One month into the high school boys’ basketball season, some unexpected names can be found atop the Heal Point standings in northern Maine.
Whether they are contradicting coaches’ preseason polls or simply blowing last year’s campaigns out of the water, these teams are spicing things up in the New Year and could be dangerous down the stretch.
Mt. Blue
The first of two Class A North teams on this list, the Mt. Blue Cougars are a perfect 6-0 entering Friday and commanding full control of first place, despite being ranked sixth of 10 teams in the conference’s preseason poll.
Having been upset by No. 5 Cony in the first round of last year’s tournament and graduating a hefty senior class, the Cougars are playing with a chip on their shoulders, and their leader is the dynamic Evans Sterling.
So far this season, the 6-foot-3, all-conference senior is averaging 26 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals a game, helping the Cougars outscore their opponents by 15.5 points per game.
“This year, he’s taken it to a whole [new] level,” head coach Troy Norton said of Sterling. “He guards the opponent’s best player, can score from anywhere, and he’s got that look in his eyes — he’s committed and his leadership’s been outstanding. It’s contagious; the kids have responded.”
Mt. Blue’s schedule hasn’t been a cake walk either, featuring victories over second place Nokomis (48-35), third place Camden Hills (72-42) and fourth place Messalonskee (66-58).
Against Camden Hills on Dec. 30, Sterling exploded for 28 points in the second half, and against Messalonskee on Dec. 15, stocky senior Charles Stevens did a solid job slowing down 6-foot-10 junior Merrick Smith in the post.
“The pieces are all fitting together,” Norton said. “We worked really hard this summer, and the kids have played outstanding.”
Nokomis
The other Class A North team on this list, the Warriors have only six upperclassmen in their program but are winners of five straight and sit at second place with a 6-2 record.
Two years out from their first ever gold ball, nobody expected the Warriors to contend without stars Cooper Flagg, Ace Flagg or Madden White, and were predicted to finish in eighth place out of 10 teams this year.
Guiding Nokomis to this surprising start are sharpshooting senior guard Alex Grant, all-around scorer junior forward Dawson Townsend, speedy playmaker senior Connor Sides and first-year head coach Josh Grant.
“I inherited a really good basketball culture that we’ve had for many years,” Grant said. “The young guys have those three to look at every day — they come to practice and go at it. They set the standard for what it means to be a Nokomis Warrior.”
As of Dec. 28, Townsend is averaging 15.7 points per game, Grant is averaging 11.0 ppg, and Sides is averaging 3.8 assists per game. Sophomore forward Seth Bowden has also stepped up for Nokomis, averaging 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
So far this season, Nokomis has gutted out single-digit road wins over Messalonskee (picked second in Class A North preseason poll), Skowhegan (picked fourth) and reigning champions Brewer. At home, the Warriors lost to Mt. Blue 48-35 on Dec. 8 but beat Bangor 72-47 on Dec. 21.
Schenck
Considering the Wolverines finished 12-9 last year and were Class D North regional semifinalists, it’s not totally surprising to see them doing well this season. What’s staggering, however, is the utter dominance they’ve shown one month into the season.
Standing at a perfect 7-0 with full control over first place, Schenck is not only 1.5 games ahead of back-to-back state champions Southern Aroostook but is outscoring its opponents by a margin of 25 points per game — fueled by a 17-point victory over powerhouse Bangor Christian on Dec. 14 and a 51-point victory over crosstown rivals Stearns on Dec. 21.
“It’s our maturity and physicality,” third-year head coach Aaron Hutchins said. “We had a really good summer hitting the weight room — [the players] are different people this year.”
In addition to being tall and strong, the Wolverines are playing efficiently and unselfishly, led by senior Mason McDunnah (10.4 ppg, 3.4 assists, 63 percent shooting), junior Owen Wyman (11.6 ppg, 1.3 assists, 67 percent shooting) and junior Gavin Gagnon (8.5 ppg, 2.0 apg, 67 percent shooting). Off the bench, sophomore Gage Brown is Schenck’s leading scorer with 12.0 points per game.
“We’re really balanced — we don’t have that one head guy,” Hutchins said. “This is the best passing team I’ve had; it’s a joy to watch.”
Windham
The southernmost team on this list, the scrappy 7-0 Eagles are shocking the status quo in Class AA North, already having won as many games as they did all last season.
Picked third in AA North’s preseason poll this year, the Eagles were overlooked by favorites Cheverus and reigning regional champions Portland but are proving to be true title contenders so far this season.
Windham’s first noteworthy win this season came against Scarborough — currently first in Class AA South at 7-1 — on Dec. 21 by a score of 49-41, followed by an equally informative victory over 7-2 Cheverus in a 67-62 overtime duel earlier this week.
Otherwise, the Eagles have beaten all other opponents by at least 12 points, including Bangor by 17 and a sweep of Lewiston.
