BRAYDEN WARDE, Senior – Lacrosse

• WMC Class C All-Star, first-team
  * WMC All-Academic

Warde epitomized the student-athlete ideal, not just excelling as one of the state’s top players, but one its top sportsmen as well, wise beyond his years, as he led the Panthers back to the Class C state final.

Warde missed out on his freshman season due to COVID, was a league all-star as a sophomore (scoring 47 goals and adding 12 assists) and again was honored as a junior, after tallying 40 goals and 14 assists.

This season, Warde scored 43 goals and added 31 assists, giving him 187 points in countable games.

“I’m proud of the work (Brayden) put in to transition from goal scorer to quarterback of the offense,” said NYA coach Peter Gerrity. “His goal totals stayed about the same, but as he became a ball-carrier and our number one attackman, he started picking his head up on his dodges and creating full team offense.”

The Panthers lost, 14-6, to Waynflete in the state game, but Warde scored one final time.

Warde will play next year at Connecticut College.

Coach Peter Gerrity’s comment: “We’ll miss Brayden, as he was obviously an excellent player and someone we could rely on to score, but he did so much more behind the scenes. No matter how the game was going, Brayden remained positive and didn’t get down on his teammates. He might offer suggestions, but he never put anyone down, though for himself he sets very high standards and wasn’t satisfied with anything short of a perfect game. A perfect game for Brayden meant four-plus goals, then giving one of the JV attackmen a chance to play in a varsity game. He wants to score but mostly he wants the team to do well and get better. Brayden embodied the ‘first to practice, last to leave’ cliche. Beyond his skills as a player, we’ll miss Brayden’s love of NYA and attention to detail. His teammates marveled at his ability to rattle off our upcoming schedule, the schedule of our opponents and potential matchups based on his scouting of opponents and historic scores. His dedication to the details are what make him a great teammate. It’ll be fun to watch his career at Connecticut College and I look forward to him coming back to visit the team.”

Previous winners:

• 2022 Caleb Waterman (lacrosse)
* 2021 Derek Wolverton (baseball)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Ryan Baker (lacrosse)
• 2018 Connor Clock (lacrosse)
• 2017 Dana Nichols (baseball)
• 2016 Thomas Pitts (lacrosse)
• 2015 D.J. Nicholas (lacrosse)
• 2014 Bryce Tetrault (tennis)
• 2013 Jacob Scammon (lacrosse)
• 2012 Jake Burns (track)
• 2011 Ryan Salerno (baseball)
• 2010 Henry Sterling (track)
• 2009 Sam Fear (track)
• 2008 Henry Gleason (lacrosse)
• 2007 Than Wellin (lacrosse)
• 2006 Michael Moody (track)
• 2005 Peter Gerrity (lacrosse)
• 2004 Brian Chin (track)
• 2003 Matt Curran (baseball)
• 2002 Matt Fortin (track)

SARAH MOORE, Junior – Track

• All-state
* Class C state champion, high jump
* Class C state champion, long jump
* WMC all-star, first-team, high jump
* WMC all-star, first-team, long jump
* WMC all-star, first-team, triple jump

Moore produced one of the finest seasons in the history of the NYA track program, helping the Panthers turn heads at the Class C state meet before going on to do big things at New Englands.

Moore started her career competing for Lisbon/Oak Hill and as a sophomore, she won the 100 and the long jump and was runner-up in both the high jump and triple jump.

After coming to NYA this school year, where she played goalie on a state champion girls’ soccer team in the fall, Moore set records and won multiple titles this spring in track.

At states, Moore won the high jump (5 feet, 2 inches) and long jump (17-1.75), came in second in the triple jump (34-4.25) and third in the 100 (13.04 seconds), to account for 34 points on her own.

She then awed those on hand at New Englands, taking first in the long jump (19-00.25, which is second in state annals behind the legendary Kate Hall) and the triple jump (37-8.25) while finishing runner-up in the high jump (5-5).

Best of all, Moore still has one more year to dazzle in an NYA uniform.

Coach Chris Mazzurco’s comment: “Sarah has an amazingly competitive drive. She hates to lose and has a truly outstanding kinesthetic awareness, but what makes her so dominant is that she is capable of following a routine, always warming up correctly and doing the mundane little tasks that all add up to produce something impressive. Her technique and explosive power come from working tirelessly on the little things, even when no one is looking. As is characteristic of many great athletes, she is never truly satisfied and is always looking to improve, but at the same time, she stays positive and appreciates a good performance. The example she sets on the track through her unwavering dedication to her sport and her team are exactly the examples that the younger athletes on the team need to see.”

Previous winners:

• 2022 Maggie Holt (lacrosse)
* 2021 Maggie Holt (lacrosse)
•2020 No season
• 2019 Helen Hamblett (lacrosse)
• 2018 Bella McMahon (lacrosse)
• 2017 Sydney Plummer (softball)
• 2016 Lena Rich (tennis)
• 2015 Muriel Adams (track)
• 2014 Olivia Madore (lacrosse)
• 2013 Muriel Adams (track)
• 2012 Sarah Jordan (tennis)
• 2011 Katie Cawley (lacrosse)
• 2010 Courtney Dumont (lacrosse)
• 2009 Thu-Trang Ho (tennis)
• 2008 Kayte Demont (track)
• 2007 Erin Lachance (lacrosse)
• 2006 Meghan Meintel (lacrosse)
• 2005 Molly Moss (lacrosse)
• 2004 Kristen Lothes (tennis)
• 2003 Jenny Kendall (tennis)
• 2002 Emma Harper (track)

Sports editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. 

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