year’s results: Boys: Top-20 finishes in slalom and GS at MVC and state championships.
Returning athletes: Boys: Juniors — William Grant, Jaxon August.
Season outlook: Both Winthrop boys skiers are extremely hard workers, according to Maranacook coach Ronn Gifford, always looking for ways to improve and increase their speed. They will again train with Maranacook but will race as Winthrop.
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