DAXTON ST. HILAIRE, Senior – Hockey
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- • Holt Conference all-star
• Coach’s Award winner
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St. Hilaire is a three-sport athlete who enjoyed a tremendous senior season on the ice, earning recognition from coaches across the region for his play.
St. Hilaire, who along with his twin brother, Cooper, came to NYA from Lewiston for the 2021-22 season and made an immediate impact with 12 goals and 26 assists.
This winter, St. Hilaire, who helped the Panthers’ boys’ soccer team to the Class D title back in early November and who also plays baseball (shortstop) in the spring, scored 13 times and again added 26 assists.
St. Hilaire helped NYA produce a program record for wins in a Prep season with 20 and capture the Travis Roy Maine Prep Cup title.
St. Hilaire, who was named to the Holt Conference all-star team following the season, plans to play Junior hockey next year and ultimately wants to compete at the college level.
He’s already proved he can shine as a Prep player. Daxton St. Hilaire, NYA’s Winter Athlete of the Year, scored some big goals and did it all on the ice to help his team enjoy great success.
Coach Michael Warde’s comment: “When we recruited Daxton and his twin brother Cooper to North Yarmouth Academy, we knew we would get an amazing work ethic, great teammate and an infectious attitude. What surprised us most was their skill level to play power play, penalty kill and acclimate to the Prep School demanding pace and grind of playing the top schools in New England. When I was a Division 1 college hockey assistant coach, we would search for grit and toughness in Thunder Bay, Ontario and the Province of Saskatchewan. Thankfully, we only had to drive to Lewiston to find these important traits.”
Previous winners:
- • 2021-22 Logan Welch (basketball)
* 2020-21 Chris Hamblett (basketball)
• 2019-20 Te’Andre King (basketball)
• 2018-19 Te’Andre King (basketball)
• 2017-18 Brent Rickett (hockey)
• 2016-17 Jake Malcom (basketball)
• 2015-16 Bobby Murray (hockey)
• 2014-15 Brad Potter (hockey)
• 2013-14 Michael McIntosh (track)
• 2012-13 T.J. Daigler (hockey)
• 2011-12 Asad Dahia (basketball)
• 2010-11 Ian Moore (skiing)
• 2009-10 Henry Sterling (track)
• 2008-09 Henry Sterling (track)
• 2007-08 Ian Nichols (swimming)
• 2006-07 Chris Engel (swimming)
• 2005-06 Rob Carpenter (track)
• 2004-05 Tim DeLuca (basketball)
• 2003-04 Dan Bartlett (hockey)
• 2002-03 Steve Lawrence (hockey)
• 2001-02 Matt Smith (hockey)
ANGEL HUNTSMAN, Senior – Basketball
- • Miss Maine Basketball semifinalist
• Bob Butler Award finalist
• WMC Class C all-star, first-team
• WMC Class C All-Defensive team
• WMC Senior All-Star
* Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star
* Team MVP
* Captain
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NYA has boasted scores of standout athletes over the decades and it’s not hyperbole to state that Huntsman belongs near the top of any list.
One final time this winter, she turned heads with her selfless play and her unfortunate late-season injury likely cost the Panthers their first Gold Ball.
As a result, one more time, the fifth overall between soccer and basketball, Huntsman is being recognized by The Forecaster for her transcendence.
Huntsman played varsity as a freshman, but wasn’t the primary point guard. She emerged as a star as a sophomore, turning heads with her ability to take off up the court, see the floor and set up her teammates for easy looks, but the season was abbreviated by COVID restrictions. As a junior, Huntsman averaged 11 points, 6.8 assists and 4 steals per game) was a first-team all-star and a member of the league’s All-Defensive team as the Panthers got all the way to the Class C South Final before dropping a close decision to eventual state champion Hall-Dale.
This winter, she made it to the 14th game before her high school career ended due to a knee injury. In that short span, Huntsman averaged a double-double with 11.9 points and 10.1 assists per game. She also had 4.4 steals and 3.1 rebounds.
Highlights included a rare triple-double of 13 points, 12 steals and 11 rebounds in a season-opening win over St. Dom’s, 22 points and six steals in a victory over Traip Academy, 11 points and 11 assists in a win over Monmouth Academy, 31 points and four steals in a victory over Richmond, a dozen assists in a win over Waynflete, 17 points and 16 assists in a victory over Winthrop and seven points and 11 assists in a win over Dirigo, her final contest.
NYA wound up a program-best 17-1 and earned the top seed in Class C South and even got back to the regional final, but lost an overtime heartbreaker to eventual champion Old Orchard Beach.
“Seeing Angel come to our (semifinal round) playoff game vs. Hall-Dale a day after (knee) surgery and in lots of pain was something,” said NYA coach Tom Robinson. “Hearing her give her teammates a pregame pep talk and seeing her in the locker room celebrating that win with her teammates was priceless. Angel never missed a practice in four years, including through a pandemic. The kid’s tough.”
Huntsman also won three soccer state titles in high school and in her first lacrosse campaign last spring, won a championship there as well. She also played softball for the Panthers.
Look for Huntsman to come back as good as new when she plays basketball at Bates College next year.
Angel Huntsman, NYA’s Winter Athlete of the Year, has had a monopoly on this award and for good reason. She was a once in a lifetime athlete. A winner who simply wouldn’t be denied and one who dazzled in the process.
Coach Tom Robinson’s comment: “On the court, Angel will do anything to win. While she is super-skilled as a playmaker and super-athletic, it’s her competitiveness that separates her from other players I have coached. She hates to lose any type of competition. It is rare in high school when your best player isn’t your leading scorer. While she easily could have scored more points, her ability to get others involved in the game was incredible. I often said I had the best seat in the house over the last four years watching her play. It was a pleasure. Unless you were at the game you really have no idea of the speed she plays. NYA girls’ basketball is in a good place and Angel is a huge reason why. Getting to know her more as a person her senior year was special and something that I will always cherish. Knowing Angel, she will come back stronger from this and look forward to watching her at Bates running the floor.”
Previous winners:
- • 2021-22 Angel Huntsman (basketball)
* 2020-21 Angel Huntsman (basketball)
• 2019-20 Lauren Powers (hockey)
• 2018-19 Catherine Reid (basketball)
• 2017-18 Maggie Larson (basketball)
• 2016-17 Isabelle See (track)
• 2015-16 Sonia Lin (swimming)
• 2014-15 Alex Barnes (hockey)
• 2013-14 Sonia Lin (swimming)
• 2012-13 Sonia Lin (swimming)
• 2011-12 Morgan Scully (basketball)
• 2010-11 Blair Haggett (basketball)
• 2009-10 Emily McKinnon (swimming)
• 2008-09 Courtney Dumont (hockey)
• 2007-08 Courtney Dumont (hockey)
• 2006-07 Ingrid Knowles (Nordic skiing)
• 2005-06 Ingrid Knowles (Nordic skiing)
• 2004-05 Kathryn Engel (swimming)
• 2003-04 Teddy Fortin (hockey)
• 2002-03 Bobbi Dennison (basketball)
• 2001-02 Ashley Spicer (basketball)
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter:@foresports.
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