BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Coach: Ilunga Mutombo (third year, 27-13 overall record)

2023-24 record: 11-8 (Lost, 61-33, to Medomak Valley in Class B South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Torrey Rogers (Senior), Bobby Wolff (Senior), Evan Oranellas (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “We return just one varsity starter from last year. We have two players back who played consistent minutes last season. Although we’re young, we’re eager to compete and improve. We hope to improve on both ends of the court as the season progresses. We face a tough Class B schedule, which will be filled with a fair share of Class A teams. The challenge will be to find ways to match up against opponents day-in and day-out and learn from each game. We have the right players and are working hard to build a strong team chemistry that will help us endure the season ahead.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth overcame a frustrating start to the season a year ago to make it to the postseason, but the Clippers were no match for Medomak Valley in the quarterfinals. Graduation has taken quite a toll on the program the past few years, including last June when league all-stars Matt Gautreau and Evan Hamm departed, and while this year’s squad is inexperienced, there is promise and you can expect plenty of growth in the weeks to come.

Wolff is the lone returning starter. He’ll be a factor at both ends. Oranellas saw some minutes as a freshman and could be a top scorer. Rogers is another veteran. He’ll be at guard as well. Junior forward Ian Lawrence, senior guard Chris Augur and freshman forward Adam Maxwell are others to watch. As the season progresses, senior Wyatt Gawtry, juniors Andrew Kelly and Jayden Pelletier and sophomore Owen Oranellas will also be heard from.

Yarmouth opened with a 74-47 home loss to York, despite 22 points from Rogers, then handled visiting Cape Elizabeth Wednesday, 71-49, as Lawrence dazzled with a career-high 26 points and Evan Oranellas added 13. The Clippers will be pushed every time they take the floor, but they’ll be up for the challenge and by season’s end will be battle-tested and ready to take on the best teams that Class B South has to offer. There’s plenty of talent at the junior varsity and first team levels as well, suggesting that it’s only a matter of time before Yarmouth is once again vying for a title.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Coach: Tom Panozzo (third year, 18-21 overall record)

2023-24 record: 10-9 (Lost, 47-46, to Spruce Mountain in Class B South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Julia Brown (Senior), Molly Vickers (Junior), Giselle Jabar (Sophomore), Evangeline Hagerty (Sophomore), Marian Pitney (Sophomore), Rory Tompkins (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “We have a lot of energy. The girls love basketball, which is great. They’re young, but easy to work with. All five of last year’s starters graduated, so it’s a fresh new look. Our sophomore class is strong. We’ll rely on balance. Experience helps in tough situations and our schedule this year is great, so that will help us in the long run.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth has come oh-so-close to springing a quarterfinal round upset in each of the past two years, but hasn’t been able to close it out. After a big graduation hit, the Clippers have a very young squad this time around, but not surprisingly, there are an abundance of talented athletes ready to make a name for themselves.

Yarmouth’s offense is directed by Jabar. Tompkins is also in the backcourt, along with sophomore Fiona John and Kate Geary, the lone freshman on the varsity roster. Brown (a top defender), Pitney (who had a team-high 13 points in a season-opening loss to York), Vickers, senior Taylor Oranellas and sophomore Lucy Belesca play forward. Hagerty will be in the post. Sophomores Lauren Jabar and Kiki Tompkins round out the roster.

The Clippers have reached the tournament in each of the past five postseasons and there’s reason to believe that streak will hit six. Yarmouth will get stronger every time out and by February, it could be poised at making another run at a tournament upset and this time, pull it off.

BOYS’ HOCKEY (co-op with Cheverus)

Coach: Dave St. Pierre (14th year, 139-95-14 overall record)

2023-24 record: 18-2-2 (Beat Camden Hills, 4-3, to win Class B state title)

Top returning players: Brady Martin (Senior), Quinn McCoy (Senior), Owen Walsh (Senior), Johnathan Weinrich (Senior), Colby Carnes (Junior), Ethan Tucker (Junior), Hakon Yeo (Junior), Owen Cheever (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “We have some depth, but we have some big shoes to fill. We lost six guys who were our heart and soul. We need to fill their leadership roles. It’ll take time. The boys are aware that they’re wearing the bullseye this year. We hope to stay healthy and have the younger kids grow. Class B South is always tough and it’s a deep league again. We’ll take our lumps but we’ll grow and be in a position to take a stab at it at the end.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Cheverus/Yarmouth has become the model co-op program and after several close calls, it broke through and won an elusive state title last winter. Cheverus/Yarmouth was hard-hit by graduation, as Defenseman of the Year David Swift, league all-stars Andrew Cheever and Ian O’Connor, and Sam Bradford, Evan Hankins and Lucas Soutuyo all departed. The cupboard is far from bare, however, and this squad is poised to steal more headlines.

