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2025-26 MAINE HIGH SCHOOL

PREVIEW

THIS YEAR’S TEAMS ARE PACKED WITH TALENT

BY CRYSTAL SANDS

Class A

With the shakeup in the classifications beginning this year, Class A is going to be brimming with talent and strong teams. It should be an exciting season and an even more exciting tournament.

Oxford Hills lost to Cheverus last year in the Class AA regional championship, but with Cheverus moving to the South region and Class AA shifting into a new Class A,

Oxford Hills is certainly going to be a team to watch this year. But Bangor and Hampden Academy should both have strong teams, and Hampden is going to be looking for another championship in Class A.

Coach Nick Winchester from Hampden Academy says they have graduated just one player from last year’s team, and the team has powerful depth this year.

“Our challenge is going to be finding the playing time for this kind of depth,” Winchester said. Hampden has a strong junior class with leaders Eve Wiles and Aubrey Shaw, as well as a 6’3” senior forward/ center Grace Labree.

Bangor has a new head coach this year, Kristin Hermanson, and she is looking forward to a great first year at the helm. The former assistant coach knows the team well and is excited to have both Delaney Horr and Avery Clark (both committed to play ball next year at Husson) back as seniors. Coach Hermanson says they have a lot of players coming off of a state championship in soccer — the girls are motivated to win and hard working.

Last year, Erskine Academy defeated Bapst in the regional semifinals, losing to Caribou in the Class B North final. With Caribou moving down to Class C this year, Erskine will be looking to go deep into the tournament again this season.

Class C

Caribou won last year’s state title in Class B, so they will be a team to watch in this year’s Class C. They will have a new head coach this year in Mackenzie Turner, who worked with the girls as a volunteer assistant coach for several seasons.

Mattanawcook Academy lost to Penobscot Valley in last year’s regional final, but with PVHS moving down to class D this year, Mattanawcook will be on a mission to return strong. With 6’1” senior Addison Cyr returning, Coach Pat House is looking to lead his team to another successful season.

Class D

A strong favorite in Class D this year has to be Penobscot Valley. Last year’s Class C state champion went undefeated, so fans are expecting big things from PVHS this year. Coach Nate Case says the team has their “big three” from last year returning — Rylee Moulton, Lila Cummings, and Brooklyn Raymond — but emphasizes that his team has powerful

Class B

Like Class A, Class B is packed with talent. With Lawrence dropping from Class A to Class B, they will be looking to return to the tournament with depth and experience. Lawrence made it to the regional semifinals in the Class A tournament last year; it will be interesting to see what they can do in Class B. But they’ll have their work cut out for them against the many talented teams in Class B this year.

Ellsworth, Erskine Academy, and John Bapst have strong teams and high hopes for this year’s tournament. Ellsworth made it to the semifinals in Class B North last year and will be returning seniors Lizzie Boles and Kaylee Bagley.

John Bapst lost two seniors but has a returning captain from last year and a lot of depth on the team.

Coach Matt Smith emphasized that the team is really close, which makes them stronger. Senior Anna Smith returns from last year’s team, which made it to the semifinals. Coach Smith said she is a rock for team unity, filling the role of team captain since she was a sophomore. Stella Goetz is a powerful junior guard Coach Smith is excited about, but said, “Anybody on the floor can be that person any given night, and that makes us hard to scout.”

depth. Coach Case says they have a small team with only 10 girls playing basketball, so there are no tryouts.

“We are small but mighty,” he said.

Although his team averaged victories of 40+ points over opponents last year, Case says his players will not get complacent. He says he is expecting tough games from Machias and Bangor Christian.

Bangor Christian has a new head coach this season in Brock Bradford, who is excited about his team’s prospects. With Mary and Annie Allen transferring from Central High School, Bangor Christian will also have a lot of depth. Mary Allen already reached a career 1,000 points during her time at Central.

Class S

This year’s smallest class, Class S, includes schools with under 100 students — but the small size of these schools does not take away from the power they can have on the court.

Wisdom Coach Tracy Guerrette and Katahdin Coach Craig Hartsgrove are expecting good things, as both teams have had consistently strong showings in Class D.

Guerrette says her core group from last year is returning and that the group is tight knit.

“This team has been playing together since middle school,” Guerrette said. “It’s one of the benefits of being in a small school.”

