Oxford Hills’ Cecelia Dieterich attacks the hoop against the defense of Lewiston’s Madeline Foster during a Class AA North quarterfinal in Paris in February. Brewster Burns photo
Coming off of a Class AA state title win, Oxford Hills is back for more.
The Vikings lost two post players, Jadah Adams and Bailey Whitney, but unfortunately for the rest of Class AA, they bring back everyone else. That includes Julia Colby, who scored 34 in the AA title game against Scarborough, as well as backcourt mates Cecelia Dieterich and Cassidy Dumont and a host of athletic wings.
Edward Little lost two of its top scorers in Grace Fontaine and Jade Perry, but Hannah Chaput and Chantel Ouellette have the experience and skill to keep the Red Eddies in the playoff hunt. Lewiston’s Emily Strachan was one of the AA’s big surprises last winter as she showed she’s a bona fide scorer. Myah Nicolas tore her ACL and is out for the season, a year after twin Jamyah missed the 2018-19 due to injury, but the young Blue Devils are on track to improve on this season.
In AA South, Scarborough lost Julia Freeman to a torn ACL right before the season, which might impact its title chances. However, the Red Storm return the majority of its state runner-up team last winter and should be a force again in the playoffs. South Portland should also be a player in the South.
CLASS A SOUTH
Suddenly, Class A might be one of the more compelling classes in Maine. Greely enters the season riding a 38-game win streak, including the last two A titles, but it has a new competitor this season.
Gray-New Gloucester has been moved up to A South this season after winning its second Class B state championship in three years. The Patriots lost all-state guard Bri Jordan but bring back Jordan Grant, a tremendous forward on both sides of the ball, as well as weapons such as Eliza Hotham. While Greely is still the favorite, the Rangers did lose Anna DeWolfe to graduation. Kennebunk should also be a contender in A South.
The Leavitt Hornets return several pieces and will try to improve upon last season’s five wins and return to the postseason.
CLASS A NORTH
Skowhegan and Hampden Academy will likely be atop the conference once again, and Mt. Blue senior standout Lexi Mittelstadt will try to lead the Cougars to the playoffs for the first time in her career
Mittelstadt, who signed to play at the University of Maine, is one of the top individual scorers in the conference who has a shot to surpass 1,000 points this year. If she can maintain her scoring and the Cougars can put it together at both ends of the floor, they might just find their way to the postseason.
CLASS B SOUTH
B South is jam-packed with contenders. Oak Hill finished the regular season as the top seed in B South last winter but has lost Abby Nadeau to graduation. Coach Mike Labonte is hoping veteran Raiders will step up into leadership roles. Rylee Sevigny and company look to lead Mountain Valley deep into the playoffs this year after early exits the previous two seasons, while Poland and Lisbon hope to scrap their ways into the postseason. The Greyhounds will be boosted by the return of guard Giana Russo from an injury that forced her to miss all of 2018-19.
CLASS C SOUTH
St. Dom’s returns all but two players from an 11-7 regular season and a postseason victory over Buckfield in 2018-19. After playing eventual state champion fairly close, the Saints, led by the likes of Mia-Angelina Leslie and Becca Zimmerman, will try to advance deep into the playoffs this season.
Boothbay star Faith Blethen has graduated, leaving a possible opening at the top of C South. Look for Winthrop behind seniors Aaliyah WilsonFalcone and Jillian Schmelzer to again be one the region’s best.
Mt. Abram lost Summer Ross to graduation and Monmouth is on its third head coach in three years, so both will be searching for their identities.
CLASS D SOUTH
After 25 years, Heidi Deery has stepped down from her head coach position of the Rangeley Lakers, having led the program to more than 400 wins and three state title. Brittany DiPompo has taken over and should be able to pick right up from where Deery left off thanks to veterans Olivia Pye (12 points, six rebounds per game) and Lauren Eastlack (nine points, four steals a game) and a bevy of younger talent.
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