GIRLS

1. Yarmouth: The quest for a seventh straight Class B Nordic state title is made more challenging by the loss (to Switzerland for a year) of junior Sophia Laukli, but seniors Grace Cowles, Gretchen Barbera and Abby Condon and junior Hannah Corey lead a deep squad that welcomes an influx of young talent. On the Alpine side, new coach Gavin Glider takes over a team of 12 – led by veterans Greta Elder and Hannah Van Alstine – that won giant slalom but failed to score in slalom at the state meet.

2. Falmouth: After two years as overall Class A champion, Falmouth won the Alpine title last winter and was runner-up to Mt. Blue in Nordic. Senior Audrey Morin, junior Caroline Keller and sophomore Olivia DeWolf return to Alpine and are joined by two new juniors and two freshmen. For Nordic, seniors Gabby Farrell (defending freestyle champ) and her cousin, Juliana Baranowski, return along with junior Meghan Cantlin, but with only two other skiers, both freshmen, depth will be a challenge.

3. Maine Coast Waldorf: Seniors Fiona Libby and Ava Haag, juniors Olivia Skillings and Louise Ahearne and sophomore Wilson Haims are joined by a sizable group of freshmen, including Caitlin Keliher. The small school based at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester is seeking a seventh consecutive Class C Nordic title.

4. Cape Elizabeth: After winning consecutive Class B Alpine titles, the Capers moved up to Class A and finished a distant second behind Falmouth. Seniors Caroline Paclat and Kinnon McGrath and sophomores Tori McGrath and Morgan Stewart return, and freshmen Piper Strunk and Allie Lynch show promise. The Nordic squad is all freshmen.

5. Deering: The Rams have no Alpine squad, but they return the bulk of a Nordic contingent that placed third out of 10 schools in Class A, only six points behind runner-up Falmouth. Leinani Farnsworth (trained with Outdoor Sports Institute), Ewa Varney, Violet Sulka-Hewes and Grace Callahan lead a strong senior class supplemented by junior Morgan Aponte-Clark and sophomore Grace Tumavicus.

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BOYS

1. Freeport: The defending Class B Nordic champions appear poised to repeat, thanks to a formidable senior class led by Bennett Hight, Yacob Olins and Kyle Dorsey. John Smail completes a quartet that finished among the top 10 in classical. Classmate Perrin Davidson is an able fifth. On the Nordic side, the Falcons placed eighth in Class A and boast a young but deep squad, led by juniors Griffin Agnese, Eero Pandora and Kaia Williams.

2. Maine Coast Waldorf: Senior Tucker Pierce is the defending classical and freestyle champion for a squad aiming for its fifth straight Class C Nordic title. Not only has every scorer returned, but junior Nick Neveau returns after a year in California to join classmate Eli Gundersen and seniors Dylan Wu, Davis Ritger and Thomas Kolle and freshman Adam Staples for what might be the only team with a shot at knocking off Freeport in the Western Maine Conference championships.

3. Cape Elizabeth: Sophomore Devon Lathrop, the defending giant slalom champ, helped the Capers place third in Class A Alpine. His brother, Killian, a freshman, joins a team that returns its top four. Seniors Jon Fiutak and Cole Spencer and sophomore Duncan Geikie provide plenty of depth. For Nordic, seniors Calvin Barber, Jack O’Brien and Will Corsello lead a team looking to move up from sixth in Class A.

4. Falmouth: After winning four consecutive Class A Nordic titles, the Yachtsmen dropped to third last winter, one point behind runner-up Leavitt. Juniors Simon Pratico and Graham Bernier lead the charge this time, with sophomores Ethan Livingood and Jake Mitchell rounding out the top four. The Alpine squad should improve from fifth place, led by junior Owen White and sophomore Gibson Scott. Watch out for freshmen Angus Christie, coming off middle school state titles in slalom and giant slalom, and Nicky Shapiro.

5. Yarmouth: Senior John Lane, runner-up in both classical and freestyle, leads a dozen members of the Nordic contingent looking to improve from fourth place in Class B. Senior Joe Inger, juniors Mac Coury and Sean Moore and sophomores Justin Pietropaoli and Grady Welsh provide depth. Senior George Jutras and sophomore Ben Pearl lead an Alpine squad of nine that placed fifth in Class B.

 


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