Coach: Kelley Cullenberg (18th year)

Returning players: Boys: Seniors — Brody Hines, Jaron Jones; Juniors — Jackie Chen, Jonah Jones; Sophomores — Sully Jackson, Troy Maheux, Justin Tracy; Girls: Seniors — Alex Allen, Gwen Beacham, Ellie Buckland, Caitlin Douglass, Emily Reed, Eliza Richard, Kayleigh Morin; Juniors — Addie Cullenberg, Emily Gardner, Juliette Luchini, Louisa Stancioff; Sophomores — Meg Hall, Amy Hilton, Mali Obomsawim.

Key losses: Boys: Kelton Cullenberg, Richie Brooks, Alex Luchini; Girls: Melody Lam, Shelby Aseltine.

Promising newcomers: Boys: Senior — Filip Ratkovsky; Juniors — Alex Chandler, Nick Hilton; Sophomores — Corey Iba, Caleb Allen; Freshmen — Silas Rogers, Dustin Staples; Girls: Sophomores — Hannah Chaney, Abby Lochala, Maryam Norton, Janel Brooks, Paige Kincaid; Freshmen — Hailey Mealey, Anja Nordstrom, Sarah Wade.

Outlook: Few programs could lose the talent Mt. Blue lost and come back just as strong if not stronger. The Cougars always have the talent and numbers to reload, and they have the added boost of Jaron Jones, who returns after transferring to Lewiston for a year, and Ratkovsky, a foreign-exchange student. Cullenberg expects closer pack times than recent boys teams. The girls will rank among the KVAC and Eastern A elite again with the improvement of Addie Cullenberg and Beacham and Stancioff and Hilton building off strong finishes in 2009.

Coach’s comment: “I think it would be pretty realistic for (the boys) to try to be top five at KVACs and regionals and qualify for states. On the girls side, it’s really exciting to see the additions that we have and the girls that are back are really working hard.” — Coach Kelly Cullenberg

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