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Buckfield’s Chloee Bennett heads the ball during the Class D South title game against Monmouth Academy in Winthrop on Nov. 5, 2024.

1. Buckfield: The Bucks are going through significant changes in 2025, with the move from Class D South to 8-person soccer, the graduation of 11 seniors and a new coach in Justin Davis. But they are taking it all in stride. Senior midfielder Chloee Bennett (10 goals, 10 assists) and senior sweeper Alyssa Breton (two assists, 15 defensive preventions) both believe the team’s depth and positional versatility are strengths. With a 15-2 record and a state championship appearance under their belt, the Bucks know what’s needed to stay competitive down the stretch.

2. Mt. Abram: Despite losing seven seniors from last year’s fifth-seeded 9-6 squad, the Roadrunners have seven starters returning for new head coach Mark Thibodeau, a former assistant. Sophomore forward Evelyn Pepin (20 goals, four assists, C South all-star) and senior forward Abby McCarty (11 goals, four assists, second-team all-MVC) will lead the offense. Seniors Jenna Osgood and Ari Dereszynski will provide leadership in the midfield and on the backline, respectively, as junior Edna Bilodeau prepares for her first season in net.

3. Edward Little: At 6-7-2, the Red Eddies were one spot out of the A North postseason. A rebuilding period seems likely with the departure of five core starters, but Tyler Shennett’s squad has been reinforced with strong newcomers. The head coach expects junior defender Hailey Labrecque (from St. Dom’s) and freshman midfielder Jasmine Thompson to make an impact alongside returning senior forwards Sophia Cote and Kaisley Marquis.

4. Monmouth: The Mustangs went 8-9 and reached the Class D South final in their first year since disbanding their co-op with Winthrop. Regional all-stars Kaitlyn Frost (seven goals, four assists) and Annabelle Carlton (three goals, five assists) return to the midfield and back line, respectively, for their senior seasons. Senior striker Riley Smith will be a force after netting 14 goals and three assists in 2024.

5. Poland: After starting 4-3, injuries hit Poland hard last fall. The Knights still finished with the program’s best record in 12 years (5-8-1) and were in the hunt for a B South playoff spot until the final game of the season. If his team can stay healthy, coach Juan Bustamante believes this squad has the potential to go farther. Midfielder Alaina Hamlin, defender Faith Bustamante and defender Kaylee Hudson are impactful senior captains. Junior midfielder Phoebe Paradis and sophomore forward Leksi Langevin will bolster the attack.

Also keep an eye on: Winthrop, Mt. Blue, Gray-New Gloucester

Cooper Sullivan covers high school and collegiate sports in Brunswick and the surrounding communities. He is from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he studied at Wake Forest University ('24) and held...

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