A new era in Maine high school basketball begins Friday, when the five-class format adopted last spring by the Maine Principals’ Association debuts.
Nearly a third of the schools in the North region — formerly Eastern Maine — are in different classes than a year ago, and few are without at least modest schedule changes.
That means additional scouting responsibilities for coaches, but also new adventures for all involved with schedules that mix traditional rivals with less familiar foes in boys varsity basketball.
Orono High School reached the Eastern C final last February but is in Class B North. That means some different regular-season opponents for coach Jason Coleman’s club, among them Aroostook County staples Caribou, Houlton and Presque Isle and Hancock County contenders Ellsworth and Mount Desert Island of Bar Harbor.
“The kids are excited to be playing up in B,” Coleman said. “They’re anxious to play new people and to play in new gyms. They’ve heard stories about playing up in the County, and now we get to do it. They’re excited about that.”
Another team is facing change without really changing. Hampden Academy not only is the reigning Class A state champion but also won the gold ball in 2013 to go with its streak of four consecutive Eastern A crowns.
But while coach Russ Bartlett’s Broncos remain in Class A North, several of its rivals have moved. Portland, the team with which Hampden split the last two state finals, is in the new Class AA made up of the state’s largest schools, as are its closest opponent, Bangor, and 2015 Eastern A finalist Lewiston.
Two other recent foes, Brunswick and Mt. Ararat of Topsham, are in Class A South.
The Broncos will retain their rivalries with Bangor and several other opponents that have remained in Class A North: Brewer, Cony of Augusta, Lawrence of Fairfield, Messalonskee of Oakland, Mt. Blue of Farmington and Skowhegan.
Hampden’s schedule also includes matchups with such former opponents as Gardiner and Nokomis of Newport and a trip to Camden Hills of Rockport, a longtime Class B power now in Class A.
“We’re a bunch of 17- and 18-year-old kids,” Broncos’ senior guard Nick Gilpin said. “I don’t think it really matters who we’re going to play. We’re going to suit up and play our hardest, no matter what, every night. There’s nothing we could do about being in the lower class this year, but obviously we’re going to go out every night and do what we can.”
Class AA: This closely resembles the largest-school class for high school football, with Gorham, Noble of North Berwick and the girls basketball program at Portland’s Catherine McAuley High School the lone non-Class A grid programs in the new basketball class. Portland is the reigning Western A champion, and coach Joe Russo’s boys basketball club graduated just four players off that 19-3 team. Brothers Amir Moss and Terion Moss are among the leading returners for the Bulldogs, who seek their second state title in three years. Bangor, the state’s northernmost AA club, did not qualify for postseason play last winter for the first time since 1986, the first season after new coach Carl Parker departed his initial two-year stint on the Rams’ bench. Bangor will return a relatively inexperienced squad this winter, with senior forward Justin Smith and senior guard Ethan Dorman the team leaders. Bangor and Portland are joined in Class A North by Cheverus and Deering high schools of Portland, Edward Little of Auburn, Lewiston, Oxford Hills of South Paris and Windham.
Class A: Hampden returns its starting lineup intact after defeating Portland by 20 points in the 2015 Class A state final as Gilpin, fellow seniors Brendan McIntyre, Conar Moore and Jake Black and sophomore center Ian McIntyre pursue one more title run together. Brewer figured to be one of Hampden’s chief antagonists this winter as led by senior forward Matt Pushard, but the Witches are regrouping early after losing senior guard Logan Rogerson to a football-related hip injury. Messalonskee of Oakland graduated star center Nick Mayo to a starting role at Division I Eastern Kentucky, but the Eagles may be deeper this year. Medomak Valley of Waldoboro has won two Eastern B titles in the last three seasons but is now the smallest school in Class A North. The Panthers have one of the region’s best players in senior forward Nicholas DePatsy to go with 6-foot-6 center Cameron Allaire. Another team up from Class B, Oceanside of Rockland/Thomaston, has senior guard Keenan Hendricks to challenge defenses.
Class B: This may be the deepest division statewide. Mount Desert Island, which rose from the No. 12 seed to the regional semifinals last year, has a tested junior class including Riley Swanson, Aaron Snurkowski and Russell Kropff. Neighboring Ellsworth also boasts a veteran presence featuring Nick Bagley, Bryce Harmon and Bruce St. Peter. Old Town, 30-6 during the last two regular seasons with a state title in 2014 and a regional semifinal appearance last winter under coach Brian McDormand, has guards Drew Coulombe and Kaleb Gifford and a healthy Andre Miller to lead its charge, while Foxcroft Academy expects 2015 Big East Conference Player of the Year Hunter Smith back from a hip injury to join a lineup bolstered by transfers Noah Allen and Nick Fortier. Another transfer of note is junior guard Andre Rossignol moving from Van Buren to Caribou to join Donovan Savage in the Vikings’ backcourt. Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield may be the best of the four KVAC schools in the division. Five schools up from Class C are led by Orono and Central of Corinth. Orono returns its lineup nearly intact, and that junior-led group is joined by promising freshman Connor Robertson and Imao Woldring, a 6-7 senior exchange student from The Netherlands who already is drawing attention from scholarship-level college programs. Central returns hardworking forward Kyle Ham and a bevy of guards for new coach Riley Donovan.
Class C: George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill ranks among the favorites with its backcourt combo of Taylor Schildroth and Will Entwistle and a tall frontcourt featuring sophomore Max Mattson and senior Nick Szwez. Lee Academy is another top contender with guard Howie Lin returning to provide veteran leadership and Travon Rhodes adding a 3-point presence after transferring from 2015 Class C state champion Calais. Others expected in the mix could include Bucksport, Dexter and two teams up from Class D, Schenck of East Millinocket and reigning regional champion Fort Fairfield. Schenck’s Justin Thompson and Fort’s Chris Giberson should be two of the more prominent juniors in the division.
Class D: Always one of the more entertaining divisions come tournament time, this year should be no exception. Washburn ranks as one favorite as led by seniors Jarrett Olson and Noah Caron. The battle for top billing in the County also should include Easton and new coach Manny Martinez, perhaps best remembered for floating a last-second runner over 6-10 Richmond center Marc Zaharchuk to win the 2008 Class D state championship for Central Aroostook of Mars Hill. The Bears return veterans Jake Flewelling, Logan Halvorson and Drew Sotomayor. Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook, with Nolan Altvater and Jackson Mathers back, also should contend under veteran coach Bill McAvoy. Down East Maine won’t be lacking in title challengers, either. Machias reached the 2015 semifinals, and sophomores Jacob Godfrey and Jordan Grant and juniors James Mersereau and Mark Anthony provide coach Jim Getchell a young but talented nucleus.
UP NEXT: High school girls basketball preview.
