Thornton Academy’s Cam Cyr celebrates after scoring to give the Golden Trojans a 2-1 lead in the Class A boys hockey state championship game. The Golden Trojans beat Kents Hill for the title and should contend next season. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald

The Thornton Academy and Cheverus/Yarmouth boys wrapped up the 2024-25 hockey season by lifting, kissing and hugging the state championship cups Saturday, and last month Cheverus/Windham/Medomak Valley became Maine’s first girls hockey program to win three straight titles.

Every year, teams throughout the state experience roster shakeups due to graduation and players moving on to prep schools, junior or full-season AAA hockey, but here’s a way-too-early look at potential 2025-26 state championship contenders:

Boys

Thornton Academy (2024-25: 17-3-1, Class A champion)

The Class A champions are losing seniors like Cam Cyr, Gavin Corson, Brady Pecora and Drew Johnson, who played important roles for the Golden Trojans. Coach Jamie Gagnon said the underclassmen also gained valuable experience during the postseason run.

“I think success breeds success, right?” Gagnon said on Saturday. “So now the freshmen have had a taste of it, and the sophomores have had a taste of it. It brings you back in the offseason and drives you to get back here. I think a lot of guys are saying, ‘We’re hoping to try to get back here again next year.’ That’s a long way away, but at least you’re thinking in the offseason the right way.”

The Golden Trojans will need to replace Johnson, a Travis Roy Award finalist, in goal, but they should return two 40-point players next season: juniors Trent Lesieur (17 goals, 24 assists), who scored the winning goal against Kents Hill in the Class A title game, and Jake Skillings (21 goals, 19 assists). Sophomore Brennan Tabor was Thornton’s top-scoring defenseman (six goals and eight assists) and freshman forward Jake Allaire tallied eight goals and five assists in his first high school season.

Cheverus/Yarmouth (2024-25: 19-2-1, Class B champion)

Cheverus/Yarmouth has the pieces to win its third straight Class B title in 2025-26.

Goalie Ethan Tucker (12-1-1 with a 1.11 GAA and .952 save percentage) will be a senior, and five of the top six defensemen return, including Owen Cheever (12 goals and 22 assists) and Colby Carnes (15 goals and 15 assists). Forward Matthew Paradis (five goals and 14 assists), who scored the go-ahead goal against John Bapst in the Class B title game, should have a bigger role.

“Certainly way too early to look, you know, we want to savor this one,” Cheverus/Yarmouth coach David St. Pierre said on Saturday. “But, yes, I mean, we’ve got a great group of kids coming back next year that have a lot of, obviously, a lot of great experience, and we’ve got a young core of players that are ready to step in and take their time on the ice, and so we’re excited about that.”

Christian Salvadori recorded 16 goals and 33 assists for Messalonskee this season. The Eagles went 15-6, losing in the Class B North final. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Messalonskee (2024-25: 15-6, Class B North finalists)

The Eagles have consistently been one of the top teams in Class B North in recent seasons. Next winter appears to be no different. They lose forward Owen Kirk, who led the state in scoring with 43 goals and 24 assists, but he’s the only senior on the roster. Christian Salvadori was third in the state with 16 goals and 33 assists, and should be the go-to option for Messalonskee next year, along with Tatum Doucette (14 goals, 29 assists). Denny Martin (five goals, 13 assists), who missed the postseason due to injury, will be a top blueliner again in 2025-26.

Other contenders: Kents Hill (Class A), Lewiston (Class A), St. Dom’s (Class A), Gorham (Class B), Cony/Hall-Dale/Maranacook/Monmouth/Erskine/Richmond/Winthrop (Class B).

Zoey Radford carries the championship trophy after Cheverus beat Brunswick, 3-2, in overtime in the girls hockey state championship game. It was the third straight title for the Cheverus co-op, who should contend again next season. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald

Girls

Cheverus/Windham/Medomak Valley (2024-25: 17-1-1, state champion)

Coach Scott Rousseau said he expected a rebuilding year after the Stags lost a good chunk of the 2023-24 roster and only had two seniors on the roster, but the team ended up winning its third straight state title. There will be holes to fill with the graduation of Becky Scheffer Award finalist Lucy Johnson’s (29 goals, 15 assists) and key defender Zoey Radford (four goals, six assists). However, forward Caroline Rousseau will only be a junior next season after leading the team in scoring with 38 goals and 17 assists this season. Ashley Cloutier (nine goals, nine assists), Briella Doherty (one goal, 17 assists) and Taylor Lucas (seven goals and 11 assists) each had 18 points. Most importantly, goalie Ellie Skolnekovich (17-1-1, 1.17 GAA and .920 save percentage) can return.

Edward Little/Leavitt/Poland/Monmouth/Oxford Hills (2024-25: 12-5-2, lost in regional quarterfinals)

The Red Hornets were young in 2024-2025, but a talented freshmen class helped the co-op to its best season in several years. Leksi Langevin found the back of the net a lot in her first high school season, finishing with 39 goals, which ranked second in the state, and 14 assists. Another freshman, forward Adalyn Martin (18 points), averaged a point per game. Junior Avery Cologna (10 goals, 12 assists) should be one of the top defenders in the state, and freshman Adeline Langan (eight goals, seven assists) also returns on the blue line. Paige Fecteau was outstanding in goal in her first year of high school hockey, going 12-5-2, with a 2.06 GAA and a .902 save percentage.

Coach Dana Berube said after the 3-2 loss to the Winslow co-op in the North quarterfinals that the Red Hornets’ future is bright.

“Hopefully, they remember that feeling, how it feels to lose like that in the playoffs, and have that kind of be their fuel for next year,” Berube said.

Yarmouth/Freeport (2024-25: 15-4-1, Northern Maine finalist)

The Clippers bid for three straight state championship appearances came up short with the loss to Brunswick in the North final. Goalie Lexi Wiles (14-3-0, 1.58 GAA and .863 save percentage) was only a sophomore this season, and the Clippers’ top three scorers should be back: defender Adelaide Strout (15 goals, 21 assists) and forward Celia Zinman (16 goals, 10 assists), both juniors, and freshman forward Maya Nasveschuk (13 goals, 10 assists).

Other contenders: Brunswick, Biddeford/Thornton/Sanford/Traip, Gorham/Lake Region/Fryeburg/Massabesic/Westbrook.