In northern Maine, sure groups have grow to be perennial powerhouses of their respective courses.
In Class A, Oxford Hills has appeared within the North regional closing yearly since 2018, together with successful it in 2021 and eventually capturing the state title in 2022.
In Class D, Foxcroft Academy has appeared in 4 of the final 5 state championship video games, successful all of it in 2021 and 2022.
Class C and eight-player small, then again, have been hotly contested in northern Maine.
Yearly since 2018 — eight-player small debuted in 2019 — has featured a special North regional champion in both class, usually with detrimental leads to the state title sport.
Just a few faculties, nonetheless, have a possibility to buck historic patterns and convey a golden ball again to northern Maine.
Here’s a have a look at the 5 groups within the North to observe this fall, ordered by class.
Oxford Hills
Final season: 11-0, received Class A state championship 21-7 vs. Thornton Academy
As regional finalists in 2018 and 2019 and state runners-up in 2021, Oxford Hills had an ideal season in 2022 en path to its first state title in program historical past.
This fall, the Vikings have the chance to certify themselves as a bona fide dynasty, ought to they repeat as state champs regardless of the departure of a stacked senior class final 12 months.
Oxford Hills parted methods with 4 of its finest gamers this summer time: 2021 Maine Gatorade Participant of the 12 months quarterback Eli Soehren, 2022 Gaziano Defensive Lineman of the 12 months Zach Louvat, the crew’s main rusher Trey Morrison, and the crew’s main receiver Teigan Pelletier.
“The final couple courses have been actually proficient,” head coach Mark Soehren stated. “However it doesn’t really feel like we misplaced many starters.”
The Vikings handled accidents all season final 12 months, together with within the state closing, which afforded their backups loads of enjoying time and fortified the Vikings’ depth.
“There was that ‘subsequent man up’ mentality,” Athletic Director Kevin Ryan stated. “Soehren is a good participant developer; they’d an impressive group.”
A type of subsequent males up was backup quarterback Brady Truman, who will likely be Oxford Hills’ beginning sign caller this season.
The rising senior appeared in seven video games final fall, throwing for eight touchdowns. His completion proportion (73.2 %) and yards per try (12.4) have been even higher than Eli Soehren’s.
“I desire to run the ball,” stated coach Soehren. “However Truman is correct, and we’ve bought some huge targets.”
Using the championship wave, Oxford Hills has one other golden ball in its crosshairs.
“The fellows are nice rivals; they noticed and did what it took to win,” Soehren stated. “We’ll play anybody, anyplace, anytime.”
Hermon
Final season: 7-4, misplaced Class C regional closing 40-20 vs. Medomak Valley
In a chaotically aggressive Class C, the Hermon Hawks have been a mannequin of consistency, showing within the North regional closing thrice prior to now 5 years. Frustratingly near getting over the hump, the Hawks will take one other stab on the North crown this fall.
As normal, they are going to have a run-first offense, led by senior fullback Alec Smith (co-captain), senior working again Damon Kimball, senior middle Anthony Addessi (co-captain), and junior working again Max Hopkins.
“We’re going to have a bunch of various backs doing issues,” head coach Kyle Gallant stated.
Coached by Gallant since 2017, Hermon’s recipe for achievement has been its patented floor sport coupled with a tradition of toughness its soccer group has fostered.
“Our success comes from our tight-knit group,” Gallant stated. “In highschool soccer, it’s arduous for groups to beat psychological and bodily toughness once they’re towards it.”
Underneath middle, slot back-turned-quarterback junior Bruce Coulter will likely be taking the reins for the primary time in his profession. Hermon graduated quarterback Johnny Kokoska final 12 months, and the Hawks see Coulter main the offense for the subsequent two seasons.
“Week one, we’ll be a piece in progress,” Gallant stated. “Now we have some youngsters enjoying in new positions, and in the event that they get snug, they may very well be stellar.”
Gallant thinks the Hermon protection will maintain issues down because the offense continues to evolve, and believes the Hawks will likely be a harmful postseason crew come late October.
“I feel we now have an excellent shot,” he stated.
Oceanside
Final season: 6-4, misplaced Class C regional semifinal 49-28 vs. Hermon
The philosophy of 2022’s Huge 11 Coach of the 12 months Sam Weiss: “rating a variety of factors.”
Final 12 months was Weiss’ first 12 months as head coach of the Mariners, who drastically revitalized their offense underneath his steering. Oceanside averaged 37.4 factors per sport in 2022, after solely placing up 10.6 in 2021 and 16.5 in 2019.
Solely graduating three starters this offseason, Oceanside’s offense ought to be simply as, if no more, fearsome this fall, as Weiss enters 12 months two of his tenure. Main the cost will likely be working again Aiden Sargent and quarterback Cohen Galley, each seniors this 12 months.
As juniors, Sargent ran for 1,641 yards, scored 26 touchdowns and was named Class C North Participant of the 12 months. Galley in the meantime averaged 19.9 yards per completion, accounted for twenty-four touchdowns and threw solely 4 interceptions. He was named first-team all-conference.
