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SOUTH PORTLAND — As the South Portland girls basketball team took the court for its first practice of the season, the Red Riots were greeted with a message from coach Brianne Maloney.

“We did a good job putting it out there, what we did last year doesn’t matter,” she said. “We can’t go into the mindset that just because we accomplished what we did last year, that means we have a leg up on the game this year.”

That may be typical post-championship talk, but for the Red Riots, it’s particularly pertinent. After winning the program’s first state title in 39 years in March, South Portland will look to defend its title in a region that, due to offseason realignment, has been reshaped into possibly the state’s deepest division.

“I’m excited to see what our season looks like,” Maloney said. “We’re going to have a lot more battles throughout our season, which I think just helps prepare teams for February.”

Meanwhile, in Topsham, it’s a similar story.

The Mt. Ararat girls basketball team is coming off its first state championship, which came a year after reaching its first regional title game. Now, the Eagles go from being the northernmost team in Class A South to one of the southernmost teams in Class A North.

There hasn’t been a shift in preseason attitude. Energy and excitement are still as high as last year. The collective hunger is even greater.

“I think it’s even more this year … As a team, last year, we were like, ‘We’re not giving up, we’ve got this, we’re the better team,'” Mt. Ararat senior guard Jenna Jensen said. “And I think that’s the same thing with this year. We still have that mentality.”

Two days into the season, Eagles coach Julie Petrie sees it as well.

“It makes me giggle when you just said that, because we’re on our whatever (number) sprint of the day, and I’m like, ‘You guys ready?’ And they’re like, ‘Yep!'” Petrie said. “They could have easily been like, ‘Ugh, screw you coach, I’m out of here.’ But they have that attitude of wanting to work harder, and being pushed and being coachable.”

One big difference for Mt. Ararat: The Eagles are now up against the state’s largest schools. Class AA has been eliminated, so South Portland, Cheverus, Oxford Hills, Gorham and other previous Class AA programs are now in Class A.

South Portland is set up well to make another title run. All-State guard Annie Whitmore is back, as are starters Mya Lawrence at guard and Destiny Peter and Caleigh Corcoran at forward.

With that, however, come challenges.

“We have a target on our backs this year, so we need to work even harder,” Lawrence said. “Leave last year behind, but know other teams are hunting to beat us.”

The biggest challenge, however, lies in South Portland’s region. Last year, the Red Riots were in AA South, an eight-team division in which only three teams finished above .500.

The new 16-team Class A South division is packed with contenders. There’s Cheverus, an annual favorite that won the last two AA North titles, and Biddeford, which brings back its key players after winning the B South championship. Perennial challenger Gorham is there, as is Sanford. Thornton Academy, Westbrook and Windham all ended last season on the rise.

With so many strong teams in the mix, the urgency of each game goes up. Slow starts or midseason lulls could prove costly.

“It’s going to be hard to come out of the South, but that just makes it even more real and more exciting for us if we do get there,” Whitmore said. “We know that we have to come out so strong this season, or things just might not work out.”

Lawrence said the team is motivated to meet the challenge.

“I think that’s what you’re looking for in the sport,” she said. “In basketball, you want the most competition you can have.”

Only two of Mt. Ararat’s regular-season opponents from last year, Brunswick and Edward Little, are on its 2025-26 schedule. But there isn’t a shortage of challenging foes.

Hampden Academy, the reigning A North champion, will look to make another run; Oxford Hills and Camden Hills reached regional final in Class AA North and Class A North, respectively; and Bangor and Edward Little are both coming off 13-win seasons.

The Eagles have familiarity with some of their opponents through past preseason or summer matchups, but they’re excited to see the full range of different playing styles.

“We’re also considered the underdog, because we’re A and not AA,” said senior forward Julianna Allen, last year’s Class A South tournament MVP. “So I think it’ll be fun to upset some teams.”

Mt. Ararat isn’t returning all five starters, as was the case going into the 2024-25 season, but there is still a tight-knit and competitive veteran core taking the floor.

Allen was an All-State player, senior forward Kayleigh Wagg is a versatile scorer inside and outside, and twin senior guards Jenna and Jaelyn Jensen are relentless defenders.

“I think our defense will be a staple still,” Petrie said. “We push that a lot, and we have great defenders on our team. We want to play our tempo and we want to dictate the game, and that’s when we play our best — when we control things. So I’m excited to see what they’ll do.”