While Aroostook County high teams have already begun playing soccer games due to the annual potato harvest break, the rest of the state’s fall sports teams began practicing this past week in preparation for the upcoming campaign.
There will be some new coaches and some teams changing classes due to player numbers.
Two of the new coaches will be Bangor High girls soccer coach Nick Christensen and Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft field hockey coach Kilee Salley, who inherit state championship teams.
Jay Kemble stepped down at Bangor after leading the Rams to back-to-back state Class A titles and three consecutive regional championships, and Davan Walker departed Foxcroft Academy after guiding the Ponies to an undefeated campaign and the state Class C championship.
Christensen had been an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s soccer teams at Husson University in Bangor, and Salley had assisted Walker for four seasons while also serving as the JV coach.
Among the teams changing classes will be the Old Town and Camden Hills football teams.
Old Town goes from 11-player Class C North football to 8-man large North and Camden Hills of Rockport moves up from 8-player large North to Class B 11-man North.
Camden Hills won the state title in 8-player large a year ago.
Mike Bisson is in his first year as the Maine Principals’ Association’s executive director, replacing the retired Mike Burnham, and he is looking forward to the season.
“The MPA is in a real good place,” said the 57-year-old Bisson, a native of Gray-New Gloucester, who served as the MPA’s assistant executive director and whose former position will be now occupied by Todd Sampson.
“Mike [Burnham] gave us great leadership for 8-9 years as our director. Todd [Sampson] is an excellent addition to our staff,” said Bisson. “He is very knowledgeable, he understands Maine, and he has hit the ground running.”
“He has already dealt with the double-base issue,” added Bisson.
He was referring to the National Federation of State High School Association’s decision to allow high school baseball teams to use either a bigger first base bag or a double first base bag that is used in softball as a measure to prevent injuries.
They can use a base that is 18-inches square compared to the current 15-inch square bag, or use a double base which involves two bags that are 15-inches square, one that is in fair territory and one that is in foul territory.
“Some states play their state championship games at minor league ballparks where they have the bigger base, but we don’t use Hadlock Field (home of AA Portland Sea Dogs) for them, we use college facilities,” said Bisson. “And a lot of our schools have already bought the double base bags so that’s what we’re going to use. It’s a great decision. It clarifies it for everybody.”
For most of the fall sports, the first regular season contest can be held on Sept. 3 after 3 p.m. That includes football, soccer, field hockey, cross country and volleyball.
The first golf match can be played on Aug. 26.
Here is a list of the reigning state champions in the fall sports:
Boys cross country: Hampden Academy (Class A), Yarmouth (B), Houlton (C); girls cross country: Portland (A), Freeport (B), Orono (C).
Field hockey: Cheverus of Portland (A), Belfast (B), Foxcroft Academy (C).
Football: Thornton Academy of Saco (A), Westbrook (B), Greely of Cumberland Center (C), Winthrop (D), Camden Hills (8 Large), Stearns of Millinocket (8 Small).
Golf: Cheverus (A), Nokomis of Newport (B), North Yarmouth Academy (C).
Boys soccer: Scarborough (A), Yarmouth (B), Hall-Dale of Farmingdale (C), Fort Fairfield (D), Piscataquis Community High of Guilford (8 Player).
Girls soccer: Bangor (A), Cape Elizabeth (B), Maranacook of Readfield (C), Penobscot Valley of Howland (D), Bangor Christian (8 Player).
Volleyball: Gorham (A), Washington Academy of East Machias (B), Mount Desert Island (C) and Narraguagus of Harrington (D).
Here are the dates and sites of the 2026 state championship events:
Cross country (boys and girls), Oct. 31: Cony High in Augusta
Field hockey: Nov. 7: A, B and C; Edward Little High School in Auburn
Football: Nov. 14: 8-Man: Edward Little High; Nov. 21: A and B, Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland; C and D, Lewiston
Golf: Oct. 9: Natanis Golf Course Vassalboro; Oct. 10: B and C, Natanis
Soccer (boys and girls): Nov. 7: A: Kennebunk, B: Bangor, C: Lewiston; D: Messalonskee of Oakland; 8-Player: Presque Isle
Volleyball: Oct. 30: D: Husson University in Bangor; Oct. 31: C: Husson; A and B: Southern Maine Community College, South Portland