Offensively, Martin, McCoy (a third-team league all-star last season), Walsh and Yeo (who made the All-Rookie team as a sophomore) will factor into one of the top two lines. Freshman Charles Hughes will be heard from as well. On the blue line, Carnes, the assistant captain, along with Owen Cheever, Weinrich and freshman Griffin Zinman, look to limit the opposition’s chances in front of Tucker, who a second-team goalie as a sophomore and has plenty of big-game experience. Seniors Brayden Fitch (a transfer from NYA) and Johnny Wallace and freshman Milan Polianchev will also have opportunities between the pipes.

Cheverus/Yarmouth has the pieces in place to do great things again, but it will be a process. For starters, a daunting schedule will test the team on a regular basis. Several players have to get comfortable in either new or more expansive roles and the squad will have to be up for every challenge. Teams like Cape Elizabeth, Gorham, Greely, York and the PLOG (Poland/Leavitt/Oak Hill/Gray-New Gloucester) Kings all hope to end Cheverus/Yarmouth’s reign, but the champions won’t go quietly and if all goes well, they’ll be on the big stage again come March.

GIRLS’ HOCKEY (co-op with Freeport)

Coach: David Intraversato (sixth year, 55-33-1 overall record)

2023-24 record: 17-5 (Lost, 4-0, to Cheverus in state final)

Top returning players: Emma White (Senior), Adelaide Strout (Junior), Celia Zinman (Junior), Erica O’Connor (Sophomore), Lexi Wiles (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “We graduated a ton of talent, over 50 goals. We’re in a mini-rebuild and hopefully our young core can step up and get us back to a regional final. The North region is very strong this year. Edward Little/Leavitt added a bunch of young talent, Brunswick is stacked with goal-scorers and Penobscot will still be strong as usual. We still have a strong defensive core and we’re returning a young goalie that took us on a deep playoff run to the state final. We are young, but our youth has experience playing in the big games. We just need to work harder to get there.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth/Freeport made it two consecutive North Region titles, but for the second year in a row, it couldn’t solve mighty Cheverus in the state final. While graduation took its toll on the program, enough talent returns for the co-op squad to make a run at another regional crown.

This year’s offense will be paced by White (5 goals, 11 assists last year) and Zinman (13 goals, 13 assists). Freshman Maya Nasveschuk, who, like Zinman (a regional all-star in 2023-24), is coming off a triumphant field hockey campaign, will be heard from as well. Strout, a defender, can also fill the net. She had 10 goals and 16 assists last season when she was named to the All-State team. Strout is joined on the blue line by O’Connor and junior Veronika Pundova, an exchange student from the Czech Republic. Wiles was a top goalie as a freshman and she’s back for more. Freshman Lydia Costa will back her up.

Yarmouth/Freeport began the season by sandwiching victories over Lewiston (7-4) and York (4-1) around a 3-3 tie against Edward Little/Leavitt. Bigger tests are still to come and while this year’s team might not match the win-loss record of the past two editions, it has the potential to end up where those squads did. Playing on the final Saturday.

INDOOR TRACK

Coach: Sarah Carrigan (seventh year)

2023-24 results:
(Boys) tie-15th @ Class B state meet
(Girls) 5th @ Class B state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Caleb Farrell (Senior), Ethan Hoffman (Senior), Abd Muayad (Senior), Ward Jenkins (Senior), Alyosha Sulyandziga (Sophomore), Tyler Vogel (Sophomore)
(Girls) Tessa Dougherty (Senior), Julia Lawwill (Senior), Ella Cameron (Junior), Lilah Connor (Junior), Linnea Herring (Junior), Grace Keaney (Junior), Abby Noble (Junior), Olivia Wentworth (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “We’re looking forward to continuing to build our program, work hard, run fast, jump high and throw far.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth returns some elite athletes this winter as it looks to be a power in the conference and at the state meet.

The girls’ squad returns Noble, the reigning Class B indoor champion in the 55 and the runner-up in the 200. She’ll be a premier sprinter again. She’s joined in short races by Dougherty and freshman Ava Hoffman. Wentworth (fifth in the mile a year ago) leads a distance contingent which also includes Connor and senior Maddie Jones. The Clippers will be solid in the field events as well. Dougherty was eighth in the pole vault last season and looks to move up. She’ll also compete in the jumps, along with Cameron (pole vault, long jump), Herring (shot put), Keaney (shot put), Lawwill (jumps) and freshman Lydia Tanguay (jumps).

The boys’ team is led by Hoffman, who was third in the shot put last season. He’s joined by Muayad (eighth in the shot put a year ago) and Vogel. Freshman Sterling Palladino hopes to score in the jumps. Farrell (eighth in the 55 last year), Jenkins, Palladino and Sulyandziga look to turn heads in the sprints. Sulyandziga is also a hurdler to watch. Pernal is the top distance threat.