Guerrette says her team is, right now, emphasizing daily improvement and hard work, and that her players are committed to building upon last year’s foundation.

Wisdom’s Peyton Roy Wilcox (#21) attempts to block a layup by Central Aroostook’s Lilly Burtt (#22) in the 2025 Class D North Semifinal game. Central Aroostook won 35-34.

LINDA COAN O’KRESIK BDN

THE ONES TO WATCH

DALANEY HORR

SENIOR, GUARD, BANGOR

At 5’8”, Horr is a versatile player and leader for the Bangor Rams. A strong defender, Horr is also an excellent shooter. Last year, Horr averaged 8.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. She also led the conference in steals with 3.2 per game. Coach Kristin Hermanson says Horr has an amazing work ethic and continues to grow as a player. Horr has committed to play with the Husson Eagles after graduation.

MADDIE PROVOST

SENIOR, GUARD, LAWRENCE

As a senior with depth and versatility, Maddie Provost from Lawrence is considered to be a front runner for Maine’s Miss Basketball. At 5’8”, Provost’s agility on the court makes her a standout in Class A. Known for her ability to shine in big moments, last year, she averaged 20.9 points per game with 4.6 assists and 3.1 steals. Provost has committed to playing with Division I Holy Cross after she graduates.

BY CRYSTAL SANDS

STELLA GOETZ

JUNIOR, GUARD, JOHN BAPST

Stella Goetz was just a sophomore last year when she helped Bapst reach the semifinals in the tournament for the first time in 8 years. At 5’6”, Goetz averaged 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals per game last year. She was an honorable mention in the Bangor Daily News All-Tournament Team, and Coach Matt Smith is expecting a breakout season for her this year. Smith said she is “a dynamic scorer, crafty defender, and relentless worker.”

BROOKLYNN RAYMOND

JUNIOR, GUARD, PENOBSCOT VALLEY

Brooklynn Raymond is a 5’6” standout on a powerhouse PVHS team. Raymond helped lead the team to their first state championship last year, averaging 17 points and 6.8 rebounds as a sophomore. “Her court vision and unselfishness make her such an asset to our team,” said coach Nate Case. “She can shoot the three like no other.”

AVA LERMAN

SENIOR, POINT GUARD, WISDOM

At 5’4”, Ava Lerman is a big force on the court, in Class S, and beyond. Last year, Lerman set a state tournament record across all classes for the number of free throws made in a single game, with an astounding 18 free throws made out of 20 attempts. Her stats from last year were impressive, averaging 21 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals per game, and she is on track to earn 1,000 career points early this season. Coach Tracy Guerrette says that Lerman has what it takes to play at the university level.

“She’s talented, hardworking, and a great leader both on and off the court.”

AUBREY SHAW

JUNIOR, SMALL FORWARD, HAMPDEN ACADEMY

At 5’9”, Shaw was the leading scorer and rebounder last year for Hampden, and her coach, Nick Winchester, is expecting great things from her again this year. “She is able to score at all three levels and is super aggressive on the boards as well, averaging 12 to 14 rebounds per game,” Winchester said. As a sophomore, Shaw was Second Team All-Conference and an Honorable Mention for the BDN All-State Schoolgirl Basketball Team.

LIZZIE BOLES

SENIOR, GUARD, ELLSWORTH

Lizzie Boles is bringing a depth of experience to the Ellsworth team this year. At 5’5”, Boles is a leader on the court and both an outstanding shooter and defensive player, averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.9 steals per game over the course of her high school career so far. She also scored 42.5% from the three-point line. Boles has committed to playing basketball for Husson next fall.

MARY ALLEN

SENIOR, GUARD, BANGOR CHRISTIAN

For her senior year, Mary Allen moved to Bangor Christian from from Central, where she reached 1,000 career points as a junior. A phenomenal scorer, Allen is strong at all three levels, but she is also strong on defense and the boards. Known for a command of the whole court, Allen was one point, rebound, and steal away from a quintuple double in a regular season game last year. Playing under a new coach at Bangor Christian, Allen is sure to shine her senior year.

ADDISON CYR

SENIOR, POST, MATTANAWCOOK ACADEMY

At 6’1”, Addison Cyr brings both height and skill to the court. As a junior last year, she averaged 21.8 points, 13.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game. Cyr reached the 1,000-point milestone as a junior, and was the 2025 Conference Player of the Year, as well as Second Team for the BDN All-State Schoolgirl Basketball Team. She will be playing basketball for Husson next fall.

