Hassan Hobbi, the 2024 Class C outdoor champion in the 110-meter hurdles, is the top returning athlete for the Winslow boys’ indoor track team. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Winslow High has enjoyed success in track in recent years, both during the indoor and outdoor seasons.

But the Black Raiders are one of several central Maine indoor track teams dealing with a similar issue: Replacing a large number of seniors who graduated, and the adjustment period that comes with finding new events for young athletes.

For Winslow Coach Ken Nadeau, the adjustment is an exciting challenge.

“We’re a very different team than we were last year,” said Nadeau. “I graduated a pile of seniors, which is fine. It’s nice to have them, but it’s also nice to transition into something new.

“Having a young team is exciting, because it’s an opportunity to see growth,” Nadeau continued. “It’s an opportunity to see how good our program really is. We’ve been blessed with talent for a number of years. It’s a good measuring tool to make sure that our coaching staff is doing the things that we need to do to keep having these kids be successful and grow within their own goals. I like that the most, taking a kid who’s a freshman and seeing what they look like as a senior.”

The Black Raiders are overhauling a roster that helped deliver two Class C outdoor boys’ titles in the last three seasons. The program bids farewell to a multitude of talented athletes, led by Joey Richards, who smashed several program records.

“It’s a process,” Nadeau said. “We’re just trying to put kids in the right spot. My goal, like always, is to get kids on the podium. If we can do that and make some decent athletes out of them, then that is the objective.”

There’s still talent to build on. Hassan Hobbi, a junior, is the top returner for the boys. He won the Class C title in the 110 hurdles (15.52) in the spring, and won the 55 hurdles (8.37) at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B championships last winter. He’ll be joined by sophomore Renton O’Toole, who ran with the team last spring and is making the transition from basketball to indoor track this winter.

The girls may be the stronger squad for Winslow this winter. Senior Kyri Meak won the 55-meter dash (7.57) and finished third in the long jump (14-10 1/4) at the KVAC Class B championships last year. Her younger sister, sophomore Mirra Meak, will run distance events. Nadeau is also excited about the progress of junior Emily Daigneault, who had a strong spring season.

Like Winslow, Maine Central Institute is also making a transition in its roster. The Huskies boast strong numbers but lack veteran returners. The trick of the season, MCI Coach Brandon Stevens said, is trying to figure out the right events for younger athletes.

“A lot of the returners that we have this year are very strong athletes, but we don’t have many returners,” Stevens said. “I have six girls who are returning from last year and I have two boys that are either a junior or a senior, and eight sophomore boys returning.

“(As a coach), you need to try to figure it all out (in season). Sometimes you don’t always get it right, especially with the events they’ll end up doing. A lot of the kids on my team were doing (different) events when they first started. It’s a learning process. We’ll figure it out as the season goes, and going into the outdoor season.”

Samuel Gerrie, a senior, won the triple jump (40-6) at the KVAC Class B championships last year. Gerrie should also be a contender in the long jump and 200. The top returning girl is junior Gabrielle Finelli, who finished second in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump at the KVAC Class B championships. She’ll be joined by junior Daphne Hands, the team’s best high jumper, and junior Angie Boisvert, who should be a contender in the shot put.

An added bonus for the Huskies: MCI alum and current Thomas College standout Emma Burr is helping out as an assistant coach while also competing for the Terriers during the indoor season. As a freshman last season, Burr became the first Thomas athlete to compete at the NCAA Division III championships.

“It’s super awesome (to have Burr on staff),” Stevens said.

Cony now has athletes from Gardiner and Hall-Dale on its roster, so the team has grown in size, a welcome sight for Coach Kevin Russell, who lost a large number of athletes to graduation.

“Things are looking good,” Russell said. “We graduated 10 senior boys and three girls last year. I thought my numbers would be pretty low, but I’m pleasantly surprised. We’ve got a good number of kids, so we’re looking pretty strong.”

The Cony girls still have Loralie Grady, who has been a standout for multiple seasons.

“We do have some good, quality athletes,” Russell said. “(Grady) has been a consistent performer in indoor, outdoor and cross country. We’re going to look to her for a lot of leadership and being the workhorse on the team.”

Cony has its biggest numbers on the boys’ team, and Russell is looking for a strong season from Judah Bickford, who was injured last season.

Lawrence will be led by senior Zoe Hutchins, who has become one of the top shot putters in the state. Last season, Hutchins won the KVAC Class B shot put title, then finished second at the Class B outdoor state meet in both the shot put and the discus.

Katie Souviney, who had previously coached at Waterville, takes over at Messalonskee. The Eagles boast a large roster, led by senior Pierce Coughlin, who is coming off a strong cross country season. Another senior, Adriana Katz, finished fourth in the 800 at the KVAC Class A championships last winter, and junior Kelsie Murray placed second in the KVAC high jump.