SWIMMING 

Coach: Dave Cox (seventh year)

2023-24 results:
(Boys) 7th @ Class B state meet
(Girls) 9th @ Class B state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Malyk Cofer (Senior), Olivier Garcia De Reynal (Senior), Matt Dressel (Senior), Henry Keepes (Senior), Adam Strobel (Senior), August Violette (Senior), Jude Landry (Junior), Spencer Parker (Junior), Antonio Velazquez (Junior), Josh Webber (Junior)
(Girls) Jill Berry (Senior), Harper Featherstone (Senior), Sierra Hunt (Senior), Poloma Kitchens (Senior), Ali Miller (Senior), Kate Tenhoor (Senior), Louisa Currie (Junior), Eliana Goldman (Junior), Rachel Krah (Junior), Olive Maynard (Junior), Eliza Cote (Sophomore), Lula Davis (Sophomore), Bella Landry (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “With almost the entire team back and strong senior leadership, the boys look to improve. This fun, multi-talented group will also continue its goal of promoting swimming. After graduating just one senior, this enthusiastic and athletic girls’ team will rely on its senior leadership and overall depth throughout the season and will look to improve from its finish last year.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth has a lot of experience this winter and believes it will be one of the best squads around come February.

The boys return Strobel, who was seventh in the 100 free a year ago. Other returners of note include Cofer (freestyle), De Reynal (freestyle, breaststroke), Dressel (backstroke, butterfly, individual medley), Keepes (freestyle), Landry (freestyle, backstroke), Parker (fly, breaststroke), Velazquez (breaststroke, freestroke), Violette (backstroke, freestyle) and Webber (fly, freestyle). Senior Chester Paish (freestyle), sophomore Jack Nelson (freestyle) and freshman Nico Velazquez (freestyle) are newcomers who will step right in and make a splash.

The girls’ team features Hunt, who was seventh in the 50 free last winter. Hunt will also compete in the backstroke. Other veterans to watch include Berry (freestyle), Cote (freestyle, backstroke), Currie (freestyle), Davis (fly, freestyle), Featherstone (backstroke, freestyle), Goldman (fly, backstroke), Kitchens (fly, breaststroke), Krah (IM, breaststroke), Landry (freestyle), Maynard (backstroke, freestyle), Miller (freestyle, backstroke) and Tenhoor (backstroke, freestyle). Sophomore Clara Herman (freestyle) and freshmen Isabel Carr (freestyle), Charlotte LaChance (freestyle), Maisy Lipman (breaststroke), Stella Murdoch (freestyle) and Mollie Webber (freestyle, fly) are newcomers who will make an impact.

ALPINE SKIING

Coach: Sean Lynch (second year)

2023-24 results:
(Boys) 9th @ Class B state meet
(Girls) 2nd @ Class B state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Van Podhouser (Sophomore)
(Girls) Logan MacLeod (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “With 33 skiers, the program is well-rounded. Our lineup contains talented skiers who should ski and place well consistently and confidently. We are looking for another strong showing in the WMC and state championships.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth is always a factor on the slopes and that will be the case again this winter.

The girls’ squad will miss standout Brooke Boone, but MacLeod, who was 10th in the slalom last season, is poised to lead the way. Freshman Elena Owen, who spent time at Carrabassett Valley Academy, is new to the squad and will make a major impact as well.

The boys feature Podhouser. The Clippers hope some other skiers will step up in the weeks to come to allow them to be a force come February.

NORDIC SKIING

Coach: Dana Hatton (third year)

2023-24 results:
(Boys) 2nd @ Class B state meet
(Girls) 2nd @ Class B state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Aksel Moon (Senior), Alexander Gordon (Junior)
(Girls) Paige Brewer (Senior), Maya Faulstich (Senior)

Coach’s comment: “We are hoping to improve on our second-place finish for our boys’ team. We gained a couple of strong freshmen, so if we can stay healthy, we will be in good shape. The girls’ team is in a rebuilding year after losing five strong seniors. I’m hoping we can get on snow earlier this season and actually get a solid training camp over winter break.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth is always on the short list of Class B favorites and after falling just short of the big prize a year ago, the Clippers are eying the top spot this time around.

The boys’ team returns Moon, who was eighth in the freestyle, 12th in the classic and ninth in the pursuit standings last winter. Gordon is another veteran. Freshmen Eli Chalmers and Jackie Chalmers are newcomers that will help the cause.

The girls are led by Brewer (eighth in the freestyle, ninth in the classic and ninth in pursuit). Faulstich will be heard from as well, as will freshman Sophie Gordon.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.