Next fall, the city of Worcester, Mass. is going to feel a little more like York County.
Two standout local high school athletes ”“ Jed Scott, a senior at Sanford High School, and Amanda Arnold, a senior at Thornton Academy in Saco ”“ have both made the decision to commit to Division II Assumption College on football and soccer scholarships, respectively.
The pair will sign their National Letters of Intent in ceremonies this week ”“ Scott on Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. in the Sanford High weight room, Arnold on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. in the Thornton Academy atrium.
Scott, a captain and starting two-way lineman, was the anchor of one of the best offensive lines in the state this past fall and was recently honored the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Offensive Lineman Award as the top senior offensive lineman in the state.
He’ll join a Greyhounds squad that went 6-5 a season ago, including 6-3 in Northeast 10 play, under first-year head coach Bob Chesney.
“It’s fantastic news, and it’s great to have a kid that gets something like a scholarship,” said Sanford football coach Mike Fallon. “Those don’t go around to everybody, that’s for sure.”
At Assumption, Scott will join former teammate Alex Shain, a 2013 Sanford High graduate and a running back for the Greyhounds who Scott stayed with on his official recruiting visit to the school.
“From a program standpoint, it’s exciting to think that we’ll have two kids playing at the same school,” said Fallon. “It’s very neat that Jed already has that link with a teammate he had last year, and it probably didn’t hurt that Assumption already had Alex and saw that he’s a quality kid.”
Arnold, a forward and captain, was the spearhead of the Golden Trojans’ vaunted attack over the past two seasons, when she was twice named the Journal Tribune girls soccer player of the year.
Arnold holds the Thornton school records for both goals scored with 69 and assists, 40, and was one of the best forwards in the state last fall, when she had a hand in 44 of TA’s 75 goals ”“ 20 goals and 24 assists ”“ to lead the Trojans to the Western Maine Class A final.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for Amanda,” Thornton girls soccer coach Chris Kohl said. “She’s definitely earned a scholarship to Assumption and the opportunity to play there. Her hard work and all her dedication has paid off for her, and it’s an exciting time for her to take her game to the next level.”
The Greyhound women’s soccer team was 7-5-5 last fall under Kevin Meek, another first-year coach, and Arnold will join an offense that scored 1.2 goals per game in 2013.
“She’s got the talent and the determination,” Kohl said. “She came to practice every day looking to improve herself, and the college athlete needs that mentality and to really love the game. And she does that, she really loves the game of soccer and striving to the best she can be.”
— Staff Writer Cameron Dunbar can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or cdunbar@journaltribune.com.
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