Brunswick, Winslow, Fort Kent and Lee Academy captured North regional soccer championships last season, and Lee went on to win the state title with a 5-0 win over North Yarmouth Academy in the Class D final.
Marshwood of South Berwick topped Brunswick in the Class A title game 2-1; Yarmouth beat Winslow 3-0 in the B final and Waynflete of Portland edged Fort Kent 2-1 to win the C championship.
Fort Kent is the only one of the four reigning North titlists that is unbeaten and untied in the early going and is one of five teams from the North to watch this season, along with Class A teams Camden Hills and Lewiston, Class B John Bapst of Bangor and Class C Mount View from Thorndike.
Here are those five teams, in alphabetical order:
Camden Hills
Last season: 12-4-1, lost to Brunswick 2-1 in A North final
This season: 3-0
Head coach Ryan Hurley said he has a well-balanced team and the Windjammers have been stingy in the early going, allowing only two goals in their three wins. An impressive season-opening 2-1 win over perennial power Lewiston supports that the A North runner up will be one of the favorites in A North.
“We’re pretty good on defense and in the attack as well,” Hurley said.
All-conference strikers Cam Brown, a junior, and Charlie Pons, a sophomore, spear the attack.
Senior Max Welt, a senior captain, is the catalyst in the midfield who is complemented by Will Eggena and Finley Fitch.
Lucas Moody and Avery Hackett, both seniors, anchor a solid back line with Eric Leblond and Jordan Peasley.
Moody has yet to play due to a concussion but is expected back.
Freshman Brian Leonard has won the starting goalkeeper job.
“We have to keep working hard and getting better because all the other A North teams are going to get better,” Hurley said.
Fort Kent
Last season: 15-3, lost to Waynflete 2-1 in C state final
This season: 5-0
The Warriors have won three of the last four C North titles and lost only four players off last year’s team. They have shown that they are the team to beat in the division with a character-building 7-6 win over Class B Presque Isle in which they rallied from a 5-1 deficit.
“They realized they were going to lose an important game and found the mindset and energy they needed to come back,” said coach Kalusha Kotes.
“This team can be better than last year’s because the players have more experience. We have a lot of quality players,” he added.
The Warriors have a prolific scorer up front in Kaden Theriault, who had four goals against Presque Isle. Midfielder Wil Roy and striker-midfielder Keegan Cyr are also scoring threats and Nathan Voisine is dependable in the midfield.
Cyr was a Maine Soccer Coaches Association all-stater and a Class C North all-region selection. Theriault was also an all-region pick.
Walker Marquis, Will Morneault, Ethan Daigle and Pierson Caron man the back line in front of veteran goalie Drew Deschane.
John Bapst
Last season: 12-4, lost to Winslow 2-0 in B North final
This season: 4-0
The Crusaders last four players off last year’s regional finalist team, including important center backs Quinn Breen and Hayden Bay.
But an impressive list of returnees includes B North All-Regional selections Oscar Martinez, Jon Pangburn and Kyle Sidaway. Martinez and Pangburn were also first team All-KVAC B North.
“We had a good playoff run last year and we’ll be back in the thick of it this year,” said coach Jason Pangburn. “We have seven starters back. The midfield will be one of our strengths and (striker) Oscar Martinez was our leading scorer as a freshman.”
Martinez had 14 goals and seven assists a year ago and has continued to put the ball in the net this season.
There is a lot of speed, talent and attacking flair in the midfield with the likes of Pangburn (8 goals, 4 assists in 2021), Hunter Clukey (10 & 4) and Sidaway (10 & 4), along with speedy Jack Mason. Kam McCafferty and Ellis Columber are also important pieces in the midfield picture.
Garrett Fletcher is a quick attacking option off the bench.
“We have a lot of dangerous attacking weapons,” Pangburn said.
Senior Martin Skacel has moved from outside back to center back where he has been joined by sophomore Logan Hart. Josh Martin returned at right back and senior Sam Bay is the left back.
Senior veteran Matt Fitzpatrick is back in goal.
Lewiston
Last season: 14-1-1, lost to Brunswick 3-2 in A North semifinals
This season: 3-1 entering Thursday’s game at Edward Little
Dan Gish’s Blue Devils will have four new starters in the back but he expects that his team will be dangerous come playoff time.
Lewiston entered its game against EL with a 40-2-4 record in regular season play over the past three-plus seasons.
Lewiston has five regional titles and three state championships over the past seven seasons and there is no shortage of talent again.
Senior midfielder-striker Shafi Ibrahim was chosen a Player of the Year by the Maine Soccer Coaches Association. He was one of eight on the list. He was also an All-State and All-Regional choice.
Gish, a 1990 graduate of Limestone High School where he played soccer and basketball, has a game-changing midfielder in captain David Abdi.
“He’s our field general,” Gish said.
Hamze Nur, Mohamed Gabow and Jacinto Mavinga are also strong attacking options.
His inexperienced back line includes Caden Boone, Abdi Shakur, Obed Antonio and Abdul Jabaar Abdi.
“They are all good athletes and they’ve come a long way since the opener,” Gish said.
Payson Goyette has taken over in goal after being the back-up a year ago and he is a “good technical goalkeeper,” according to Gish.
Mount View
Last season: 16-1, lost to Fort Kent 3-1 in C North semifinals
This season: 4-0
Coach Jeremy Von Oesen is optimistic, even though several of the 11 seniors on his roster don’t have much experience.
“But to have 11 seniors helps us maturity-wise, even if some of them haven’t played a ton of minutes, we have a chance to have a real good playoff run this season,” he said.
Mt. View won the C North title in 2019 and went undefeated during the regular season a year ago.
Striker Noah Hurd, who scored more than 20 goals last fall and was an All-KVAC selection, has continued to find the back of the net this fall and is averaging two-plus goals a game.
Midfielder Tyler Russell, a seasoned playmaker who has rolled up a ton of assists during his career, complements Hurd nicely in the attack.
Vernon Smith is an efficient outside midfielder and Anthony Lapore has been effective as a marking midfielder. Wyatt Stevenson is an outstanding multi-sport athlete who is the right midfielder and the back line includes a pair of promising freshmen in Stewart Knowlton and Brady Bryant, who start along with senior center back Zach Suitor.
Senior Isaac Widmer had been a good midfielder but they needed someone to replace the departed Declan Knowlton in goal and he has done a great job, according to Von Oesen.