JULIANNA ALLEN

SENIOR, FORWARD, MT. ARARAT

Last year, Allen helped Mt. Ararat bring home the state championship, and as a senior, both coaches and fans are expecting more great things. Humble and known for excellent teamwork, Allen is also fierce on defense and an excellent shooter. Last year, she averaged 11.2 points and 1.8 blocks per game. She made Second Team for the BDN All-State Schoolgirl Basketball Team last year.

FROM THE GIRLS 2024-25 SEASON

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PREVIEW

EVERY DAY WILL BE A BATTLE AFTER RECLASSIFICATION SHAKES UP THE REGION

BY MATT JUNKER

Class A

The start to this basketball season will be defined by change, not just for one team, but for each and every program amid a statewide reclassification that has many squads shuffling between divisions. Nowhere will that change be more pronounced than in the new Class A, where the state’s largest schools from the former Class AA are combining with some of the bigger members from the former Class A tier. That shift has the top class in the North region looking a lot different, and a lot less predictable, as a result.

After two years atop Class AA North, back-to-back returning state champion Windham has moved to the more geographically-accurate southern division. That departure, along with the arrival of some promising and reliable programs, has the new Class A North looking fairly wide open to start the season.

Camden Hills, one of those ascendant teams that made a strong push in the regional playoffs last season in Class A, boasts one of the state’s top players in senior guard Nolan Ames. As the only junior to make the Bangor Daily News All-Maine second or first team a year ago, Ames looks poised to anchor a Windjammers team that could do some damage in its newly-constructed class.

And though Brewer has the smallest enrollment of any school in the new Class A North, the Witches should be on everyone’s radar as a potential contender in the region. Brewer forward Oli Higgins is already generating buzz as a top player in the state despite being just a sophomore.

Don’t be surprised if Hampden Academy brings the same type of consistency to the new Class A this year that it’s shown in years prior, even

after losing a few key contributors from last year’s team. And the reclassification could prove beneficial for a still-rebuilding Bangor squad.

“We’re a work in progress,” said Bangor coach Jay Kemble, who is in his first season coaching the boys team after moving over from the girls program. He is still getting to know his new team, and his players are still getting to know him.

“Like anything, it takes some time,” Kemble said. Bangor will spend less time on the road with a new schedule that includes more local opponents, like Hampden and Brewer, who are closer to home. The Class AA lineup previously had them making repeated trips to play in the Portland area throughout the season.

“People don’t realize how grueling that is,” Kemble explained about those repeated long bus rides.

Class B

The reigning Class B champion Caribou has moved down to Class C, but things won’t get any easier for the B teams left behind.

The Cony Rams from Augusta, formerly a Class A team, are joining Class B this year and immediately look like one of the teams to beat in the region. Cony guard Parker Morin was a BDN All-Maine Team honorable mention last year as a junior, and he and the Rams could prove to be a tough matchup for a Class B North already full of contenders.

Schenck’s Brayden Osborn (#13) takes a shot over Katahdin’s Conor Schmidt (#11) in the boys

2025 Class D North Regional Championship game. Schenck won the game 47-28.

LINDA COAN O’KRESIK BDN

Hampden’s Liam Heneghen blocks Brewer’s Charles Brydges layup during the season opener in 2023. KIM HIGGINS BDN

“We will compete in our league, but it’s gonna be a battle every single night, every day,” said Ellsworth coach Matt Mattson, whose Eagles finished second in Class B North a year ago.

Mattson’s Ellsworth squad returns some key pieces like seniors Jackson Barry, Dawson Curtis and Bryce

Hart. The Eagles should once again be competitive toward the top of the division, which also includes a talented group from Mount Desert Island.

The MDI squad is headlined by junior guard James Witham, who was already an All-Maine honorable mention in just his sophomore season last year. Witham looks poised to establish himself as a top player statewide, and expect MDI to be in the conversation at the end of the year in Class B North.

“Nothing’s easy in Class C,” Corrigan said. “I’ve looked up and down and there are some deep teams, there are some really good teams. Class C is gonna be wicked — very competitive.”

“We’ve got a lot to worry about. It’s a fun problem to have,” Mattson added about the difficult Class B schedule. “It’s good basketball.”

