Lawrence’s Maddie Provost drives by Camden Hills’ Isabelle DeBrosky during a Class A girls basketball semifinal game last seasonat the Augusta Civic Center. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

There’s a color you can expect to see when central Maine’s top girls’ basketball teams are playing on the biggest stage just over three months from now.

Yes, from Bingham to China, some of the area’s title contenders are wearing blue this year. They highlight our list of four central Maine girls’ basketball teams to watch (featuring one from each class) for the 2024-25 season.

Class A: Lawrence

The Bulldogs are a consistent contender every year and have been for some time. The Bulldogs return nearly everyone from last year’s 19-2 Class A North runner-up squad.

Leading the way is one of the state’s top players in Maddie Provost, who averaged 21.0 points and 3.9 assists per game last season. The Bulldogs also return a pair of 6-footers in the paint in Lilly Gray (12.5 points, 8.4 rebounds per game) and Nadia Morrison (7.4 rebounds per game).

Ashley Shores will also be an impact player for Lawrence after averaging 3.2 assists per game last year. The Bulldogs have also welcomed a pair of impact sophomores in Jaycie Elkins and Amiah Laweryson – and their identity, Coach Greg Chesley said, isn’t hard to pin down.

“Run, run, run,” Chesley said. “We want to shoot it a lot, and we want to shoot it freely – definitely good looks, no forcing things – but we’re a team that’s going to play up-tempo. We have athletes, and we love getting up and down the court. That’s just our style.”

What’s driving Lawrence this year is how 2023-24 ended. Despite having the top seed, the Bulldogs fell 54-46 to Cony in the Class A North title game. Even if the Bulldogs are favorites this year, they also know what it’s like to carry that label and lose.

“We fell short in the end, so we’ve been back in here working hard,” Provost said. “Us juniors and seniors, we know what it feels like to win, but now we also know what it’s like to come up short. We want to do everything we can to not have that feeling again.”

Class B: Erskine Academy

Speaking of teams motivated by bitter endings to 2023-24, Erskine came up just short of a trip to the Cross Insurance Center last winter. A 49-47 loss to Maine Central Institute in the Class B North prelims denied the Eagles that opportunity.

Fortunately for Erskine, though, the new season is one of huge upside as it looks to reach that stage. The Eagles return three starters in Kelsie Dunn, Olivia Childs and Madeline Clement-Cargill and have added two sophomore transfers, Kienna Morse (Gardiner) and Lauryn Northrup (Mt. Blue).

“That overtime loss fired us up, and now I have a young crew that’s excited and ready to perform,” said Erskine Coach Danielle Lefferts. “I think they can really see their potential. I think we’re fortunate because, even though we might be young, we don’t play young. I think we surprise a lot of teams.”

Dunn (17.2 points per game) and Childs (10.0 points, 3.4 assists, 3.6 steals per game) had particularly strong seasons as freshmen last year. Now a sophomore, Dunn could be in for an even bigger year in 2024-25.

“Not only can she score for us, but her ability to track the ball for us on defense is unreal,” Lefferts said. “She is probably the toughest player I’ve seen in a long time. She has so much grit and dedication, and she just wants to win.”

Class C: Madison

It’s been three years since a Mountain Valley Conference team won a Class C girls’ title after the conference won five straight from 2017-22. If there’s a team in position to put the MVC back on top this winter, it’s Madison.

The Bulldogs went 17-4 last season, falling to Hall-Dale in the Class C South championship game. They bring back an elite player in All-MVC first-teamer Raegan Cowan, a second-teamer in Mackenzie Robbins and a double-digit rebounder in Jacey Moody.

Madison’s Raegan Cowan races past NYA’s Graca Bila for the ball during a Class C South girls basketball semifinal game last season at the Augusta Civic Center. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

“I think we’re going to be pretty tough to beat this year,” said Madison Coach Adam Rich. “(Raegan) and Mackenzie are a great 1-2 punch on offense, but if we’re out there in transition running, every girl we have is capable of scoring. I think you’ll see a lot of our stuff in the transition.”

Madison has talent outside of its three returning starters. Center Ava Landry is another major source of rebounds for the Bulldogs, and Elizabeth Kelley (forward) and Ella Haynie (wing) also made contributions for a team Rich knows will have foes’ attention this year.

“They know what’s at stake, and they know that everybody’s going to give them their A-game every time they go out,” Rich said. “I think they’re ready for that; they understand what’s expected of them. We’re ahead of the game vs. where we were last year, and that’s a good thing to see.”

Class D: Valley

The Cavs matched the finest season in program history last season, going 21-1 with a Class D South title.

Valley’s entire starting five is back from last year’s impressive run. The Cavaliers have a career 1,000-point scorer in senior Madeline Hill, another potent guard in freshman Liana Hartwell (played as an eighth-grader last year) and two solid post players in Rylee Clark and Brianna Mills.

“They’re a group of girls that want it, and they’ve worked hard in the offseason,” said Valley Coach Gordon Hartwell. “I know they won’t let up; we’re going to go at every opponent, whether it’s someone that was 0-18 last year or 18-0. We’re going to come out the same for everybody.”

Like Lawrence and Erskine, the way last year ended is eating at Valley. The Cavaliers dropped the Class D final, 60-43, to Southern Aroostook to fall one game short of a state title and perfect season.

“I think they realize that they have unfinished business, and I think they realize that no one’s going to give them anything,” Hartwell said. “I think they’re ready for that. I know how much they want it and how hard they’ve worked.”