GIRLS

Rowan Barry, Greely junior: The top returner for the Rangers’ Nordic team, Barry should again be a contender for top honors after finishing second in the Class B classical race and third in freestyle a year ago. She was with the leaders in the Western Maine Conference season-opening race at Stark’s Hill in Fryeburg, finishing fourth.

Ava Beaudin, Gray-New Gloucester senior: Beaudin was seventh in Class B slalom and 10th in giant slalom a year ago and has started fast this season with a second place in Wednesday’s multi-team competition at Lost Valley.

Paige Brewer, Yarmouth senior: Brewer was fifth in Wednesday’s WMC meet and was also Yarmouth’s top finisher at the season-opening sprint at Quarry Road. Last season, she was in the top 10 at the Class B championships in freestyle (8th) and classical (9th).

Lilah Ferrie, Scarborough junior: An all-SMAA pick last year, Ferrie was eighth in giant slalom and 20th in the slalom at the Class A championships. She leads a team that will be boosted by first-year competitors Madison Baiely and her freshman sister, Clara Ferrie.

Lucy Fullerton, Traip Academy junior: Fullerton placed seventh at Wednesday’s first WMC meet, suggesting she can improve on last season’s 12th-place finish in the Class B classical race.

Lucy Huggett, Freeport junior: Huggett won the WMC season-opening meet at Stark’s Hill by two seconds over teammate Reed Proscia. Both are key members of a strong team and both placed in each discipline at last season’s state championships, with Proscia fifth in classical and Huggett fifth in freestyle.

Bridget Jacobsen, Falmouth junior: Last year’s runner-up in both giant slalom and slalom at the Class A championships, Jacobsen is back to help Falmouth try to repeat its team title.

Emma Orrendorf, Kennebunk senior: Placed 11th in giant slalom and 23rd in slalom at last year’s Class A championships to lead Kennebunk to a fourth-place team finish. She and Eliza Ness (13th in GS) key a veteran team.

Brooke Stevens, Gorham senior: An all-SMAA skier with strength and natural balance who has been training with Gould Academy, Stevens looks to improve after placing 21st in giant slalom at last year’s Class A championships.

Ida Waterman, Gray-New Gloucester freshman: Waterman made her presence known by placing fourth at the Quarry Road sprints in her first high school race, and then third at the first WMC meet of the season at Stark’s Hill, just behind Freeport’s duo of Lucy Huggett and Reed Proscia.

BOYS

Ian Christie, Falmouth senior: Christie placed third in Class A giant slalom to lead the Navigators to the team championship. He will be a key member of a strong group looking to defend that title.

Owen Dawson, Freeport senior: Dawson steps into the lead role for the defending Class B champion Falcons after the graduation of Varsity Maine boys skier of the year Theo Steverlynk-Thorne. He looks ready to take that on, winning the first WMC 4-kilometer race at Stark’s Hill by nearly 13 seconds.

Ansel Goode, Freeport senior: Freeport finished as the team runner-up to Falmouth at last year’s Class A Alpine championships and Goode was a big reason why, placing third in slalom and fifth in giant slalom.

Alexander Gordon, Yarmouth junior: Gordon will look to lead a deep group of competitive Nordic racers for the Clippers, who were third in Class B a year ago. Gordon was second at the WMC season-opening race.

Tait Harvey, Greely junior: Finished seventh at the Class B championships in classical and fifth in freestyle. A state title contender, he was fourth at the WMC season opener.

Quinn Maguire, Marshwood senior: The dominant skier at last year’s Class A Alpine championships, Maguire swept the slalom and giant slalom titles, posting the fastest time in all four heats.

Landon Marquis, Camden Hills senior: The 2024 KVAC boys skier of the year, Marquis placed second in giant slalom at last year’s Class A championship meet. Marquis won the Class A slalom title as a sophomore.

Henry Morrison, Portland senior: One of the top Class A Nordic skiers, Morrison was second in classical and fourth in freestyle at last season’s Class A championships, leading the Bulldogs to a runner-up finish behind Mt. Blue.

Chandler Thorne, Fryeburg Academy senior: Thorne was 13th in giant slalom at the Class A championships and 18th in slalom. He and Holden Edenbach (12th in the slalom) lead a team capable of matching last year’s fourth-place finish.

Zeke Zelonish, Deering senior: The Rams train with Portland and Cheverus but compete as a separate team. At last season’s Class A championships, Zelonish was fifth in classical and ninth in freestyle.