Male:

NICK THOMPSON, Junior—Baseball

• SMAA all-star, second-team

Thompson earned his reputation with his left arm, but it was his bat that carried him into legend and punctuated his team’s improbable run to a state title.

Thompson started pitching in Little League and after spending his freshman year at Cheverus, he came to Scarborough as a sophomore where he was a first-team league all-star. The Red Storm only won six games, however, and when the 2019 season began, while big things were expected from Thompson, not much was expected from Scarborough as a team.

But that’s why they play the games.

Thompson would go 4-1 with a dazzling 1.11 earned run average, striking out 64 batters in 56.2 innings. He also hit .333 and had a .440 on-base percentage. Highlights included a six-inning, two-hit, 14-strikeout shutout performance against defending regional champion Gorham, two hits and a win in relief in a nine-inning victory over Windham, a two-hit, nine-strikeout shutout win over Cheverus, an eight-strikeout performance in a 2-1 loss to South Portland and a four-hitter to beat Portland.

In the playoffs, Thompson threw a five-hitter in a complete game 3-1 win over Falmouth in the semifinals. In the regional final versus top-ranked South Portland, Thompson gave up just one earned run in 7.1 innings, hit an RBI double and scored the go-ahead run in an 11-inning, 3-2 victory. Thompson didn’t get to pitch in the state final against undefeated, favored Oxford Hills, but did he ever make his mark nonetheless. After Scarborough let a 2-0 lead slip away in the bottom of the seventh, Thompson led off the top of the eighth with a home run, the first of his career, and the Red Storm went on to win Class A for the first time.

“It still doesn’t seem real,” said Thompson, weeks after the state game. “We were talented last year, but we lost a lot of one-run games. This year, we had a tight-knit group and really wanted it. I’m so happy for our team. I really think we deserved to win.”

Thompson, who is playing travel ball and in the Wooden Bat League this summer, hopes to play baseball in college.

Nick Thompson, Scarborough’s Spring Male Athlete of the Year, will have a hard time producing an encore, but don’t bet against him. He’s capable of accomplishing just about anything on the diamond.

Coach Mike D’Andrea’s comment: “Nick worked really hard this year. He had trouble with the strike zone in the preseason, but he got there. He came up big for us. He always did what we needed him to do.”

Previous winners:

2018 Reece Lagerquist (lacrosse)

2017 Sam Neugebauer (lacrosse)

2016 Sam Rusak (track)

2015 Nate Howard (lacrosse)

2014 Ben Greenberg (baseball)

2013 John Wheeler (lacrosse)

2012 Ben Wessel (baseball)

2011 Ben Wessel (baseball)

2010 Nick Neugebauer (lacrosse)

2009 Chris Bernard (baseball)

2008 Ryan Hunt (lacrosse)

2007 Phil Lambert (lacrosse)

2006 Bryan Macphie (lacrosse)

2005 David Hamilton (lacrosse)

2004 David Hamilton (lacrosse)

2003 Adam Mumm (track)

2002 Keith Corey (track)

Female:

BELLA DICKINSON, Junior-Softball

• SMAA Pitcher of the Year
• SMAA all-star, first-team
• Underclass all-star

Dickinson took center stage this spring, excelling on the mound and at the plate as she helped the Red Storm continue to leave the rest of the state in their wake as they went undefeated and won a Class A state title for the third year in a row.

Dickinson started playing softball at a young age, started pitching at the age of nine and has long loved the sport.

“I like the mental part of (softball),” Dickinson said. “You have to use more than your physical abilities. I’m very competitive. I grew up in a family of athletes.”

Dickinson, who also plays volleyball and basketball, has made her biggest impact on the diamond. Dickinson played shortstop as a freshman and was an honorable mention all-star and as a sophomore, she saw some time on the mound while continuing to excel at shortstop and earned SMAA second-team honors.

This spring, Dickinson replaced Chloe Griffin as Scarborough’s ace (going 14-0 with a 1.04 earned run average, striking out 143 batters in 94 innings) and also was the Red Storm’s leadoff hitter (batting .463 with 38 hits, including four doubles, three triples and six home runs, 37 runs scored and 36 RBI). Dickinson struck out just twice all season.

Highlights included a single and a home run in a season-opening win over Bonny Eagle, a double, home run and four-hitter on the mound against Gorham, four hits, including a home run, four runs scored and three RBI in a win over Marshwood, three hits against Kennebunk, a two-hitter with 16 strikeouts in a victory over Noble, a three-hitter with 11 Ks in a win over South Portland, two hits, a run scored, an RBI, a stolen base and a hard-earned victory on the mound at Thornton Academy, two home runs and four RBI in a win over Westbrook and a three-run triple versus Massabesic as Scarborough made it 105 consecutive regular season victories.

In the playoffs, Dickinson had two hits and threw a two-hitter in a quarterfinal round win over Bonny Eagle, threw a no-hitter and had three hits in a semifinal round victory over South Portland, had three hits, scored three times and earned the win in the regional final against Thornton Academy, then tripled and threw a two-hitter in a state game win over Skowhegan, as Scarborough won its 60th straight game overall and three-peated.

“I enjoyed pitching this year,” Dickinson said. “We had good chemistry. We really wanted to win.”

Dickinson is part of Storm for a Cure, a cancer fundraising group, and National Honor Society. She hopes to graduate high school without a softball loss and with another championship, then plans to play at Southern New Hampshire University, where she plans to study business.

Bella Dickinson, Scarborough’s Spring Female Athlete of the Year, simply wins, every time she takes she field. Her bar is set high, but she finds a way to rise to the occasion time after time.

Coach Tom Griffin’s comment: “There’s no doubt that Bella is a gifted athlete and a talented softball player, but what separates her from many is her ability to raise her game to a different level in pressure situations. She’s a great leader, has a great work ethic and is very coachable and respectful. Our entire team is better because she leads by example and helped raise everyone’s performance.”

Previous winners:

2018 Chloe Griffin (softball)

2017 Lilly Volk (softball)

2016 Maggie Murphy (softball)

2015 Megan Nathanson (tennis)

2014 Alyssa Williamson (softball)

2013 Marisa O’Toole (softball)

2012 Nicole Kirk (track)

2011 Nicole Kirk (track)

2010 Heather Carrier (softball)

2009 Ellie Morin (lacrosse)

2008 Melissa Dellatorre (softball)

2007 Kelsey Griffin (softball)

2006 Lauren Hagerman (lacrosse)

2005 Camille Jania (tennis)

2004 Sarah Marchilli (softball)

2003 Chelsey Ledue (track)

2002 Jen Williams (softball)

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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