1. Cape Elizabeth: Ben Raymond’s Capers return as many or more players than any of their Class A competition. Senior attack Archie McEvoy is the playmaker for an explosive offense that features junior midfielders Nic Boudreau, Tiernan Lathrop and Colin Campbell, who each played significant roles as freshmen. Senior attack Oskar Frankwicz and freshman Keegan Lathrop, who scored five goals in his varsity debut, add punch. Seniors Charlie Whitney (goalie) and Gus Huffard (faceoffs) are first-year starters with veteran poise. The defense, led by senior Gavin Simopoulos, is less tested, but Cape has the depth and talent to get past South challengers Thornton Academy and Scarborough.
2. Yarmouth: As the defending state champions, the Clippers get the preseason nod as the best in Class B, with Greely and Brunswick reloading and former Class A team Kennebunk entering the fray. Yarmouth first-year coach Jon Miller, a former assistant and player (2004 graduate) with the Clippers, has experience in the back and younger talent in the front. Senior captains Nate Henninger and Colin Senger are the defensive leaders. In an 8-5 season-opening win against Greely, junior attack Peter Psyhogeos scored four goals. Sophomore Killian Marsh and junior two-way middie Steve Fulton also will be key to the offense. Yarmouth boasts two solid options to take faceoffs in seniors Wyatt Sullivan and Max Then.
3. Falmouth: In 2019, Windham and Portland went 11-1 in the regular season, but to no one’s surprise, both fell to lower-seeded Falmouth in the regional tournament. Windham and Portland are programs on the rise, but until proven otherwise, traditional power Falmouth is still the team to beat in Class A North. Coach David Barton’s squad has plenty of firepower back in its all-senior attack of Wyatt Kerr, Kaz Berry and Jonah Eng and senior midfielders Sam Gearan, Satchel Kaplan and Gio Ciraulo. Owen Drummey and Jake Rand switch to defense to solidify that area.
4. North Yarmouth Academy: The defending Class C champions welcome back their former coach, Peter Gerrity. Gerrity, who also played for NYA, was the head coach from 2012-16. He replaces Sam Manders, who is now the head coach at University of Southern Maine. Gerrity has talent across the field, but it’s the Panthers’ midfield, featuring Chas Rohde and senior Chris Hamblett, and a defense led by senior Pat Alberding, junior Henry Bergeron and calm sophomore goalie Jack Curtis, that are the team’s strengths. Caleb Waterman will be a scoring force at attack for a team that figures to be challenged by Waynflete and possibly Freeport.
5. Berwick Academy: The Bulldogs are playing MPA schools during the pandemic instead of their normal schedule, which includes some of the top prep programs in New England. Berwick is eligible for the open tournament in Class A. Whether the Bulldogs will choose to compete is still undecided, said first-year coach Sam Harding. “We would have to play our absolute best game to come close to beating Cape or Thornton,” Harding said, noting that Berwick does not have postgraduates or any reclassified seniors. Berwick opened with an 8-1 win against Marshwood. Its toughest tests likely will come in the final three games against Scarborough, Waynflete and Falmouth. Senior defenders Bailey Beakes and Crosby Smith, and senior faceoff/midfielder Paddy Condon are top players.
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