Finn Morton of Mt. Blue returns to lead a new-look squad this winter. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

He spent years with Mark Cyr in one sport. Now, Matt Reynolds is replacing him in a different one.

Between playing and coaching, Reynolds, a 1996 Mt. Blue High graduate, spent the better part of two decades with Cyr on the lacrosse field. He later returned as an assistant for Mt. Blue’s Alpine ski program, and is now the head coach following Cyr’s retirement from that post after more than two decades.

“I’ve been here six or seven years now, so it’s been a smooth transition,” Reynolds said. “It’s definitely an exciting time at Mt. Blue. There’s a lot of traditions here that we’ve been able to keep, and at the same time, it’s kind of a new program with new leadership.”

“New” is the perfect description for Mt. Blue, which has a much different look after the graduations of key seniors. Following the departures of Abbey Goodspeed, Katie Yeaton and Trent Beaudoin, just to name a few, the Cougars’ roster of 14 largely consists of freshmen and sophomores.

Sophomore Finn Morton is back for the Mt. Blue boys after a ninth-place slalom finish at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championships a year ago. Reynolds also expects freshmen River Wilkie and Koa Dumont to make quick impacts, while Brody Farmer, a senior, is the top veteran.

Reynolds is also excited about his freshmen on his girls team, particularly Scout Simpson, who has made the switch from Nordic to Alpine. Madie Morton, who did not ski last year, has returned for her senior year.

“We have a lot of big-mountain skiers who might not have a lot of racing experience but are really good overall skiers,” Reynolds said. “There’s a lot of really young talent, and we’ll continue to develop them over the next several years and see what happens.”

Another staple on the slopes is Maranacook, which should be set for a solid season. The Black Bears, who won boys’ and girls’ Mountain Valley Conference titles last year in their inaugural season in the conference, have remarkable depth at 40 skiers.

The Maranacook boys return all six scorers from last year’s state championship meet: Josh Adams, Adam Ellis, Sam Hayes, Ben Jewett, Thatcher Riley and Tristan Riley. Thatcher Riley won MVC slalom and giant slalom titles last year and was the Class B state runner-up in slalom.

“(Thatcher) is certainly amped up, and he should be looking to dominate this year,” said Maranacook coach Ron Gifford. “Anything can happen in ski racing – you never know because every day is different – but he certainly is very focused and has worked hard. He’s primed for a good year.”

The Maranacook girls also return most of their top talent from a year ago. Sophomore Emerson Dunlap and junior Hali Isaacson are back for the Black Bears, along with junior Phoebe Bell, who was the MVC slalom and giant slalom runner-up before placing sixth at states in giant slalom.

“She’s a really strong athlete.” Gifford said. “She does some USSA racing on top of her high school racing, which has been great in adding to her experiences and making her stronger and developing her skills even further. She should have a great year and be a strong leader for the group.”

Thatcher Riley of Maranacook competes during the Mountain Valley Conference Alpine skiing championships on Feb. 6, 2024. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Jaxon August returns for Winthrop, which trains with Maranacook but races on its own. Gifford said August, who was fifth in the MVC giant slalom last year and third in slalom, will be among Class B’s best skiers this year. Freshman Wyatt Grant should also turn heads for the Ramblers.

Skowhegan has only a few skiers, but Kaden Salsbury should be among the area’s best this winter. After finishing fifth in the KVAC boys slalom a year ago, Salsbury is the No. 2 returning skier in the event in 2024-25.

Rangeley and skiing go hand-in-hand, and the Lakers welcome back one of the top girls skiers in the MVC in Natalie Stokes. Thirty miles east, Trevor Nichols returns for the Mt. Abram boys after seventh-place MVC finishes in both slalom and giant slalom last season.

Statewide, Reynolds expects Camden Hills and Leavitt to be among the Class A contenders. Gifford, whose own boys and girls teams are probably the favorites to win MVC championships, said Camden Hills and Fort Kent will challenge the Black Bears in Class B.

“(Fort Kent) gets snow long before we do – I always joke with my kids that their kids ski from Aug. 1 to June 30 – and they have great tradition and great coaching,” Gifford said. “We’ll be in the hunt, but there’s some great skiers from every school.”