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Harper Olmstead of Maranacook (middle) and Andrea Gunter of Waterville (right) compete in an individual sprint heat during last year’s Waterville Sprint Festival at Quarry Road Trails. Olmstead and Gunter are two of the area’s top Nordic skiers this year. (Joe Phelan/Staff Photographer)

Phoebe Bell, Maranacook senior, Alpine: Bell, the reigning Mountain Valley Conference Alpine Skier of the Year, won the conference giant slalom crown last winter. She was also the Class B runner-up in slalom.

Abby Dorr, Mt. Blue junior, Nordic: The Cougars are aiming for their sixth consecutive state championship this winter, and in Dorr, they have Class A’s No. 3 returning skier.

Emerson Dunlap, Maranacook junior, Alpine: An MVC first-team Alpine selection last season, Dunlap is the conference’s No. 2 returner in both slalom and giant slalom.

Andrea Gunter, Waterville sophomore, Nordic: Gunter is the KVAC’s No. 2 returning Nordic skier after placing 11th in Class B pursuit last year.

Zaya Irving of Mount View leads the pack during her opening heat of last year’s Waterville Sprint Festival at the Quarry Road Trails. (Joe Phelan/Staff Photographer)

Zaya Irving, Mount View junior, Nordic: Irving is the KVAC’s No. 5 Nordic returner. She placed seventh in pursuit at the Class C state meet.

Anwen Kane, Maranacook senior, Nordic: Kane placed fourth in the MVC pursuit last winter and joined forces with Harper Olmstead to place third at the Waterville Sprint Festival on Dec. 13.

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Malina McKendry, Mt. Blue junior, Alpine: McKendry is the KVAC’s No. 3 returner in giant slalom after placing fourth last season. She was 10th in that event at Class A states and 11th in slalom at KVACs.

Harper Olmstead, Maranacook junior, Nordic: A first-team MVC Nordic selection last winter, Olmstead placed second in the MVC pursuit and was eighth in the Class B classical race.

Scout Simpson, Mt. Blue sophomore, Alpine: After a strong freshman season in which she placed 13th in giant slalom and 14th in slalom at KVACs, Simpson will look to earn a pair of top-10 finishes this winter.

Elizabeth Strickland, Mt. Blue senior, Nordic: Strickland is Class A’s No. 4 Nordic returner statewide. She won the individual race at the Waterville Sprint Festival.

Also keep an eye on: Eleanor Browne, Skowhegan sophomore, Alpine; Julianna Curtis, Gardiner junior, Alpine; Molly Patterson, Mt. Blue senior, Nordic

Mike Mandell came to the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel in April 2022 after spending five and a half years with The Ellsworth American in Hancock County, Maine. He came to Maine out of college after...

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