TOPSHAM

Frank True’s Mt. Ararat High School football team took a big step forward in its first season in Western Maine Class B, advancing to the postseason and pushing a powerful York team around for the better part of a quarter. True is hoping for more this season, while in boys soccer, longtime coach Rick Renaud, entering season 30 leading the Eagles, is two wins away from 300.

Sam Chard’s girls soccer squad got hot, stayed hot and advanced all the way to the Eastern A regional final. He returns a bevy of talent from that squad, while Krista Chase takes over the field hockey team and faces Cony, her old team, in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference opener on Wednesday.

Diane Fournier returns to lead the cross country squad, while Rick Bartlett has a solid lineup of golfers.

Football

Coach — Frank True Last season — Won four of final six regular-season games to finish 4-4 and qualify for the postseason. Lost to York, 35-6, in the Western B quarterfinals. Players lost — Jordan Castonguay, Dominic Burch, James Stemp, Nick Graney, Connor Read, Burton Packard, Charlie Lavan, Devin Monteiro, Jack Mickles, Brandon Jusseaume, Brandon Dionne, Caleb Hall, Bru Abreu, Brady Murray, Tim Larose, Adam Smith, Aaron Kluckow, Colin Hovey. Players returning — Seniors Mike Tran (OL/LB), Dylan Johnson (QB/DB), Nate Brewer (OL/DL); juniors Alex LaFountain (TE/DB), Garrett Bolduc (RB/LB), Alex McCarthy (OL/DL), Dante Dangerfield (RB/LB). Key newcomers — Seniors Jacob Schoenberg (RB/DB), Chris Giroux (RB/LB); sophomores Jacob Simon (WB/LB), Leon Perreault (OL/DL). Team overview — “Our motto is ‘forward,’, and the kids have responded well, working hard,” said True. “A bunch of these players played 7-on-7 football in Falmouth, and that is great. Plus, they have worked hard in the weightroom. We need to believe we can compete with everyone. “We are a team that will have to grind it out. We have to be prepared for that from the start. We graduated a lot of guys, and this team is aware of the past. They have had success, so that helps coming into the season.” Season opener — Sept. 5 at home against Skowhegan, 7 p.m. Key contests — Sept. 20 at Fryeburg Academy; Sept. 26 home versus Gorham; Oct. 2 home against York; Oct. 24 home versus Morse.

Boys soccer

Coach — Rick Renaud, 30th season. Last season — Finished 9-3-2, good for No. 4 seed in Eastern A. Defeated Edward Little, 5-2, in the quarters before falling to Hampden Academy, 2-0, in the semifinals. Players lost — Eric Knight, Joe Thomas, Ty Veno, Isaac Bradshaw, Justin Pierce, Griffin Stockford, Sean Bolduc. Players returning — Seniors Jon Roux (GK), Chris Pepin (MF), Dan Pelletier (D), Alex Halladay (D), Ben Bishop (MF), Devon Drew (D), Mike Crawford (MF), Avery Desjardins (MF), Mason Griffin (D/GK), Andrew McCracken (MF), Robbie Small (A), Trevor Mayo (D), Liam Brannigan (A); juniors Eli Timberlake (MF), Evan Thibeault (A), Nick Breed (D); sophomores Cole Guerin (A)., James Hutchinson (D), Jimmy Pelletier (A). Key newcomers — Sophomores Kyle Brown (D), Hank Gilson (MF), Orion Sargent (MF); freshman Gavin Patterson (MF). Team overview — “I think we are going to be really strong defensively, with two quality goalkeepers,” said Renaud. “I have good senior leadership, which will be noticeable on this team. With a senior-laden team, I think we will be in the mix at the end.” Season opener — Sept. 6 at home against Messalonskee, 11 a.m. Key contests — Sept. 8 at Lewiston; Sept. 11 home versus Brunswick; Sept. 26 at Bangor; Oct. 17 home against Hampden; Oct. 21 at Brunswick.

Girls soccer

Coach — Sam Chard. Last season — Two long winning streaks propelled the Eagles to a 12-2 regular season mark and No. 2 seed in Eastern A. After wins over Cony (quarters) and Hampden (semis), lost a 2-1 overtime game at Bangor in the Eastern A regional final. Players lost — Nicole Ross. Players returning — Seniors Katy Labbay (MF), Christine Levesque (MF), Lauren Williams (GK), Libby Ouellette (A), Kaitlin Volk (D), Laurel Streeter (D), Erika Everett (MF), Lauren Grant (D), Rebecca Schuman (D); juniors Torri Pelletier (A), Erin Tome (MF), Summer Gray (MF); sophomores Katelyn Cox (D), Lauren Labbay (D), Anna Manuel (MF), Kate Guerin (GK), Nikki Bradstreet (A). Key newcomers — Freshmen Ryley Leech (MF), Katelyn Hutchins (D), Taylor Wienckowski (MF). Team overview — “Our roster is going to look very different from last season because we had over 60 kids try out this season,” said Chard. “The incoming freshmen and sophomore classes are very talented and with a season under their belts, they should be impactful in the future. “It should be an interesting season, with some high expectations after losing in the regional final to Bangor. I think our biggest competition will be Bangor, Brunswick and Edward Little this season. I think we’ll have better games than last season and hopefully be able to score on a consistent basis.” Season opener — Sept. 5 at Messalonskee at 3:30 p.m. Key contests — Sept. 11 at Brunswick; Sept. 25 home versus Bangor; Oct. 4 home against Lawrence; Oct. 17 at Hampden Academy; Oct. 21 home versus Brunswick.

