The Kennebunk girls are the defending Class A champions, but the team was unable to practice or compete last winter because of the pandemic. This season they return six veterans from the 2020 title team, shown above. Glenn Jordan photo

GIRLS

1. Cape Elizabeth: After a three-year run as Class B state champions, the Capers dropped to third in 2020. Still, they have the depth (30 girls) and front-line talent to challenge for the crown. Seniors Ali Bragg, Maddie Mahoney, Abbie Wolf and Stephanie te Boekhorst and juniors Sally Bakke and Mimi Esch lead a balanced team bolstered by the addition of sophomore twins Brooke and Hadley Mahoney and freshmen Lucy Shaw and Hope Taylor.

2. Greely: The Rangers finished second in Class B in 2020 and more than doubled anyone else’s score in last winter’s 17-school Masked Ball Invitational, but graduation took a toll. Sophomore Audrey Cohen is a potential all-America swimmer. Juniors Abby Hollis, Emma Cyr, Holly Moss, Katie Hankinson, Hunter Maxham and Emma Richard all have scoring experience at the state meet, as does senior Mia Raley. The roster of 21 is the smallest in Coach Rob Hale’s 31 years at the helm.

3. Kennebunk: The Rams are defending Class A champions, with six veterans (Annalise Cowing, Chloe Matthews, Rowan Pow, Camilla Rawlings, Emma Thomas, and Kaia Wirth) returning from that 2020 title team. However, last winter’s closure of the University of New England pool left Kennebunk high and dry for a season, the roster is down to 13 and nearby Thornton Academy is stronger than ever. Even so, the addition of sophomore freestyler Campbell Maurer will help keep Kennebunk in the hunt.

4. Camden Hills: The Windjammers have a new coach in Mark McCluskey and a new classification, moving into Class A. They opened the season with a 70-point victory over Brunswick in which freshmen Lily Mott (50 free, 100 butterfly) and Chloe Root (500 free, 100 back) and junior Sarah Van Lonkhuyzen (100 and 200 free) were double winners. Seniors Sadie Woodruff and Gail Curtis return from the 2020 team that placed sixth in Class B. Classmate Karla Upham is a transfer from Florida who will help.

5. Morse: Seniors Fiona Cashman and Olivia Cunningham lead a Shipbuilders squad hoping to improve upon fifth in Class B in 2020. Junior Natalie Emmerson (100 butterfly, 200 freestyle), sophomore Eliza Marco (100 free, 100 back) and sophomore Elena Trundy (200 individual medley, 100 breast) all were individual double winners in a season-opening 72-point victory over Mt. Ararat. Sophomores Grace Tetreault (sprints) and Claire Sinibaldi (backstroke) and junior Colleen Cashman (distance) add depth.

BOYS

1. Cape Elizabeth: The Capers placed second to three-time defending champ Mt. Desert Island in the 2020 Class B state meet and once more should be in contention. Seniors Keegan McKenney and Ethan Smith earned Varsity Maine All-State honors as sophomores. Classmate Bodhi Beber (breast) and versatile juniors Rohan Yadav and Ian Plourde add veteran leadership. Sophomores Cormac McKenney, David Steinbrick and Jack McCormick and freshman Graham Plourde are all capable of scoring at the state meet.

2. Scarborough: The Red Storm boys are looking to end a 15-year Class A stranglehold by Cheverus and Bangor. Senior Jack Pillsbury is the school’s best swimmer in the breast stroke since Jerry Gravel, and junior Ethan Schulz is a threat to win two individual events at states. Other potential scorers on the roster of 22 are seniors Brennan Fravert and Yandy Placeres, juniors Brendan Amann, Tanner Johnson and Evan Wardrop, sophomore Owen Kasper and freshman Stephen Ranger.

3. Greely: Senior Lev Giffune convinced 10 members of the cross country team to join swimming this winter, resulting in a squad of 27, so depth will not be an issue for a team that finished third in Class B in 2020. Seniors Giffune, Charter Sasseville and Aidan Martel and junior Matt Desmond and Brady Nolin are all returning state-meet scorers. Asa Giffune – one of 11 freshmen – won two individual events (200 free, 500 free) in a season-opening victory over Waynflete. The Rangers trailed only Cape Elizabeth and Deering-Portland in last winter’s Masked Ball Invitational.

4. Falmouth: The Navigators have a new coach in Paul Druchniak and a roster with both talent and depth (21 boys). Seniors Patrick Gill, Kevin Lu and Ethan Caster and juniors Will Porter and Jacob Lu all contributed individual points at the 2020 Class A state meet, where Falmouth placed fifth. Seniors Ash Lane and Andrew Yoo swam on relays. Junior Jack Carlson and sophomore Cole Gorsuch (who at 14 broke one of future Olympian Ian Crocker’s age-group backstroke state records) offer further potential.

5. Deering-Portland: The RamDog combined contingent, which also includes athletes from Baxter Academy and Casco Bay High, knocked off eight-time defending Class A state champ Cheverus 93-59 to open the season and was runner-up to Cape Elizabeth in last winter’s 15-school Masked Ball Invitational. That earns them the fifth spot, slightly ahead of South Portland, Kennebunk and Morse. Sophomore Chase Gagnon leads a roster than numbers only 11, but includes talented seniors Beo Endicott, Kiron Das, Tae-Su Park and Fox Fernald.