BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Senior Conner Smith is a key returning veteran for Freeport’s boys’ basketball team, which is coming off its best season in 16 years. File photos.
Coach: Tyler Tracy (fourth year, 28-28 overall record)
2023-24 record: 14-6 (Lost, 62-56, to eventual champion Gray-New Gloucester in Class A South semifinals)
Top returning players: Alex Berry (Senior), Bryce Dwyer (Senior), Conner Smith (Senior)
Coach’s comment: “We’re very inexperienced, but we’ve been competitive all summer and preseason. We’ve had trouble finishing, so beating (defending state champion) Gray-New Gloucester (in the opener) gave us some confidence. People are going to find out how good Conner is. He plays the game the right way. There aren’t many easy games on our schedule, but we’ll compete. We want to get into the tournament and then anything can happen. I want these kids to experience the tournament.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: The Falcons are coming off their best season in 16 years, but graduation took a heavy toll. Freeport has plenty of promise in reserve and the opposition has already learned that it won’t roll over for anyone. The Falcons opened with an inspirational 53-49 win at reigning champion Gray-New Gloucester, then gave visiting Brunswick a scare in a 50-46 road setback.
Smith is the lone returner who saw big minutes last winter. He’s scored 16 points in each of Freeport’s first two games and will be a top scorer, who will also help run the offense. Dwyer, a guard, who had 13 points in the opener, and Berry, a defensive specialist and the team’s sixth man in 2023-24, have also seen time. Junior Drew Pound could step right in and make an impact. Pound, a forward, had 13 points versus the Dragons and 11 in the victory over the Patriots. Other newcomers to watch include junior guard Max Vintinner, senior forward Eben Lyons, junior guard Beckett Sharpe and promising sophomore guard Ben Albertini.
The Falcons are in a very challenging region, which includes powerhouses Falmouth and Noble, as well as contenders such as Biddeford, Brunswick, Fryeburg Academy, Greely, Kennebunk and Marshwood. There will be no easy games on the slate, but if Freeport can break through and win enough games to qualify for the playoffs, it will pose a daunting challenge for whatever team is unfortunate enough to face it on the big stage.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Good luck stopping determined Freeport senior Maddie Cormier, who is poised to have a big year for the Falcons.
Coach: Joel Rogers (first year)
2023-24 record: 8-11 (Lost, 59-16, to eventual champion Brunswick in Class A South quarterfinals)
Top returning players: Maddie Cormier (Senior), Sydney Gelhar (Senior), Izzy Orlando (Senior), Emily Groves (Junior), Abby Giroux (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “The draw for me to come back and coach was to be in the Western Maine Conference. It’s been a blast so far. We have 11 incoming freshmen who saved the program. We have talent, a solid starting five. We’ll get better as the season goes on. At the end of the day, it will be about how we practice. There aren’t many easy games in our league. There could be a half-dozen teams that win at least 11 games. Our goal is to make it to the semifinals.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport has some new faces this season, but the Falcons expect to contend in Class A South again. Rogers spent four years as Greely’s girls’ coach, leading the Rangers to the 2015 state title, and he has also been a longtime assistant with the Portland boys’ program. He returns to a conference he’s familiar with and takes over a squad that returns some key players and also has a pivotal infusion of youth.

Junior Emily Groves has been a force for the Falcons for two seasons. She can frustrate the opposition on offense or defense.
Cormier was a second-team league all-star in 2023-24. She can play anywhere and is a spark plug on both ends of the floor. Giroux, last year’s leading scorer and a third-team all-star, will look to light it up again from her guard position. Groves has been a stalwart in the post her first two years. This winter, Rogers has Groves playing different roles, including away from the basket. Gelhar made the All-Defensive team last season. She’s another veteran leader. Orlando, who was sidelined last year by a knee injury, is back and is eager to contribute in the post. Orlando plans to play next year at St. Joseph’s College. Senior Eydie Kaplan will be key off the bench, playing either guard or forward. Freshman Ky Kennedy is a new player to watch. She can play multiple positions and will help the cause.

Abby Giroux led Freeport in scoring as a freshman. She’ll be a top scoring threat again this winter.
