Leavitt coach Dave Gerrish says watch out for the Greely Rangers in Class A South.

“Greely is going to be very strong, that’s a given,” Gerrish said. “The rest of us are looking up to that.”

The Rangers won the Class B title in 2015. They fell short last year after moving up to Class A, advancing to the South semifinals before succumbing to York, which went on to claim the state title.

If not Greely, then York will still be a force, and Fryeburg Academy and Brunswick should contend.

Leavitt (10-10) was one of Greely’s victims in the regional playoffs, losing 58-36 in the D South semifinals. The Hornets, the sixth seed, advanced to that point by upsetting third-seeded Fryeburg, 46-40, in the quarterfinals.

Most of that Leavitt squad remains intact, but it did graduate, Chantel Eels, its best player.

Gerrish said there are seven remaining Hornets who are varsity veterans, so Leavitt is a threat to sting a few of the A South elites if it can replace Eels’ production, either by one player taking her game up a level or two, or through an overall team effort.

Even if the Hornets don’t join the upper-echelon of A South, they will compete for a postseason bid with the likes of Morse, Marshwood, Westbrook, Cape Elizabeth and Kennebunk.

Fred Conlogue is in his first season as Mt. Blue’s varsity girls’ basketball coach, but he knows enough not to sleep on last year’s C North champion Lawrence.

“Lawrence lost key players, but you just know they’re going to be up there again,” Conlogue said.

Conlogue said Messalonskee, last year’s A North runner-up, also has standout players returning and should be in contention for region and state titles.

“Nokomis and Gardiner should be right up there again,” Conlogue said. “Hampden was young, but I’d be surprised if they’re not up there.”

Mt. Blue (9-10) finished as the sixth seed in 2015-16, behind the five previously mentioned A North teams. Jumping into the top five this season will be difficult for the Cougars. Their starting lineup graduated, including star Caitlin Kane, and the players who return have minimal varsity experience.

“I feel that we could fall somewhere between six and 10,” Conlogue said.

To have a chance to compete with the top squads in A North, Conlogue said that Mt. Blue must contain their stars.

“Most of the teams have one elite player, kind of like Caitlin Kane was for us last year,” Conlogue said. “That’s kind of the difference between them and us right now. So we’re going to focus on limiting that player and making the other players beat us.”

While this year’s outlook is modest, the Mt. Blue program’s long-term aspirations are not.

“Expectations are pretty low based on the experience the kids have,” Conlogue said. “We’re trying really hard to build the program back up. Sixteen years ago, we won state championships (1999 and 2000) — that’s the ultimate goal.

“We’re striving to make the playoffs, that’s our goal right now.”

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