Much has changed atop the Eastern Maine Class D Heal point rankings this winter, yet there’s also a sense of status quo.

Change came during the offseason when Schenck of East Millinocket – a regional finalist last year – and Lee Academy – a semifinalist – were moved up to Class C by enrollment.

But the status quo beyond that has continued, with Central Aroostook of Mars Hill, the 2005 and 2006 state champion and a semifinalist last winter, and defending state champion Deer Isle-Stonington occupying the top two spots in the latest standings released Tuesday.

Central Aroostook is the only undefeated team left in the division after narrow victories last weekend over Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook and Ashland, and those wins have elevated coach Tim Brewer’s club to the top of the rankings.

And that’s an important place to be, given that just one Eastern D team draws a preliminary-round bye directly to the regional quarterfinals at the Bangor Auditorium.

But Deer Isle-Stonington, at 14-1 heading into Thursday’s game against Calvary Chapel of Orrington, remains solidly in second place based on its strength of schedule that includes two victories each over Class C George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill and Sumner of East Sullivan.

“Being 14-1 is not something I expected at the start of the season,” said Mariners coach Glenn Billings. “We had a lot of people to replace.”

Just one starter returned from last year’s undefeated state championship team, and 6-foot-4 forward Collin Ciomei is in the midst of a monster senior season. Just last week he averaged 28 points per game in three DI-S victories, including a 28-point, 19-rebound outburst in a win over Machias.

Ciomei is averaging around 20 points per game for the season and began the week just 44 points shy of reaching 1,000 for his career.

“He’s one of our leaders,” said Billings, “and he’s accepted that role well.”

Ciomei has been complemented by junior forward Eben Powers, the team’s sixth man each of the last two years who has stepped into a primetime role this winter quite comfortably. Powers’ ascension, as well as that of the likes of Doug Boutilier, Joe Carter, Ben Haskell, Ethan Pinkham and Evan Rollins, has enabled the Mariners to move back into prime position to challenge for another Eastern Maine crown come February vacation week.

“I’m really happy with how the kids have fit in so well together,” said Billings.

The only blemish on the team’s record came Jan. 15, when Lee pulled away in the fourth quarter for an 85-69 victory that ended Deer Isle-Stonington’s 32-game winning streak.

“It was almost a sense of relief,” said Billings of the aftermath of that loss. “Now we can just focus on one game at a time.”

After playing Calvary Chapel, Deer Isle-Stonington hosts Lee on Saturday before ending its regular season at home against Bangor Christian on Feb. 7.

Nokomis to fill football vacancy

Nokomis Regional High School of Newport, coming off its first season of varsity football competition, is poised to name a new head coach for the program.

The opening, created when David Evans resigned shortly after the season ended, has been offered to a candidate and that candidate has accepted, according to Nokomis athletic administrator Jason Tardy.

That selection now awaits approval by the SAD 48 board of directors, which holds its next meeting on Feb. 12.

Nokomis won its varsity debut last fall, defeating Old Town 22-6, but lost its final seven games of the season to finish with a 1-7 record.

Wrestling postseason begins

Wrestling’s second season begins Saturday with conference championship meets around the state.

Most of Eastern Maine’s wrestling programs will be competing at either the Penobscot Valley Conference or Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championship meet.

The PVC championships, set for Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor, will feature virtually all of the top contenders for the Eastern Maine Class C title.

That contingent is led by defending conference champion Foxcroft Academy, which will be challenged by the likes of Dexter, Bucksport and Penobscot Valley of Howland.

Foxcroft returns just one defending PVC individual champion in three-time state champ Jerod Rideout, but in veterans Kaleb Mann, Ethan Whittemore, Marc Badeau and Tim Fogg, the Ponies have several other competitors who earned top-three finishes at last year’s conference meet.

Dexter will be led by two brother combinations that earned PVC titles last winter, Mike and Brian O’Connor and Ron and Josh Harvey.

Bucksport features reigning conference champs Jon Pelletier, Steve Klenowski and Ray Wood, while Penobscot Valley, which fielded eight freshmen a year ago, returns with a year of additional experience and a lineup that includes Beau and Aaron Gagnon in the lower weight classes.

Camden Hills of Rockport, the five-time defending KVAC Class B champion, will seek to extend that streak but will be challenged by the Belfast Lions during that conference championship meet to be held at Cony High School in Augusta.

Camden Hills is strong in the middle weight classes, led by two-time state champion Jacob Berry, Murphy McGowan and Jack Simpkins.

Belfast boasts four returning KVAC champions in Travis Spencer, Jimmy Spencer, Kote Aldus and Mike Rolerson.

Conference meet week will be followed on Feb. 9 by the regional championships, with Eastern A at Morse High School in Bath, Eastern B at Camden Hills and Eastern C at Penobscot Valley.

The state championships follow Feb. 16, with Class A at Cony, Class B at Mountain Valley of Rumford and Class C at Foxcroft Academy.

eclark@bangordailynews.net

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