BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Coach: Jason Knight (11th year, 92-86 overall record)
2021-22 record: 10-7 (Lost, 66-55, to Carrabec in Class C South preliminary round)
Top returning players: Cal Nice (Senior), Nate Oney (Junior), Moses Semuhoza (Sophomore)
Pivotal games: Dec. 9 @ St. Dom’s, Dec. 22 @ Monmouth Academy, Dec. 29 @ Waynflete, Jan. 11 WAYNFLETE, Jan. 13 ST. DOM’S, Jan. 17 @ Winthrop, Jan. 20 OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Jan. 28 DIRIGO, Jan. 31 @ Old Orchard Beach, Feb. 6 MONMOUTH ACADEMY
Coach’s comment: “We have to replace all five starters, but last year’s bench players are still here and our junior varsity guys are rising to the challenge. We have good chemistry. We have size and quickness. We’ll lean on our defense. I like our tenacity. Look for our soccer guys to bring championship experience. The crossover games will be good for everybody. We’ll be battle-tested. We want to get to the tournament.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA couldn’t quite make it to Augusta a year ago, then lost a lot of talent to graduation. This year’s squad hopes to be heard from in February and should show steady improvement in the weeks to come.
Nice, a 6-foot-4 captain, is a top returner. He’ll see time at forward and center. Semuhoza, who stands 6-6, can get the job done inside and out. He can handle the ball and shoot. Oney, a captain, will be the point guard. Senior Jack Byrne will also see time at point guard. Two other seniors will play key roles. Colin Roderick, a 6-2 wing, can rebound and hit 3s, while Wyatt Thomas is a guard and top defender. Freshman Brayden Kloza, who was part of the Yarmouth/NYA eight-man football state champion, also has size (6-4) and will be a force in the post.
The Panthers have promise, but it will take some time to come together. NYA plays some tough foes, including Dirigo, Monmouth Academy and Winthrop now that the Mountain Valley Conference is allowing its schools to play other conferences. That will help NYA be at its best by the end of the season when the Panthers hope they’ll be surprising some folks and traveling up to the capital city.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Senior point guard extraordinaire Angel Huntsman is back for one final season and will look to lead NYA to a state title before playing next year at Bates College. File photos.
Coach: Tom Robinson (fifth year, 58-13 overall record)
2021-22 record: 17-3 (Lost, 63-56, to Hall-Dale in Class C South Final)
Top returning players: Sarah English (Senior), Charlotte Harper-Cunningham (Senior), Josie Harper-Cunningham (Senior), Angel Huntsman (Senior), Madilyn Oronato (Senior), Erin Reid (Senior), Graca Bila (Junior)
Pivotal games: Dec. 20 TRAIP, Dec. 29 WAYNFLETE, Jan. 11 @ Waynflete, Jan. 17 WINTHROP, Jan. 20 @ Old Orchard Beach, Jan. 28 @ Dirigo, Jan. 31 OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Feb. 3 @ Traip
Coach’s comment: “The girls are all-in. It’s a veteran group. They work hard. We’re fast, we’ll play pressure defense and get out in transition. We’re balanced and deep. We should be cohesive. We’ve won a lot of games and hopefully this year, we can finish it out.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA had a fabulous season a year ago, but let an 18-point lead slip away in a painful regional final loss. The Panthers have plenty of talent returning and a senior-laden squad is primed for one more run at a title and this group might just have what it takes to send NYA to a state game for the first time in over 40 years.
Junior Graca Bila will be a force all over the court.
Huntsman is the engine that makes the Panthers Express go. The dynamic point guard, who will play at Bates College next year, capped her soccer career with another championship last month and fervently wants to add a basketball Gold Ball in March. She has nonpareil instincts, will get out and run, find open teammates for easy looks and knock down shots. Huntsman (who averaged 11 points, 6.8 assists and 4 steals per game) was a first-team all-star and a member of the all-defensive team last winter. Look for more of the same this season. Bila (10.3 ppg) was also a first-team all-star and an all-defensive team selection a year ago. She’ll be a force in the frontcourt. English (9.6 points, 7.9 rebounds per game) also was a first-team all-star last year who will make life difficult for the opposition in the post. Charlotte Harper-Cunningham can hit 3s and could be a top scorer. Josie Harper-Cunningham and sophomore Athena Gee are other guards of note. Onorato (second-team last season) and Reid can play guard and forward. So will sophomore Ella Giguere. Junior Hayden Wienckowski, another soccer standout, will back Huntsman up at the point guard position.
