The preseason predictions for Eastern Maine Class A’s northernmost girls basketball teams have already come true.

As in, there’s not one clear favorite and everybody’s about even.

Although 4-0d Messalonskee of Oakland, along with 4-1 Hampden and Nokomis of Newport, have the best records in the North Division of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference, things are still considered wide open in the division.

“Earl and I were talking before the game and it seems like there could be a lot of teams at 9-9 [at the end of the regular season],” Bangor coach Tom Tennett said after the Rams lost to Nokomis 47-46 last week. “There’s just not an easy night in the conference this year.”

Skowhegan, the Eastern Maine Class A runner-up three straight years, is 3-2. Mt. Blue of Farmington, a team that includes University of Maine-bound center Christina Mosher, is 2-3.

Hampden beat Bangor and Skowhegan but fell to Mt. Blue, which beat Lawrence of Fairfield. Both Bangor (2-3) and Brewer (1-3) have beaten the Bulldogs of Fairfield.

Two of Bangor’s three losses have been close. The Rams lost to Nokomis 47-46 and Messalonskee 52-48. Nokomis’ only loss was a close one, too, to Messalonskee 44-42.

Brewer coach Andy Nickerson believes the abundance of experienced players in the league this year is a big factor.

“We didn’t lose more than a handful of really good players,” he said before a recent practice. “Everybody had good players back and a lot of teams are probably a little better. … We lost one kid and I don’t know where we fit in the order but we certainly feel like we’re a lot better of a team.”

The Witches graduated one starter, guard Katie Quimby, and lost another, sophomore guard Caitlyn Wilson, to indoor track and field.

But Nickerson feels he has an experienced team with senior forward Jordan McLain and senior guard Elizabeth Cote in the starting lineup. Other returning players include sophomore forwards Leah Jackson, Meghan McLain and Sheri Valley.

“I know for us, and I can speak only for us, if we don’t show up and play well, we can’t win,” Nickerson said. “But I do believe if we show up and play well we can compete with everybody and have a chance to win.”

As for parity bringing about a lot of 9-9 records, Nickerson said the teams with the intangibles will likely rise to the top.

“It’s such a short season when you really look at it,” he said. “The teams that gain confidence in themselves and play with that confidence are the teams that are going to win more games than they would have.”

As the Class C world turns

Eastern Maine Class A doesn’t have a lock on interesting wins and losses and even play. Just this week, Eastern Maine Class C took a few twists and turns, too.

“I see a lot of parity,” Houlton coach Shawn Graham said. “I think pretty much any of the eight teams that make it to Bangor has got a shot.”

The undefeated Houlton girls started things Wednesday with a 45-40 win over defending Class B state champ Presque Isle.

Then the Calais girls, who started the season an uncharacteristic 1-3, beat defending Class D state champ Woodland 57-48 Thursday night. The Dragons were coming off a 100-point outing against struggling East Grand of Danforth.

On Saturday, both the Shiretowners and Penobscot Valley of Howland, which is off to its best start since the 1986-87 season, picked up big wins.

Houlton beat previously undefeated Fort Kent 52-47 while the Howlers of Howland tipped Stearns of Millinocket 43-38.

Washington Academy moved to 4-0, Narraguagus of Harrington was 3-1, and Stearns is also 3-1.

Minutemen coach Mike Portwine doesn’t see a lot of parity, however.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t see it as wide open. I like Howland, I like Dexter and I like Houlton.”

Then there’s defending Class C state champ Dexter, which is sitting at 3-1 as it tries to win its fifth straight EM title. The Tigers have held up despite an ankle sprain that has 6-6 center Mallory Ames on the bench for the time being, but Graham said there’s some concern should Dexter lose a few games.

“They could end up being a lower seed, and nobody will want to play them with [Ames] in the middle and the experience they have,” he said. “I don’t want to play them and nobody else will.”

Houlton faces a tough week with Stearns on Wednesday and Central of Corinth on Saturday.

Shiretowner junior center Rachel Foster has posted some big numbers in the last week. She racked up 26 points, 17 rebounds and eight blocked shots against Presque Isle.

Her offense slowed down a bit against Fort Kent, but her 10 points came in the face of a box-and-1 defense in the first half. She did, however, grab 16 rebounds.

Ellsworth sits injured Savage

Ellsworth standout guard Hillary Savage will sit out for at least the next two weeks to rest an injured knee.

Savage, who led the Big East Conference Class B schools with 16.0 points per game last year, has been bothered by pain due to bone-on-bone problems in her knee, Ellsworth coach Dana Smith said.

“It’s just gotten worse,” he said. “It’s killing her.”

Savage had X-rays late last week. Luckily it doesn’t seem as if there are any ligament tears, Smith added, and Savage’s doctors have said she can play through the pain. With just two games in the next two weeks, however, Smith has shut down the 5-foot-6 senior.

Savage averaged 13.6 points in the Eagles’ first three games. Her best game in that stretch came at Caribou on Dec. 15 when she scored 16 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer with more than a minute left.

She has combined for five points in the Eagles’ most recent games, including one point in a 46-33 loss to MDI on Friday night.

Savage is in her fourth season on the varsity and third as a starter. Smith doesn’t think she has missed a summer game in all those years.

“She just loves to play,” he said. “It’s hard to get her off the court.”

The injury is a big blow to the young team, but Smith was pleased with the effort shown by junior Paige Saunders (10 points) and sophomore Emily Lyons (14 points) in the game against MDI.

“We’re learning on the fly,” Smith said. “It’s difficult when you lose the person you lean on and we’ve leaned on her. I feel bad for us, but I feel worse for her.”

Barnett sets school record

Bangor High junior Grace Barnett, a member of the Ram girls swimming and diving team, set a school record in the 100-yard breaststroke Friday night.

Barnett clocked a time of 1 minute, 11.34 seconds in the meet against Hampden at Husson College in Bangor. The old record (1:11.44) was held by Sorrell Cardello, who is also a Bangor junior.

Cardello herself has lowered the record several times in the last year.

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.