A look at the upcoming Class B and C North basketball seasons

In Class C, with the graduation of Miss Maine Basketball Kolleen Bouchard and her 2,046 career points, four-time regional champ Houlton finds itself in a rebuilding cycle.

That means Class C North runner-up Dexter, which took Houlton to overtime in the regional final with three freshman starters, is the team to beat.

“Dexter has the best defensive team in the class and Calais has the best offensive team,” said Houlton coach Shawn Graham. “But Dexter also has some good offensive players in Peyton Grant and (Avery) Herrick.”

“Since we’re a year older, we’re a little bit stronger, a little bit smarter and a little tougher,” said Dexter coach Jody Grant.

Grant, an All-Maine honorable mention, can score from anywhere. She is complemented by fellow sophomore Herrick, a fierce rebounder who can also score, and Cheyenne Beem.

First-year Calais coach Bill McVicar has a small but quick team that will be able to light up the scoreboard thanks to sharpshooters Lauren Cook, Olivia Huckins, and his daughter Sophie McVicar.

Narraguagus, which also has a first-year coach in Eric Beal, lost only one player off an 18-2 team and has seasoned veterans in Kylee Joyce, Kirstin Kennedy, Lanie Perry, and Kaci Alley.

Stearns is young but will have the talented Alley sisters, Katherine and Alisyn, to build around.

In Class B, defending state champ Winslow has a new coach in Brenda Beckwith but boasts plenty of quality returnees like All-KVAC choices Paige Trask, and Weslee Littlefield. Littlefield’s sister, Bodhi Littlefield, Silver Clukey, and Maegan Bernard were also key contributors a year ago.

Trask and Bernard were all-tourney picks for the 18-5 Raiders, who held opponents under 40 points in 17 of 23 games.

“The transition has been very smooth,” said Beckwith, who replaced Lindsey Withee and will continue to preach tenacious team defense. “It is a typical Winslow team: We have a lot of quickness, we can shoot well but we don’t have a lot of size. These kids are all super competitive.”

Beckwith needs to develop depth.

Hermon, Mount Desert Island of Bar Harbor, and Waterville are three of the teams expected to challenge Winslow.

Hermon coach Chris Cameron graduated four starters off his 17-3 team but has size and a number of good, experienced players back in seniors Cait Tracy, Madi Curtis, and Brooke Cowan, and juniors Paige Plissey and Grace Page.

MDI (14-5 features seniors Maddi Candage, Julia Watras and Alexis Clarito and Waterville, under KVAC Coach of the Year Rob Rodrigue, will lean on All-KVAC pick Sadie Garling.

“MDI will be really fast and athletic and Hermon is going to be really solid,” said Presque Isle coach Jeff Hudson.

The boys Class B season ended with undefeated Hermon holding the gold ball after a 55-34 victory over Wells in the state championship game.

With junior forward Isaac Varney and senior guards Cody Hawes and Garrett Trask all returning to the starting lineup, coach Mark Reed’s Hawks loom as the team to beat again.

“The championship has to go through Hermon, Maine,” said MCI coach Josh Tardy. “They’re the gold standard. Hawes, Trask, and Varney are all special and experienced, and then you’ve got good players around them. They play well together.”

MCI may be among the more serious challengers to the Hawks’ regional supremacy.

The Pittsfield-based Huskies return two All-Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference honorees in junior guard Owen Williams and 6-7 senior Jose Ignacio “Nacho” Montes-Valverde, and they’ve added sophomore Gavin McArthur, a 6-2 transfer from Gardiner who should add some offensive punch once he fully recovers from a dislocated shoulder.

Another top KVAC team in Class B North should be Oceanside of Rockland. Coach Matt Breen’s Mariners are led by 6-5 senior Cooper Wirkala, one of the region’s most versatile players.

MDI, the 2017 state champion, has consistently ranked near the top of the standings under coach Justin Norwood, and senior forwards Derek Collin and Andrew Shea should help the Trojans continue to contend.

Caribou could emerge as a threat under first-year head coach Kyle Corrigan, led by senior guard Austin Findlen and junior forward Parker Deprey.

Orono, which earned the final preliminary-round berth last winter, should move up under new coach Ed Kohtala, the former University of Maine assistant and Bangor High School mentor. Connor Robertson, a 6-4 senior, is back after missing the end of last season with a knee injury. Sam Martin, a 6-6 junior, 6-3 sophomore Zach Dill and sophomore point guard Jason Desisto add to a young and talented nucleus.

In Class C, George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill may not be as dominant as its three state-championship predecessors with Mr. Basketball finalist Taylor Schildroth and semifinalist Max Mattson among its most recent graduates.

But the Eagles should remain among the top contenders for North region honors.

“Obviously we have some big gaps to fill,” said GSA coach Dwayne Carter, “but we have a solid core of players who know how to win and are used to doing it, which will be an advantage during the season.”

Junior guard Caden Mattson, previously a defensive stopper, will add point-guard duties to his responsibilities while 6-3 senior Percy Zentz should be a prominent frontcourt presence for the Eagles.

Other contenders are Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, Fort Kent, Houlton, Penobscot Valley of Howland, Central Aroostook of Mars Hill, Bucksport, and Dexter.

Mattanawcook returns three starters, led by All-Penobscot Valley Conference first-teamer Alex Brown, from a team that reached the C North semifinals. Other key players are center Cayden Spencer-Thompson and guard Nate Ring.

Fort Kent also reached last February’s semifinals and has back 10 of its top 12 players from a year ago, including the inside-outside combo of senior forward Caleb Delisle and senior guard Cameron Jandreau among four returning starters.

Leading Penobscot Valley are senior forwards Grant Kidon and Elijah Wood, both 2018 All-PVC selections.

Junior guard Keegan Gentle and senior forward Nick Brewer are back to pace Houlton, while Central Aroostook returns senior guard Ben Thomas and junior forward Brayden Bradbury.

Bucksport has first-team All-PVC senior forward Tyson Gray to lead a veteran nucleus, while Dexter will rely on its persistent defense to contend for a home playoff berth.