NYA has the pieces in place to make history. If this group stays healthy, it will have another impressive win-loss mark and be a high seed for the tournament. The Panthers have already done that, however. This year’s goal is simple, get all the way to the final game. Don’t be surprised if it becomes Mission Accomplished for Huntsman and Company.
BOYS’ HOCKEY
Coach: Mike Warde (fifth year)
Top returning players: Aidan Farion (Senior), Alex Holmgren (Senior), Cooper St. Hilaire (Senior), Daxton St. Hilaire (Senior), Brayden Warde (Senior)
Coach’s comment: “We will be led an excellent senior class of 11 players. We keep our goals very short-term and hope to improve every week. Our team camaraderie and cohesiveness has been great and will be challenged during the season. We hope to be playing our best hockey in February.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA is a veteran team that is hungry to be among the best in the New England Prep School Conference.
Offensively, the Panthers are led by Daxton St. Hilaire, Warde, juniors Tanner Anctil, Nick Pelletier, Grey Perham (a transfer from Class B champion Brunswick) and Connor Wolverton and freshman Hugo Daniel. Veterans defensemen include Holmgren and Cooper St. Hilaire. They’re joined by sophomore Matthew Katsoulis. Aidan Farion is back in goal. Senior Euan Martin will also see time.
NYA will look forward to doing battle with the top teams from the region, most notably the Holderness School from New Hampshire and Tabor Academy from Massachusetts. The Panthers will score goals and turn heads.
GIRLS’ HOCKEY
Coach: Matt Poulin (second year)
Top returning players: Michala Wallace (Senior), Kailyn McIntyre (Junior), Lyla Casey (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “With a large group of incoming players and a strong group of returners, our hope is to build a program that catches eyes when people see the NYA logo around rinks and in the community. We play a tough schedule against some of the best opponents in the NEPSAC and it is designed to help put the girls in front of the best competition possible to aid their individual development for the next level along with accomplishing our team goals of winning hockey games. We have a young team for the most part and a lot of inexperience so getting the kids to understand the game at this level is a major focus.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA might be on the younger side, but its promise is undeniable and a strong season should be the end result.
The Panthers returned seasoned forwards Casey (2 goals, 7 assists in 22 games last season), McIntyre (5 goals, 8 assists) and Wallace (5 goals, 7 assists). Other forwards to keep an eye on include senior Leah Dube, juniors Sarah Moore and Lily Rawnsley and sophomore Catie Lee. On defense, sophomore Sadie Morgan is a top player to watch in front of junior goalie Elizabeth Madden and sophomore goalie Brooklyn Goodman.
NYA will be tested by the likes of Deerfield Academy, Noble and Greenough, Phillips Andover, Tabor Academy and Williston-Northampton. The Panthers are looking forward to taking part in the St. George’s Holiday Invitational later this month and will vie for the Travis Roy Maine Prep Cup in January. They’ll make life difficult for the opposition all winter.
INDOOR TRACK
Coach: Chris Mazzurco (25th year)
2021-22 results: Boys’ tie-16th @ Class B state meet; Girls’ no score @ Class B state meet:
Top returners:
(Boys) Rodgers Crowley (Senior), Justin Corporon (Sophomore)
(Girls) Mary Litz (Senior), Clara Taylor (Senior)
Coach’s comment: “We’re excited to start the season with a hard-working and young group of athletes which now includes individuals from both NYA and (Maine Coast Waldorf). There is much to learn this season, but so far the attitude and effort is certainly there. Although we are a small team, if everyone can stay injury-free, we should be able string together some very strong performances and high-quality relays.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA and MCW team up again and while the squad lacks numbers, there is quality and promise.
The boys’ team will be led by Fall Athlete of the Year Crowley, who competes in the hurdles and sprints, and Corporon, a sprinter, who placed third in the 55 and fourth in the 200 last season.
On the girls’ side, Litz (jumps) and Taylor (sprints and jumps) are key returners.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
