Portland edition Spring Coaches of the Year

Boys’ team

Geoff Arris, Deering lacrosse

Photo courtesy Deering High School

Arris came to Deering looking to revitalize the Rams boys’ lacrosse program and he has done exactly that.

One year after the Rams won just one game, they improved to six victories this past season and made the playoffs, making Geoff Arris our Portland edition Spring Coach of the Year, of a boys’ team.

Arris played lacrosse at Freeport High School and Plymouth State University. He returned to the Falcons, where he coached his alma mater for 11 seasons, making it to the playoffs seven times and to the regional final in 2014, when he previously received this award.

Arris made the move to Deering in 2021, where it took some time to get the program up to speed. The Rams won just three games his first season and went 1-12 in 2022, but this spring, everything fell into place.

Deering beat rival Portland in its opener and started 3-1 to gain confidence. The Rams would win six games during the regular season and qualify for the playoffs for the first time in a non-open tournament year since 2018. Deering lost to Windham, 16-8, in the Class A state preliminary round, but the Rams have arrived.

“From where we were day one until where we (ended up), I’m very proud,” said Arris. “We’re so young. The future’s bright at Deering. We got ourselves on the map.”

Following the season, Arris received the highest possible praise as USA Lacrosse named him Maine’s boys’ Coach of the Year.

“Geoff is terrific and is doing such a great job building our boys’ lax program too,” said Deering athletic director Michael Daly.

Arris, who also coaches as an assistant at St. Joseph’s College and at the youth level, returns a lot of talent next spring and Deering figures to pick up where it left off.

The Rise of the Rams is upon us and as long as Geoff Arris, our Portland edition boys’ team Spring Coach of the Year, is leading the way, big things are on the horizon.

Previous winners:

• 2022 Paul Grazia (Waynflete baseball)
* 2021 Andrew Leach (Waynflete lacrosse)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Jeff Madore (Waynflete tennis)
• 2018 Mike DiFusco (Portland lacrosse)
• 2017 Mac McKew (Cheverus baseball)
• 2016 Jeff Madore (Waynflete tennis)
• 2015 Mike Rutherford (Portland baseball)
• 2014 Steve Virgilio (Cheverus track)
• 2013 Jeff Madore (Waynflete tennis)
• 2012 Deke Andrew (Cheverus lacrosse)
• 2011 Mac McKew (Cheverus baseball)
• 2010 Steve Kautz (Waynflete baseball)
• 2009 Eric Begonia (Portland lacrosse)
• 2008 Mike D’Andrea (Deering baseball)
• 2007 Mike D’Andrea (Deering baseball)
• 2006 Stephane Pejic (Waynflete tennis)
• 2005 Eric Begonia (Portland lacrosse)
• 2004 Mike D’Andrea (Deering baseball)

Girls’ team

Theresa Arsenault, Cheverus softball

File photo

Arsenault has proved in her short coaching career that she knows how to produce a winner, be it in the fall with Cheverus’ mighty field hockey team, or now in the spring, with a Stags softball program that is on the rise.

Cheverus emerged as a team to be taken seriously this past season and it’s only a matter of time until it’s among the league’s elite and for making that happen, Theresa Arsenault is The Forecaster’s choice as our Portland edition Spring Coach of the Year, of a girls’ team.

Arsenault, back when she was known as Theresa Hendrix, was a standout three-sport athlete at Cheverus, excelling in field hockey, basketball and softball and being named the school’s Spring Female Athlete of the Year in 2008, 2009 and 2010. She then went on to play field hockey and softball at St. Joseph’s College. She returned to coaching as an assistant with the Portland softball program and also led the Westbrook field hockey team to great things in her limited time before returning to her alma mater.

In the fall, Arsenault has coached Cheverus to 35 victories in 36 games over the past two field hockey seasons, including a Class A state title in 2021, when she was named Coach of the Year. In the spring, she took over the softball program in 2017 and by her third year, earned Coach of the Year honors.

This season saw a young but hungry Stags softball squad become a contender, with the promise of even more to come.

Cheverus went 8-8 during the regular season, beating the teams it was supposed to beat and being competitive with the elite squads. The Stags then won a playoff game for just the fourth time ever, holding off higher-ranked Marshwood, 11-6, in the Class A South preliminary round. Cheverus then gave defending state champion Biddeford a battle in the quarterfinals, nearly rallying from an early 10-0 deficit in an 11-6 setback.

With just about everyone returning next spring, the Stags are poised to take the next step. With Theresa Arsenault, our Portland edition Spring girls’ team Coach of the Year leading the way, the sky is the limit.

Previous winners:

• 2022 Jason McLeod (Portland softball)
* 2021 Cathie Connors (Waynflete lacrosse)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Theresa Hendrix (Cheverus softball)
• 2018 Bonnie Moran (Portland tennis)
• 2017 Tim Eisenhart (MGA/Falmouth softball)
• 2016 Robbie Ferrante (Portland softball)
• 2015 Cameron McManus (Portland lacrosse)
• 2014 Maureen Curran (Cheverus softball)
• 2013 Jamie Chamberlain (Cheverus lacrosse)
• 2012 Cathie Connors (Waynflete lacrosse)
• 2011 Linda Cohen (Waynflete tennis)
• 2010 Robbie Ferrante (McAuley softball)
• 2009 Bonnie Moran (Portland tennis)
• 2008 Cathie Connors (Waynflete lacrosse)
• 2007 Jamie Chamberlain (Cheverus lacrosse)
• 2006 Jamie Chamberlain (Cheverus lacrosse)
• 2005 Rick Supinski (Cheverus softball)
• 2004 Cathie Connors (Waynflete lacrosse)