Class C

The returning Class B champion Caribou Vikings have to be among the early favorites as they head down to Class C, but head coach Kyle Corrigan is adamant that nothing gets easier in the new division.

That competition will include perennial Class B powerhouse Orono, which joins Caribou in the switch to Class C this season. Orono coach Ed Kohtala’s Red Riots had won two straight state championships before Caribou usurped them last year.

Things will look a little differently for Orono, however, after losing team leader Will Francis to graduation and already starting the year with uncertainty about one of its top performers.

Kohtala said senior Matt Allen, an expected post presence for the team, is working through an injury resulting from his time as the goalkeeper on the school’s regional champion soccer team.

Orono was expecting to rely on a talented trio of experienced seniors in guards Brady Hews and Bergen Soderberg, along with Allen down low. But the question mark around Allen’s status could provide an early complication for the Red Riots.

And those are just some of the new arrivals in Class C.

Until someone takes it from them, the regional title still belongs to the Mattanawcook Academy Lynx of

Lincoln. Mattanawcook went 21-0 heading into last year’s Class C state championship game, falling one win short of the state title with a loss to Mt. Abram.

The Lynx boasted two of the five members of last year’s BDN Class C North all-tournament team in point guard Kooper McCarthy and forward Andrew Oliver, and both seem ready for another big year.

Class D

In a year that promises to have crowded fields across the classes, Class D North might see the biggest battle at the top.

Schenck of East Millinocket heads into the season as the defending North regional champ, having finally bested previous champion Bangor Christian at the Cross Center last year. The Wolverines return senior guard and 2025 all-tournament team member Brayden Osborne, and he is sure to factor in heavily during Schenck’s push to defend the title this season.

But Bangor Christian looks well positioned to be right there again this year, with former Patriots girls coach Kevin Reed heading up the boys bench. Reed takes over a talented roster that includes his son Rajon Reed, who was already one of the top players in Class D North last season as just a sophomore. Junior guard

Reed and senior forward Jesse Booker could prove to be among the region’s best duos this year.

Don’t be surprised if Machias looks strong as it makes the switch from Class C to D, with senior point guard Mickey Fitzsimmons likely to set the pace once again for the Bulldogs.

And one of last year’s most compelling stories in Class C, the upstart Owls from Madawaska, will be flying into Class D with a ton of momentum from last year’s tournament run. That postseason push featured the improbable performance by Quinn Pelletier, who notched 43 points in a single game against Mattanawcook and became the first eighth grader to ever be named MVP as part of the BDN’s all-tournament voting. Now a freshman, Pelletier and his Madawaska teammates loom large in the formidable Class D lineup.

Class S

Another of the biggest changes with this year’s classification involves the state’s smallest schools. The new Class S includes schools with total enrollment under 100

students. And in the North, that means 10 teams will battle it out for the new Class S regional title.

An early favorite in that race would have to be Katahdin High School of Stacyville, which made it all the way to the Class D North title game a year ago before falling to Schenck. Senior guard Calvin Richardson appears to be an early key for Katahdin after earning an all-tournament team honorable mention last year.

Mattanawcook’s Kooper McCarthy cuts down the nets after his team won the Class C North Boys Championship in 2025. Mattanwcook beat Madawaska 81-71.

KIM HIGGINS | BDN

The Madawaska boys celebrate after winning their quarterfinal game vs. Dexter at the Cross Insurance Center in 2025. The final score was 54-52.

KIM HIGGINS BDN

THE ONES TO WATCH

THE NORTH REGION PROMISES TO PROVIDE ANOTHER EXCITING SEASON OF QUALITY BASKETBALL. And a talented crop of stars — both established veterans and emerging underclassmen — will be at the center of the action.

There will be no shortage of impressive players hitting the court across the North and across the five classes that exist now after a statewide reclassification process. A list of 10 players just scratches the surface of that regional pool of talent, but among that deep bench of stars, there is certainly a group shining bright as the season gets underway. Here are the players who look most likely to hold court this season as basketball kings in the North.

LANDEN BELANGER

SENIOR,

FORWARD, CARIBOU

The Caribou Vikings head into the season as returning champions, and senior Landen Belanger is among the reasons why. The forward played an important role for the Vikings in their Class B championship run a year ago, flashing his clutch shotmaking abilities at a critical moment in the regional championship game. Belanger drained the winning free-throw with .5 second left to play in that contest, ushering Caribou through to the final round. Belanger and teammate Owen Corrgian will need to step into more primary roles for the Vikings as they take their game to Class C this year.

