Much like it was last season, transition will again highlight the 2019 girls lacrosse season.

New co-operative teams enter the varsity ranks, a top team in central Maine looks to stay amongst the Class B powers, and several other programs will try to replicate successful runs from a year ago.

This adds up to what observers say could be an exciting girls lacrosse season.

Maranacook/Winthrop’s Sarah Cloutier looks to pass against Oceanside during a scrimmage at Thomas College in Waterville. Morning Sentinel photo by Michael G. Seamans

CLASS C

Maranacook/Winthrop and Nokomis/Maine Central Institute will join Class C this season after competing the last few years in junior varsity play. Both teams have plenty of experience and boast large numbers entering the season.

“Last year, even though we were JV, we competed against teams like Mt. Blue, MCI, who could have also been varsity, but for whatever reason they just weren’t able to make it happen,” Maranacook/Winthrop coach Shawn Drillen said. “We competed very strongly against them, and we competed well against Cony and Kents Hill when we played against them last year, and they are varsity-level teams”

Like Maranacook/Winthrop, the move to varsity had been a long time coming for Nokomis/MCI, a program that head coach Mary Alice Gould had been a part of since its 2014 inception with MidMaine Lacrosse.

“We are excited for our first year as a varsity team,” Gould said via email. “As we build on our endurance and agility, our true focus is ball movement and ensuring that all have confident stick control.  We are committed to the challenging goals that we have set for ourselves and we are confident that with focus, a ‘can-do’ attitude, and only using words that inspire, motivate and encourage, the team will quickly prove that they are a force to recognize.”

Fellow Class C coaches, such as Erskine’s Shara MacDonald, welcome new competition.

“I’m super excited about it,” MacDonald said. “I’m hoping that with that increase it brings JV teams as well, because my poor JV kids only played three games last year. The more, the merrier, is what I say. It’s going to increase the fun that we have, and more opportunities to play.”

Competition within the conference will be stiff for the new squads. Erskine opened some eyes last season, finishing  9-5, including an upset victory in the playoffs over Winslow.  Led by the Linscotts — Jordan and Joanna — the Eagles are back in the chase for a state championship.

Winslow will also be in the mix to avenge its early exit from the postseason. The Black Raiders had a perfect 12-0 regular season entering the playoffs a year ago. A large portion of that roster returns this year, led by junior midfielder Silver Clukey.

CLASS B

After years spent as a dominant force in Class B, Messalonskee will regroup a bit this season, after  top scorers, Ally Turner (Wagner College) and Lauren Pickett (Assumption College) graduated.

Messalonskee will spread the offensive attack this season. Furthermore, defense will be a strength for the Eagles. There is still plenty of skill and experience, led by midfielder Kaitlyn Smith and attackers Chloe Tilley and Katie Seekins. There will be plenty of depth, too, and coach Crystal Leavitt has been impressed with how quickly the younger plays are adjusting.

“I think the girls have put in some really great work (in the offseason),” Leavitt said. “I’ve had a lot of girls that didn’t play much last year that have been in clinics all over Maine or New England. It really shows, that’s for sure. I was expecting us to come in a little rusty, but a lot of girls, from the get-go, were ready to go. It’s been really nice so far.”

The Eagles will get strong competition from rival Cony, which returns a strong core of players, led by midfielders Kami Lambert and Faith Leathers-Pouliot. The Rams will be a strong defensive squad, backed by Rachel Roy, Anna Stolt, Lily Raymond-Ayer and Abbie Fielding. Cony will look for a longer push in the Class B playoffs after being knocked out by Brunswick in the first round last season.

“We’re expecting to get into the tournament,” Cony head coach Gretchen Livingston said. “There’s a lot of strong Class B teams that we won’t see during the regular season. Our goal is to get (in the playoffs) and see what we can make happen.”

Lawrence and Gardiner will be looking to make playoff appearances in Class B this season. The Bulldogs have made steady progress in each of their three seasons as a varsity program, going 6-6 last year.

Gardiner is coming off back-to-back four-win seasons, and have a new coach this season, Jessica Prince. The Tigers will be led by senior midfielder Anna Chadwick, and picked up junior attacker Scarlett Raymond-Ayer, who previously played for Cony.