DIRIGO COUGARS
Coach: David Buck (sixth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C
Last year’s results: Girls: Eighth at states; Boys: Ninth at states
Top returners: Junior — Darryl Curtis; Sophomores — Tomlin Suttles, Marley Berry.
Key losses: Megan Spaulding, John Lane, Sylvia Hodsdon
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — Isaac Delude, Andrew Harmon, Keegin Miele
Season outlook: This will be another building season for the Cougars, but the team is developing some experience. Dirigo has only one girls skier, but the boys will field a full team for the first time in several years. Strong numbers in the middle school program should begin to pay off next season.

EDWARD LITTLE RED EDDIES
Coach: Dustin Williamson (third year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: A
Last year’s results: Girls: Fifth at states; Boys: 10th at states
Top returners: Seniors — Nora Condit, Owen Winslow; Junior — Katie Morgan
Key loss: Kat Garcia
Promising newcomer: Freshman — Gideon Varney
Season outlook: The Red Eddies continue to train with Williamson and the Leavitt Nordic team. Williamson said he expects Nora Condit to be successful in big races, and Owen Winslow and Katie Morgan to have solid seasons. He added that Gideon Varney is talented and should have a nice freshman campaign.

GRAY-NEW GLOUCESTER PATRIOTS
Coach: John Waterman (first year)
Conference: WMC; Class: B
Top returner: Sophomore — Vanessa Parlin
Key loss: Caitlin Sweeney
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — Liam LaBreck, Idahlia Manns, Ida Waterman
Season outlook: Three freshmen join the Patriots, and with the trails at Libby Hill and a growing middle school program, John Waterman said Nordic skiing is making a comeback at Gray-New Gloucester.

LEAVITT HORNETS
Coach: Dustin Williamson (22nd year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: B
Last year’s results: Girls: Fifth at states; Boys: Third at states
Top returners: Seniors — Annabella Chabot, Jacob Dening, Jade Haylock, Heather Mousseau, Ashley Roy; Juniors —Serhii Bezhenar, Haley Marston, Jacobi Sutton; Sophomore — Liz Buckley
Key losses: Dom Toscano, Gabe Durazo, Abby Marston, Alexis Barkman, Reid Sibley
Promising newcomers: Sophomores — Max Cilley, Julia York, Garrett Starbird; Freshmen — Titan Briggs, Cole Chretien, Gavin Fournier
Season outlook: With good numbers and a lot of talent, Williamson says the Hornets are poised for fun, success and continued improvement this winter.

MOUNTAIN VALLEY FALCONS
Coach: Dylan Cayer (fifth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C
Top returners: Senior — Joseph Packard; Junior — Whyatt Perhman; Sophomore — Khalil Hamdi
Key losses: David Packard, Aidan Granados
Season outlook: Cayer said the Falcons are desperately looking for a fourth skier, but otherwise have a promising team with three returning boys. He added that they are hoping to have at least one skier break into the top 10 at MVCs.

MT. ABRAM ROADRUNNERS
Coach: Lucas Milliken (third year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C
Top returners: Seniors — Olivia Tozier, Evan Bilodeau, Robert Butterfield, Aspen Mitchell
Key loss: Carter Butterfield
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — Saredhiel Masterman, Kati Palo, Harlee-May Wyman, Trent Hartford
Season outlook: Milliken said the Roadrunners are thrilled to have a group of promising freshmen join a group of upperclassmen who continue to improve.

MT. BLUE COUGARS
Coach: Ben Geissinger (first year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: A
Last year’s results: Girls: Class A champions; Boys: Class A state champions
Top returners: Seniors — Nora McCourt, Maya Kellett, Henri McCourt; Juniors — Elizabeth Strickland, Molly Patterson; Sophomores — Abby Dorr, Damian Wynn, Eli Young
Key losses: Lucinda Carroll, Natalie McCarthy, Luke Doscinski
Promising newcomer: Junior — Juliette Poussier.
Season outlook: Mt. Blue is coming off another season at the top of Class A under former coach Emmy Held. Ben Geissinger, who will also coach Spruce Mountain, said the Cougars are looking forward to a strong season with many returning standout athletes, including reigning state champions Nora and Henri McCourt and last year’s girls state runner-up, Maya Kellett.

OXFORD HILLS VIKINGS
Coach: Alyssa Andrews (seventh year), assistant coach John Melhus (second year)
Conference: KVAC; Class: A
Last year’s results: Girls: Fourth at KVACs and states; Boys: Fourth at KVAC, fifth at states
Top returners: Seniors — Dean Rudman, Noah Damon-Travers, Emily Sanborn; Juniors — Mackenzie Van Nest, Ronan Brown, Riley Woodworth; Sophomores — Stella Edson, Asher Roy
Key losses: Meredith Harthorne, Cameron Sherbinski, Cody Roy, Gabe DosReis
Promising newcomers: Seniors — Lily Hammond, Lauren Hewson; Freshmen — Elja Partridge, Levi Pouliot, Eli Caiazzo, Landric Rudman
Season outlook: The Vikings are a young but growing team this season. Andrews said the enthusiasm is high and the skiers are ready to work hard and race well.

SPRUCE MOUNTAIN PHOENIX
Coach: Ben Geissinger (fifth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C
Last year’s results: Girls: Sixth at states; Boys: 12th at states
Top returners: Seniors — Hannah Perkins, Skylar Condon, Natalie Furka; Junior —Samuel Geissinger
Promising newcomer: Freshman — Hope Bowie
Season outlook: The Phoenix have a small team, but Ben Geissinger said they hope to be competitive individually in the MVC. All of last winter’s team is back from last year. Geissinger said Perkins hopes to improve on her seventh-place showing and Condon on her 12th-place finish at the conference championships. Samuel Geissinger is shooting for the podium at the MVC championships and to improve his seventh-place finish in Class C.

TELSTAR REBELS
Coach: Kristen Powell (fourth year)
Conference: MVC; Class: C
Last year’s results: Ella Akers fifth at MVCs
Top returners: Seniors — Ella Akers, Kayan DeGruttola, Katie Devaney, Gabrielle Thompson; Sophomore — Davon DeGruttola
Promising newcomer: Freshman — Isla DeCato (Hebron Academy)
Season outlook: The Rebels have already enjoyed some preseason time on the snow. Powell said the team’s returners, including Akers, who took fifth at MVCs last winter, are looking to rise up in the conference ranks this season.

WINTHROP RAMBLERS
Coach: Ed Van Tassel (second year); assistant coach Kelly Stratton
Conference: MVC; Class: C
Last year’s results: Boys: Fourth at states
Top returners: Junior — Joseph Szakas; Sophomores — Sam St. Germain, Gianni Haefele, Reece Dubreuil
Promising newcomers: Freshmen — Jacob Frost, Douglas Talbot, Jackson McBride
Season outlook: The entire team is back from last season and is joined by three freshmen. The Ramblers aim to improve their fourth-place finish at the state meet.