Lisbon’s Levi Tibbetts, right, pulls down a rebound before Poland’s Hunter Brackett can get a hand on it during the first half of a playoff game last season at Lisbon. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

BRUNSWICK — As the high school basketball season begins this weekend, the competition will soon heat up across the Midcoast.

Here’s a look at the area teams:

BRUNSWICK

The Dragons head into the season with plenty of optimism after advancing to the Class A South quarterfinals at the Portland Expo last season. Now, they will look to take a bigger step forward this season.

Senior Thomas Harvey and sophomore Trevor Gerrish return at the forward position for Brunswick, which finished 7-12 last season.

Harvey, who was named to the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference second team last season, led the team in points and rebounds (16.1 PPG and 6.2 RPG) while Gerrish looks to improve his all-around game. Gerrish averaged 8.1 PPG and 5.3 RPG as a freshman.

Brunswick’s backcourt has had to make some changes in the preseason following a knee injury during the football season to their starting point guard and second leading scorer Quin McCaffrey. Junior point guard Noah Johnson will be the primary ball handler and senior Jared Similien will be the off guard.

Richmond’s Koleman Krosser, left, and Wiscasset’s Ismael Martinez fight for a rebound during a Dec . 1 scrimmage at Wiscasset Middle High School. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“We’ll need to show more consistency night in and night out and hope to show real improvement on the defensive side of the ball,” said coach Ben Clark, who is entering his second season. “(We’ll) look to make it to the Portland Expo again this year and hope to be a contender in a deep Class A South division.”

Brunswick hosts Westbrook in the season opener on Friday at 7 p.m.

MT ARARAT

The Eagles graduated four starters from a year ago, but coach David Dubreuil expects his team to bounce back and compete all season.

“We’ve got a good group of returning seniors and I expect them to compete night in and night out and compete all season long,” said Dubreuil, entering his fifth season.

Those seniors are forwards Brady Merrill and John Martin, along with guard Parker Bate. Junior guard Kasey Bergeron also returns.

Mt Ararat’s Kasey Bergeron puts up a shot during a Dec. 2, 2021 game against Messalonskee in Oakland. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

Newcomer Andrew Clemons, a sophomore, adds depth.

FREEPORT

The Falcons are relatively young and inexperienced, but second-year coach Tyler Tracy is encouraged by his teams preseason play thus far.

“This team has a great work ethic and attitude,” said Tracy. “We have potential, how we do will be a matter of how quickly we adjust to the speed and physicality of our schedule.”

Freeport (9-8) finished the season as the sixth seed in Class A South, losing a preliminary round game to Biddeford.

Junior JT Pound, who stands at 6-foot-3, will play forward after being the team’s first player off the bench last season. Pound averaged 8 rebounds and  6 points a game last year, Tracy said.

“He has the potential to take a big jump this year,” he said.

Connor Slocum will be at guard. The guard averaged 5 points a game last year.

“Pound and Slocum each started games last year and were regulars in the rotation,” said Tracy. “Outside of those two, we are young and inexperienced.”

The Falcons welcome sophomore Conner Smith to the team as their primary ball handler. The 6-2 guard had the potential to be a rotation player as a freshman, but broke his arm on opening night.

Other newcomers include seniors Aidan Heath and Logan Schulz, along with junior Max Maneikis.

“We expect to be the most improved team between now and February,” added Tracy. “If we progress as I think we will, we will battle for one of the later playoff spots.”

MORSE

The Shipbuilders may have been hit hard with graduation, losing eight seniors, but head coach Chris York said his team should compete.

“Even though we graduated eight seniors last year, we do have some returning varsity experience, and I expect us to compete for a playoff spot,” said the third-year coach.

York added that seniors Gabe Morrison, Andrew Card, Gavin Baillargeon, as well as juniors Calin Gould and Trace McFarland, are potential impact players.

Morse’s Andrew Card (11) is fouled by Westbrook’s Conner Doolittle (11) and Micah Lombardo (23) during a Class A South prelim game last season in Bath. Eric Maxim/The Times Record

“The expectation remains the same: Show up every day and compete with purpose,” said York. “With the leadership of our upper classmen, we’ll take it week to week with the ultimate goal being get to the (Portland) Expo.”

Morse finished 7-9 and lost in the preliminary round to Westbrook.

LISBON

The Greyhounds have several experienced upperclassmen, and coach Jake Gentle said they are looking to be competitive in every game. He also expects the Mountain Valley Conference to be a challenge because several teams are like Lisbon and return many talented and experienced players.

“It will be an exciting season in the MVC, with great games every night,” said Gentle, entering his 11th season.

Those returning Greyhounds include seniors Levi Tibbetts, Aiden Parker, Owen Smith, Chase Mailhot, Jack Ramich, Gavin Grenier, Canaan Cameron and juniors Owen Booker and DeSean Trufant.

Newcomers who will add depth to a team that went 15-4 last year include senior Drake St. Pierre, sophomore Cody Osmond and freshmen Keegan Morrisette and Owen Hurd.

WISCASSET

Wiscasset has lost 57 consecutive games and has nine players total. However, coach Rick Larrabee is confident the program is slowly turning around, with improved skills among the younger players and better numbers at the youth level. A couple of wins would be a major achievement.

The Wolverines have a mix of impact players this season and include – seniors Dylan Akers (guard), and Cory Ricker (center), Sophomores Jevar Garricks (guard), Ismael Martinez (forward), Camden Larrabee (guard/forward) and Alex Richard (guard).

The Sun Journal and Portland Press Herald contributed to this report.