Field hockey

Coach — Krista Chase, first season. Last season — Finished 7-7 in coach Kelly LaFountain’s final season and fell to Messalonskee, 4-1, in the Eastern A quarterfinals. Players lost — Caitlin LaFountain, Carly Raymond, Samantha Hamilton, Danielle Palmer, Paige Perry, Kristen Pierce, Kelly Richard, Renee Rossignol, Nellie Hetherington. Players returning — Seniors Alyssa Curit (lost for season with knee injury), Nicole Labbay (D), Jessy Doyle (F), Maggie Vaillancourt (D); juniors Madison Alexander (MF), Eva Jerome (F), Sharley Moreland (D), Savannah Parry (D); sophomores Porter Galvin (F), Megan Thomas-Copeland (MF), Haley Frizzle (GK), Alana Weaver. Key newcomers — Juniors Meghan Caouette (F), Kendall Hamilton (D), Emma Hagan (MF/D); sophomores Laura Secone, Samantha Gonyea, Karli Brilliant. Team overview — “We had a Play Day at Winslow recently, and it went well,” said Chase, who comes to Mt. Ararat after coaching at Cony (left coaching in 2009)1. “We have just two returning starters, so there is a lot of work to do on positioning and timing. “We have a talented sophomore class that will grow as we go. We have to get more scoring opportunities, which I feel will come.” Season opener — Sept. 3 home against Cony, 4 p.m. Key contests — Sept. 9 at Mt. Blue; Sept. 11 home versus Hampden Academy; Sept. 20 home against Brunswick; Sept. 23 at Edward Little; Sept. 25 home against Lewiston.

Golf

Coach — Rick Bartlett. Last season — Went 5-7. Players lost — Jeremy Williams, Nick Dow, Zach Miller. Players returning — Seniors Tyler O’Connor (No. 1), TJ Ackerman (No. 3); junior Thomas Egan; sophomores Cam Cox (No. 2), Steve Schuman (No. 4), Jason Magno, Mark Abreu, Sawyer Watson, Joe Patton. Key newcomers — Freshmen Ricky Mann, Cam Grant. Team overview — “We are going back to match play this year, which should be a good thing for us. I think we can be one of the top teams in our division and the whole KVAC. If kids continue to improve, we should be a state contender.” Season opener — Aug. 28 at Oxford Hills at Norway Country Club, 3:30 p.m. Key contests — Sept. 4 home versus Lewiston; Sept. 10 home against Brunswick; Sept. 22 home versus Edward Little; Sept. 24 at Brunswick.

Cross country

Coach — Diane Fournier. Last season — The girls finished sixth at the Regional meet, while hte boys took seventh. Runners lost — Alicia Caterina, Emma Chase, Emmie Cox, Dani Ingle, Kelly Lynch, Amy Segars, Bailey Sullivan, Olivia Watson, Jake Demosthenes, Jonah Levy, Nate Mackenzie, Shea Nelson, Jake Wood, Nick Rogers, Sam Wood, Antonia Dipietro. Runners returning — Seniors Ted Burns, Lindsey Cornelison, Thomas Emerson Matt Gott, Steven Johnson, Abbey Morgan, Kellen Radulski; juniors Matt Berger, Reyanna Brooks, Jacob Burdette, Sara Lamb, Emma Levy, Eleanor Skinner, Zachary Stevens, Alex Stuckey, Griffin Thurston, Eddie Van Note; sophomores Hunter Beebe, Isabella Blessington, Tim Cox, Eagan Eldridge, Aaron Hyde, Edwin Icks-Coon, Colin Ingalls, Cameron Meier. Key newcomers — Freshmen Sam Gatenell, Colette Kinkade, Katherine Leckbee, Madison Leckbee, Josie Miller, Temple Miller, Bailey Ruth, Sam Stride, Lexi Thompson, Gideon Wheeler. Team overview — “I have a small girls team this year with 13, and lots of freshmen compared to year’s past,” said Fournier, who retired from teaching recently. “I believe by the end of the season we can be pretty competitive. “The boys will be a dark horse I think.” Season opener — Aug. 29 at Laliberte Invitational at Cony High School, 4 p.m. Key contests — Sept. 19 home meet (lone home meet of the season); Sept. 25 at Brunswick; Oct. 1 at Morse; Oct. 18 at KVAC Championships.