The Falcons opened with losses to Gray-New Gloucester (58-43) and reigning Class A champion Brunswick (34-25), but they’re only going to get better. The wins will come and Freeport will be in the playoff mix. Just how much this team improves in the weeks to come will determine whether or not the Falcons will be primed to steal headlines in February.
GIRLS’ HOCKEY (co-op with Yarmouth)
Coach: David Intraversato (sixth year, 55-33-1 overall record)
2023-24 record: 17-5 (Lost, 4-0, to Cheverus in state final)
Top returning players: Emma White (Senior), Adelaide Strout (Junior), Celia Zinman (Junior), Erica O’Connor (Sophomore), Lexi Wiles (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “We graduated a ton of talent, over 50 goals. We’re in a mini-rebuild and hopefully our young core can step up and get us back to a regional final. The North region is very strong this year. Edward Little/Leavitt added a bunch of young talent, Brunswick is stacked with goal-scorers and Penobscot will still be strong as usual. We still have a strong defensive core and we’re returning a young goalie that took us on a deep playoff run to the state final. We are young, but our youth has experience playing in the big games. We just need to work harder to get there.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth/Freeport made it two consecutive North Region titles, but for the second year in a row, it couldn’t solve mighty Cheverus in the state final. While graduation took its toll on the program, enough talent returns for the co-op squad to make a run at another regional crown.
This year’s offense will be paced by White (5 goals, 11 assists last year) and Zinman (13 goals, 13 assists). Freshman Maya Nasveschuk, who, like Zinman (a regional all-star in 2023-24), is coming off a triumphant field hockey campaign, will be heard from as well. Strout, a defender, can also fill the net. She had 10 goals and 16 assists last season when she was named to the All-State team. Strout is joined on the blue line by O’Connor and junior Veronika Pundova, an exchange student from the Czech Republic. Wiles was a top goalie as a freshman and she’s back for more. Freshman Lydia Costa will back her up.
Yarmouth/Freeport began the season by sandwiching victories over Lewiston (7-4) and York (4-1) around a 3-3 tie against Edward Little/Leavitt. Bigger tests are still to come and while this year’s team might not match the win-loss record of the past two editions, it has the potential to end up where those squads did. Playing on the final Saturday.
INDOOR TRACK

Senior Kessa Benner will be in contention for the pole vault title this winter for Freeport’s girls’ indoor track team.
Coach: Ginger Ivanov (fifth year)
2023-24 results:
(Boys) 8th @ Class B state meet
(Girls) 4th @ Class B state meet
Top returners:
(Boys) Ezra Solis (Senior), Tyler Burns (Junior), Dietrich Schulz (Junior), Brady Webber (Junior), Landon Clark (Sophomore), Ian Guzman (Sophomore), Marsden Shetterly (Sophomore)
(Girls) Kessa Benner (Senior), Celia Cobb (Senior), Esther Penney (Senior), Lucy Riggs (Senior), Josie Spaulding (Senior), Lizalyn Boudreau (Junior), Lilah Hall (Junior), Emma Graham (Sophomore), Stella Kryzak (Sophomore), Ella Oshetski (Sophomore), Claire Ramus (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “We have a strong, well-rounded team with athletes competing in distance, sprints, pole vault, jumps and throws. These strong attributes will help the team go far at the WMC championship and at the state meet. We had a strong finish last year and look healthy and determined to go far this year as well. We have strong returning athletes. We look forward to a competitive, successful and fun season filled with hard work and determination.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport has held its own against the best teams in the Western Maine Conference and in the state and that will again be the case this winter.
The boys return Webber, a top jumper, who was sixth in the high jump last season. He also pole vaults. Burns jumps and pole vaults as well. Schulz (shot put) is another top field athlete. On the track, Clark and Solis are veteran sprinters, while Guzman and Shetterly take part in the middle distance and sophomore Moon Tussing will look to score in the distance.
On the girls’ side, Benner is the top returner. She was second in the pole vault last season and hopes to move into the top spot this winter. She’ll also compete in the high jump. Freshman Briella Boudreau could be a factor in the pole vault as well. Sophomore Claire Ramus is the top threat in the jumps. The Falcons will be very strong in the sprints, featuring Graham (fourth in the 200), Riggs (fourth in the 400), Lizalyn Boudreau and Cobb. Senior Mia Levesque, the lacrosse standout, and freshman Maddy York are also in the mix. Freeport has ample distance depth, including Hall (fifth in the 800 last February), Spaulding (seventh in the mile), Kryzak, Oshetski and Penney. Ramus takes part in the hurdles.
