Boys’ team:
File photo
KEVIN MILLINGTON-South Portland basketball
In a year that he felt he did the least amount of coaching in his career, Millington still managed to guide South Portland to another strong season.
The Red Riots won their first eight games, as Millington molded some new talent with experienced veterans and the winning ways continued.
For consistently producing one of the best teams in the state and for navigating a most challenging and unorthodox season in most triumphant of ways, Kevin Millington gets The Forecaster’s nod as our Southern Edition Coach of the Year, of a boys’ team.
Millington is a Red Riot through and through (Class of 1991). He spent 18 years coaching the Windham boys, then returned home to take over the South Portland program in 2015. He led the Red Riots to the Class AA state final his first two seasons (they lost to Portland) and they’ve been a perennial contender ever since. In 2019-20, South Portland enjoyed an undefeated regular season, but couldn’t cap it with a Gold Ball, falling to Thornton Academy in the Class AA South Final.
This season, there would be no postseason, but the Red Riots again won their share of games.
South Portland, which returned the likes of Jaelen Jackson and Owen Maloney, welcomed home Mayen Ayeul, who grew up in South Portland, then moved to Texas before returning, and inherited the services of big man J.P. Estrella, who transferred from Scarborough.
The Red Riots swept Deering, Portland and Cheverus to start the season. After a pair of close losses to Falmouth, South Portland closed by downing Gray-New Gloucester and Cape Elizabeth.
“It was a weird year,” said Millington. “I’m very happy we could get in the gym and play. It was great to be around the guys and see other coaches. It was a little normalcy.”
Millington, who teaches also history in Windham, will get more normalcy next winter and will return a team capable of making a deep run and perhaps finally capturing an elusive state title.
The Red Riots will always be strong with Kevin Millington, our Southern edition boys’ team Winter Coach of the Year, leading the way.
Previous winners:
2019-20 Jake Rutt (Cape Elizabeth hockey)
2018-19 Joe Robinson (South Portland hockey)
2017-18 Phil Conley (Scarborough basketball)
2016-17 Jim Ray (Cape Elizabeth basketball)
2015-16 Derek Veilleux (Scarborough track)
2014-15 Norm Gagne (Scarborough hockey)
2013-14 Joe Robinson (South Portland hockey)
2012-13 Phil Conley (South Portland basketball)
2011-12 Derek Veilleux (Scarborough track)
2010-11 Jim Ray (Cape Elizabeth basketball)
2009-10 Joe Robinson (South Portland hockey)
2008-09 Derek Veilleux (Scarborough track)
2007-08 Phil Conley (South Portland basketball).
2006-07 Tony DiBiase (South Portland basketball)
2005-06 Jay Mazur (Scarborough hockey)
2004-05 Jason Tremblay (Cape Elizabeth hockey)
2003-04 Jim Ray (Cape Elizabeth basketball)
2002-03 Matt Townsend (Scarborough basketball)
2001-02 Paul Brogan (South Portland indoor track)
Girls’ team:
Contributed photo
BOB MILLS-Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Waynflete hockey
For the second year in a row, the Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Waynflete girls’ hockey team was as good as anyone. The program has made the jump to elite contender status and doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon.
Much of that is due to the hard work of ninth-year coach Bob Mills, who has seamlessly brought together players from three different schools and created a winner and in that light, The Forecaster is naming Bob Mills our Southern edition Coach of the Year, of a girls’ team.
For the second year in a row.
Mills played hockey at South Portland High School and the University of Southern Maine and took over the program then known as Capeflete in 2012. The squad went 4-11-3 his first year, but quickly turned things around, reaching the regional semifinals in six consecutive seasons. Then, in 2019-20, Cape/SP/Waynflete won 14 games, upset defending champion Cheverus in the South Region Final, then took Lewiston to overtime in the state game before falling, 1-0.
There was no postseason this year and Cape/SP/Waynflete only got to play nine games, but the team made the most of them. Cape/SP/Waynflete won its first eight contests by an average of 39-14 margin, then finally fell from the unbeaten ranks in the finale with a loss to Cheverus.
With plenty of talent returning, Cape/SP/Waynflete will likely make another deep run next winter.
That’s because it’s now one of the state’s premier programs and that’s largely due to Bob Mills, our Southern edition girls’ team Coach of the Year.
Previous winners:
2019-20 Bob Mills (Cape/SP/Waynflete hockey)
2018-19 Mike Giordano (Scarborough basketball)
2017-18 Mike Giordano (Scarborough basketball)
2016-17 Ben Raymond (Cape Elizabeth swimming)
2015-16 Lynne Hasson (South Portland basketball)
2014-15 Chris Casterella (Cape Elizabeth basketball)
2013-14 Caitlin Cashman (Scarborough hockey)
2012-13 Chris Casterella (Cape Elizabeth basketball)
2011-12 Tom Maines (Scarborough basketball)
2010-11 Chris Roberts (Cape Elizabeth basketball)
2009-10 Jim Seavey (Scarborough basketball)
2008-09 Chris Roberts (Cape Elizabeth basketball)
2007-08 Bre Fortiguerra (Scarborough hockey)
2006-07 Ron Kelly (Scarborough track)
2005-06 Deven Morrill (Cape Elizabeth Nordic skiing)
2004-05 Ron Kelly (Scarborough track)
2003-04 Mike Giordano (South Portland basketball)
2002-03 Kerry Kertes (Cape Elizabeth swimming)
2001-02 Tim Kipp (Scarborough swimming)
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter:@foresports.
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