“Sargent can flip up the pace, and is an every-down again,” Weiss stated. “Galley additionally ran for 600 yards, and performs his place like a degree guard.”
Except for Sargent and Galley, Oceanside’s offensive corps is stuffed with dominant talent gamers, all of whom Weiss envisions will proceed to blossom this 12 months.
“Final 12 months was my first 12 months with all these youngsters,” Weiss stated. “A few of them have been initially enjoying out of place, and we realized it as we pieced stuff collectively.”
The actual X-factor for Weiss and Oceanside will likely be their protection. Oceanside bought pushed round by Hermon within the regional semifinal, which was a wake-up name for Oceanside to grow to be extra bodily. Previous to November, Oceanside hadn’t misplaced by greater than 4 factors all season.
“We’re making an attempt so as to add physicality this offseason,” Weiss stated. “Within the weight room, in observe. We’re training extra bodily this 12 months.”
If Oceanside can preserve the ball in its palms, the Mariners will likely be a real postseason menace this fall.
Foxcroft Academy
Final season: 10-1, received Class D state championship 41-22 vs. Lisbon/St.Dominic
Final 12 months was enterprise as normal for the Ponies, who received their second consecutive state title, and appeared of their fourth Class D state championship sport since 2017.
“That’s the bar we need to obtain: to play in November,” 15-year Foxcroft head coach Dan White stated.
Foxcroft received its quarterfinal and semifinal video games by a mixed rating of 101-0, finally avenging its 14-13 common season loss to Lisbon/St.Dominic within the state closing.
Most of Foxcroft’s starters will likely be returning this 12 months as seniors with two years of high-level play underneath their belts. Led by this seasoned class of 2024, Foxcroft has a very good likelihood to make it three state championships in a row.
Within the backfield, seniors Kemsley Marsters and Gage Beaudry and sophomore Finn Holmes will tempo the working sport, with senior quarterback Wyatt Rayfield chipping in as properly.
Marsters ran for 455 yards and 6 touchdowns final season. Holmes and Rayfield tacked on one other 5 and 6 touchdowns, respectively.
Within the air, Rayfield will likely be with out 2022’s main receiver Caden Crocker, so senior slot again Jadon Richard ought to emerge as Rayfield’s new favourite goal. Richard logged 517 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns final 12 months.
This depth and stability on offense ought to proceed to function White’s mannequin for achievement. Foxcroft averaged 46 factors per sport in 2022, and 38.7 in 2021.
“We attempt to not depend on one space or particular person,” White stated. “We’re balanced offensively, whatever the climate or defensive scheme.”
Defensively, the Ponies aren’t any slouch both, holding their opponents to eight.9 factors per sport final season. At defensive again, Richard had 5 interceptions, whereas junior lineman Hunter McSorley had seven sacks.
“We count on to be a really profitable playoff crew,” White stated.
Orono
Final season: 7-4, misplaced eight-player small state championship sport 46-22 vs. Outdated Orchard Seaside
Coming off a winless season in 2021, Orono shocked everybody with an electrifying postseason run final 12 months.
After beginning the common season 2-3, the Purple Riots received their subsequent 5 video games by a median margin of 25 factors and superior all the way in which to the state finals. They scored a median of 55 factors in that stretch.
“All of it clicked. We have been scary good,” junior quarterback Jack Brewer stated.
Lastly, within the state championship sport, the Purple Riots had their successful streak snapped by Outdated Orchard Seaside in Augusta. Outsized, the Purple Riots couldn’t get right into a groove offensively.
However the championship loss hasn’t dampened the arrogance or momentum Orono constructed final season. Spending this offseason growing a stronger floor sport and persevering with to construct chemistry, the Purple Riots are locked in on a collective aim of turning into state champs.
“We kinda bought pushed round at states,” Brewer stated. “The storyline final 12 months was our pace, our athletes, my throwing, however persons are going to see this 12 months that we might be robust too. Everybody right here desires a hoop, and is aware of what it takes to get it.”
Fostering this toughness takes place within the minds of the Purple Riots as a lot because it does within the weight room.
“There’s been a serious enchancment in our mentality. Simply being canine, for certain,” senior working again Ben Francis stated. “We knew what we may do, what we may very well be, and our guys simply put the items collectively. It’s been a crew effort in progress in all elements.”
The Purple Riots have come a good distance since 2019, when the varsity canceled its soccer season resulting from an absence of accessible gamers.
In 2021, Orono returned to motion as an eight-player soccer crew, however the rising pains hit arduous because the Purple Riots did not win a single sport.
Orono solely graduated three seniors final 12 months, so its starters will be capable to reap the advantages of the chemistry they’ve developed over the previous two seasons.
“The most important factor about these youngsters is how shut they’re,” head coach Bob Sinclair stated. “With that recipe, we will win.”