OLI HIGGINS

SOPHOMORE, FORWARD, BREWER

There may be no player in the North with more individual hype and upside heading into the season than Higgins, and for good reason. Higgins is now over six-foot-eight and was already dominating the paint for the Witches as a freshman. “He’s gotten physically stronger, he’s expanded his game a little bit, so he’s gonna be able to make perimeter shots,” said Brewer coach Carl Parker. And opposing coaches are already marveling at Higgins’ ability. “He’s so good,” Ellsworth coach Matt Mattson said about Higgins.

BY MATT JUNKER

NOLAN AMES

SENIOR, SHOOTING GUARD, CAMDEN HILLS

On last year’s Bangor Daily News All-Maine team, there was only one player on the first and second teams who wasn’t a senior. That was Ames, the prolific scorer and facilitator for the Camden Hills Windjammer squad that made it to the regional semifinals a year ago. Ames averaged more than 22 points and nine rebounds last season, and already has 1,000 career points under his belt. “He’s one of those players that you’re gonna want to go watch, that’s for sure,” Camden Hills coach Joel Gabriele said at the end of last year’s campaign.

PARKER MORIN

SENIOR, GUARD, CONY

The Cony football quarterback will step into a different role this winter leading the Rams on the court. Morin, an All-Maine team honorable mention a year ago, averaged 18 points and more than six rebounds per game in his junior season. He and the high-powered Cony offense will be moving from Class A to B this year as well, and look like an early Class B North favorite.

ANDREW OLIVER

SENIOR, FORWARD, MATTANAWCOOK ACADEMY

Oliver was a central piece for the Class C North champs Mattanawcook last season, employing a sometimes understated but often deadly ability to score the basketball. “He’s not your prototypical post player. He can light it up from the outside pretty good,” coach Adam Mahaney said about Oliver last year. “He also blocks shots and can find the open man with his passes.” The Lynx have some new company in Class C this year with powerhouses Caribou and Orono jumping down from Class B, and Oliver looms large as an important part of Mattanawcook’s title defense.

BRAYDEN OSBORNE

SENIOR, GUARD, SCHENCK

Osborne returns to the Schenck lineup with a regional title in hand, having helped lead the Wolverines from East Millinocket to their Class D North Championship win a year ago. But with Class D North tournament MVP Owen Wyman lost to graduation, Osborne will likely need to fully take the reins for the Wolverines in a stacked regional division.

ADEN JEFFERS

JUNIOR, GUARD, FORT KENT

Count Jeffers among the talented junior class that stands on the precipice of even greater things. As a sophomore, he routinely demonstrated an ability to put up big numbers for Fort Kent, using a 31-point performance to help upset Hodgdon in the postseason tournament last year. He made games in the 30s and even 40s seem almost commonplace a year ago, and seemingly setting the stage for even bigger things this season.

QUINN PELLETIER

FRESHMAN, FORWARD, MADAWASKA

Pelletier was one of the best players in the high school basketball tournament last year, and he wasn’t even in high school yet. As the first eight grader to ever win an MVP award in the BDN’s all-tournament voting, Pelletier went on to gain national attention for his 43-point performance in Madawaska’s regional final loss to Mattanawcook. He and the Owls will be back this year and are surely looking to take Class D by storm after the reclassification.

RAJON REED

JUNIOR, GUARD, BANGOR CHRISTIAN

Last season, Reed was a sophomore sensation for the Bangor Christian Patriots. Expect more of the same from an older and potentially hungrier Reed after his team fell to Schenck in the regional semifinals last season. The Patriots won the state title the year before in his freshman season. At 6-foot-3, Reed brings solid size and versatility to the Patriots back court, and helps make the Bangor Christian squad appear to be one of the teams to beat in Class D North.

JAMES WITHAM

JUNIOR, GUARD, MOUNT DESERT ISLAND

Another All-Maine honorable mention from a year ago, junior guard Witham is poised to have a breakout year and establish himself as one of the best players in the state. The MDI star is a dynamic scorer that teams often have to design entire defensive schemes around, just trying to limit his offensive production because stopping it entirely isn’t an option.