Winthrop’s Madeline Wagner makes an aerial pass in a scrimmage at the play day at Winslow High School on Saturday, Aug. 24. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

As a new field hockey season opens, there are plenty of intriguing storylines across central Maine.

One of them is Winthrop, the three-time defending Class C champs.

Thanks to a late goal from Madeline Wagner, Winthrop topped Dexter/Central 2-1 for its third straight Class C title last fall. Most of the roster from that team is back, including Wagner. The senior forward scored 47 goals last season for the Ramblers. Head coach Melissa Perkins said the Ramblers are hungry to chase down a fourth straight crown.

“We’re really excited, we’ve had most of the team return,” Perkins said. “We have some really great upcoming freshmen… The level of confidence and work ethic (has stood out). They come in and just absorb (knowledge). They’re a really coachable group.”

One notable absence is senior captain Izzy Folsom, who is out for the season with a knee injury.

Elsewhere in Class C South, Hall-Dale will look to build on its momentum after going 9-6-1 last season. The Bulldogs finished third in C South and reached the regional semifinals. The Bulldogs will be led by senior goalie Jade Graham, who was a Maine Field Hockey Association All-State selection last year. Oak Hill, which reached the C South quarterfinals last season, returns a veteran-heavy squad under head coach Lexi Fuller.

Skowhegan’s Sydalia Savage, left, and Mt. Blue’s Lily Huntley race for a loose ball during the Victories over Violence field hockey tournament earlier this summer at Thomas College in Waterville. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

Two years removed from a C North regional championship, Maine Central Institute will look to bounce back from a 7-7-1 season. Hailee Lindelof, a former Belfast Area High School standout, takes over as the new head coach at Mount View, which went 2-12 last season. At 20, Lindelof is the area’s youngest coach.

Class B North should once again feature a bevy of contenders. Cony had its best season under head coach Holly Daigle last fall, winning its first regional championship since 1995 with a 3-0 victory over Belfast. The Rams fell 2-0 to Freeport in the Class B final and finished 15-2-1.

“It started at the end of last season, what their vision (of this season) is and what our goal is,” Daigle said. “We want to get as far as we did last year, but end with a different result. We’re thrilled for the season we had, but these seniors and the girls we have coming back, they’re hungry. They’re excited to really take some of the new players under their wing and bring them into this culture. We’ve got a great group of seniors and, every day, we’re just looking to make progress as a team.”

The Rams graduated Maci Freeman, last season’s Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B Player of the Year. The team still returns plenty of firepower, with Abby Morrill and Caroline Hendrickson among Cony’s top returners.

Nokomis has become a consistent contender in Class B North under head coach Shaunessy Saucier. Last season, the Warriors reached the B North semifinals and finished 12-3-1. The team allowed just 10 goals last year, led by KVAC first-team all-star defender Addison Hawthorne, who returns this fall. Saucier said team defense will once again be a strength.

“We have a smaller team this year, but we have six seniors, so I think we’re in a really good spot,” she said. “We’ve been focused a lot (in the preseason) on attack and defending high up the field. I’m happy our (work in practice) is showing up in scrimmages.”

A year removed from a Class B title, Lawrence finished 8-7 last year. The Bulldogs have most of its roster back this season, including senior Maddie Niles — an All-State selection who scored 15 goals and had 12 assists — and Addison Battis.

The Bulldogs will be without a home field this fall, at least to start, because of poor field conditions, Its home opener against Leavitt on Thursday is scheduled for Winslow High School. The Bulldogs also have home games scheduled for Messalonskee High School and Colby College — which uses turf fields, as opposed to Lawrence’s natural grass — through Oct. 9.

“These are great kids, they’re not going to let anything rattle them,” Lawrence head coach Shawna Robinson said. “(The field situation) is disappointing, but we’re going to be fine.”

Cony field hockey players pose at their end of their performance in the dance competition during the play day at Winslow High School on Aug. 24 in Winslow. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

“I think our connection (as a team) is a lot deeper than it was last year,” added Niles. “This year, we’ve just bonded so much more. Our connection, our passes, we work really well together this year.”

Gardiner should also contend in B North this fall under second-year head coach Jess Merrill. The Tigers reached the B North quarterfinals last season and finished 9-6. Among the Tigers’ key returners is senior Gabi Sousa, an All-State selection last season who announced her commitment to the University of Maine in August. She’s joined by fellow senior and All-State pick Taryn Nichols.

In Class A North, Skowhegan — which won its 22nd consecutive regional title before falling 2-1 to Cheverus in the Class A final last fall — enters this season with virtually a new lineup. The River Hawks graduated Miss Maine Field Hockey finalists Layla Conway and Laney LeBlanc.

“We have a very new team this yea. We’re very young, but we’ve been out training all summer and we’re getting better every day,” said Skowhegan midfielder and captain Ellie Quinn.

The River Hawks have just three returning starters. Quinn, a senior and All-State selection last season, is a top returner, along with fellow All-State pick Sydalia Savage. Quinn and Savage each scored 13 goals last season. Senior forward Sophie Noyes scored nine goals last year.

Messalonskee took a step forward last season, giving Skowhegan its first regular season loss since 2017. The Eagles finished 12-5 and reached the A North final. The Eagles graduated All-State midfielders Payton Alexander and Abby Stevens and carry a young roster, but head coach Katie Brann is excited about the team’s potential.

“It’s been a great preseason, probably my favorite preseason I’ve had so far,” Brann said. “The team energy is great, and this is most talent (at one time) that I’ve had in the program. I’m really happy with how (preseason) has gone.”

Mt. Blue will also look to carry momentum from a successful 2023 campaign. Last year, the Cougars finished 10-6 under coach Julie Lajoie, reaching the A North semifinals. Kali Judkins, who scored 10 goals last season, is one of Mt. Blue’s key returners.