SWIMMING
Coach: Tom Green (fourth year)
2023-24 results:
(Boys) 12th @ Class B state meet
(Girls) 15th @ Class B state meet
Swimmers to watch:
(Boys) Gavin Boccanfuso (Senior), Spencer Drew (Junior), Sean Gastonguay (Junior), Jackson Salve (Junior)
(Girls) Lila Abbott (Junior), Maddie Kryzak (Junior)
Coach’s comment: “We graduated eight seniors last year. That was half of our swimmers, so, not surprisingly, we are down a bit in numbers this year. I’m hoping the team can swim as well or better than last season. Our junior class is strong, but they have to step up and replace the seniors who graduated. I’m looking to have six to eight state meet qualifiers and a strong showing by both the boys and girls at Southwesterns.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport is short on quantity, but the quality remains and some athletes will make their mark this season.
The boys feature Boccanfuso (backstroke), Drew (sprint freestyle), Gastonguay (sprint freestyle) and Salve (distance freestyle and individual medley).
The girls’ squad is led by Abbott (sprint freestyle) and Kryzak (sprint freestyle, backstroke, IM). Senior Jeanne Looten-Caceres will also be heard from in the backstroke and freestyle. Freshman Annalise Shilkin is a budding star in the freestyle and breaststroke.
ALPINE SKIING
Coach: Dean Gilbert (first year)
2023-24 results:
(Boys) 3rd @ Class A state meet
(Girls) 2nd @ Class A state meet
Top returners:
(Boys) Ben Barrett (Senior), Elias Burrill (Senior), Ansel Goode (Senior), Alex Gilbert (Junior), Cole Bowen (Sophomore)
(Girls) Sylvi Strong (Junior), Hailey LaPointe (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “The boys have a solid chance at claiming another state title after losing last year to Falmouth as they are returning all but one of their top skiers this year, while the girls are rebuilding with a large incoming class of freshmen.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport will be among the top teams in the conference and state again this winter.
The boys return Goode (third in the slalom and fifth in the giant slalom last season), Barrett (fourth in the slalom) and Burrill (eighth in the slalom). Bowen and Gilbert also look to contribute, as will freshmen Wyeth Ball and Oliver Gailey.
The girls’ squad will rely on LaPointe and Strong, as well as a strong freshman contingent of Zoe Blackman, Willa Burrill, Ava Degen, Keeley Furtney and Pilar Steverlynck-Horne.
NORDIC SKIING

Freeport senior Owen Dawson, right, was a big part of a state champion boys’ Nordic team a year ago and is back for more triumph, with his squad and as an individual.
Coach: Jessica Marion (third year)
2023-24 results:
(Boys) Class B state champion
(Girls) 3rd @ Class B state meet
Top returners:
(Boys) Owen Dawson (Senior)
(Girls) Lucy Huggett (Junior), Reed Proscia (Junior), Laurel Wight (Junior), Amelia Prince (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “After a year with little snow and a lot of creative dry-land training and expeditions to find snow, these skiers are fired up. I’ve never seen so much enthusiasm to race in some of the early season regional openers. A lot of our returning skiers have been working really hard, training on roller skis over the summer, so I’m really excited to see how they are able to build skills and fitness over the course of the season.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport is a premier program in Class B and you can expect that continue this season.
The boys will miss graduated standout Teo Steverlynck-Horne, but Dawson is back after placing second in the freestyle and fourth in the classic. If a few other skiers, perhaps freshmen Ryder Elgaaen and Teague Fallon, can step up, the Falcons will be battling for the top spot again.
While the boys’ squad is largely starting from scratch, the girls’ team has multiple state scorers back. Proscia was fifth in the classic, 10th in the freestyle and fifth in pursuit and could be one of the elite skiers around, while Huggett (fifth in the freestyle, 11th in the pursuit) and Wight (10th in the classic and 12th in pursuit) will also be major factors. Prince is another veteran to watch, while junior Hannah Bacon returns from injury.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.