BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Senior Nate Oney will play a critical role for NYA’s boys’ basketball team this winter. File photos.
Coach: Jason Knight (12th year, 98-98 overall record)
2022-23 record: 6-12 (no postseason)
Top returning player: Nate Oney (Senior)
Pivotal games: Dec. 8 @ St. Dom’s, Dec. 12 @ Winthrop, Dec. 19 HALL-DALE, Dec. 21 @ Dirigo, Dec. 28 BOOTHBAY, Jan. 9 @ Waynflete, Jan. 13 MONMOUTH, Jan. 23 WAYNFLETE, Jan. 25 ST. DOM’S
Coach’s comment: “There are only 13 kids in the entire program, but our chemistry is strong and that bodes well for us. We’re trying to build depth. We’ll rely on a good defense and hope our offense comes along. There are no weak spots on our schedule. We’ll be challenged every night. Playoffs are the goal for us.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA just missed out on the postseason last year, for the first time since 2018. This year, the Panthers will have to navigate a very tough schedule, which includes games against multiple strong Mountain Valley Conference squads, but that will help make NYA a formidable foe come February.
Oney is a captain. He’ll play the point and can also knock down shots. He’s one of the finest 3-point marksmen in the league. The squad also has an abundance of underclassmen who could be difference-makers as the season progresses.
The Panthers are going to be a work in progress, but the upside is high. If everything comes together, this will be a team capable of not only making it to Augusta, but staying awhile.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Senior Graca Bila will bring energy to both ends of the floor for NYA’s girls’ basketball team, which should once again be among the best in Class C South.
Coach: Tom Robinson (sixth year, 77-15 overall record)
2022-23 record: 19-2 (Lost, 39-36, in overtime, to eventual champion Old Orchard Beach in Class C South Final)
Top returning players: Graca Bila (Senior), Athena Gee (Junior), Ella Giguere (Junior), Emily Robbins (Junior)
Pivotal games: Dec. 12 WINTHROP, Dec. 16 @ Carrabec, Dec. 19 @ Hall-Dale, Jan. 19 OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Feb. 1 CARRABEC, Feb. 5 @ Old Orchard Beach
Coach’s comment: “We’ll be a different team, but we have some talent back. We’re young, just one senior. We do have a little more size this year. We’re big and athletic enough to compete every night. We’ll play the same brand of ball, get up the court. We have a tough schedule. I’d like to surprise some people. We want to get in to the tournament and make a run.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA has come agonizingly close to the state final each of the past two seasons and last year was doubly painful as standout Angel Huntsman suffered a knee injury late in the season and likely would have been enough to put the Panthers over the hump had she remained healthy. Huntsman is now at Bates College and Sarah English has departed as well, but the well is far from dry and you’ll see NYA in the mix yet again this winter.
Junior Ella Giguere is another key returner for the Panthers.
Bila is the top returner. The lone senior and a captain, Bila, who averaged 14.2 points and 3.7 steals a year ago, will play guard and is a tenacious defender as well. Giguere, another captain, is a top forward who will help clean the glass. Robbins is another frontcourt factor. Gee is the point guard. Sophomore Ava Wilkinson, who stands 6-foot-2, will be a difference maker at both ends of the floor. Sophomore Anaya Roundy will play a bigger role this year at guard.
The Panthers won’t dominate many of their foes like they have in recent seasons, but they’ll be very competitive regardless. This season will bring games against unfamiliar teams, squads NYA could face in the tournament. Expect this group to put another entertaining product on the court and to spend some quality time in Augusta yet again.
BOYS’ HOCKEY
Coach: Mike Warde (sixth year)
Top returning players: Ethan Brochu (Senior), Cole Lambert (Senior), Aidan McAuslin (Senior), Nick Pelletier (Senior), Grey Perham (Senior), Connor Wolverton (Senior), Hugo Daniel (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “ The challenge for our hockey program this year is to build a family of oneness and of dependability on one another. How committed can we be? How connected can we become? How well can we perform together? These are the questions which will be answered by the toughest schedule in school history, combined with the largest NYA hockey roster ever of 40 student-athletes.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA has a robust roster, full of promise, and the Panthers will give their opponents everything they can handle this winter.
McAuslin is a veteran in goal. Juniors Braydon Fitch, Oliver Li and Vincent Ouellett will also see time between the pipes. That group will be protected by Perham and Wolverton, who figure to be two of the top defensemen around. Offensively, Brochu, Daniel, Lambert, Pelletier and Perham, who is a two-way threat, will be top scorers. Senior Paul Marshall and junior Adrian Mendoza are new to the team and will help the goal-scoring cause as well.
NYA will measure itself against top teams like Phillips Exeter, St. Sebastian’s and Tabor Academy. The Panthers are up for any challenge and are poised to have a memorable campaign.
GIRLS’ HOCKEY
Coach: Matt Poulin (third year)
Top returning players: Kailyn McIntyre (Senior), Sarah Moore (Senior), Lyla Casey (Junior), Jordan Nash (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “With it being the inaugural season of our newly formed Vaillancourt Conference, we now have postseason play for our program. Our major team goal is to compete for, and hopefully win, the championship this season. We have tremendous depth this year with a lot of young talent, mixed in with great upperclassman leadership. We have a very strong group of forwards and a really strong defensive core. Other goals include winning the holiday tournaments we have and retaining our Travis Roy Maine Prep Cup championship from last season. We also want to provide the best platform possible for individual player development and collegiate advancement.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA is coming off a strong campaign and is hopeful of even more glory this winter. Some talented athletes, many of whom are well known from other sports, are on board to help the cause.
Moore is a top forward. She scored 16 goals and added eight assists last winter. She’s joined by Casey (3 goals, 3 assists) and McIntyre (3 goals, 1 assist), as well as promising freshman Tasha Godfrey, who had a terrific soccer season. Defensively, the Panthers turn to Nash (7 goals, 5 assists last season) and freshman Caroline Matusovich, who had 10 points last winter as an eighth grader. They’re joined by senior Bailee St. Hilaire, a transfer from Worcester Academy. Senior Elizabeth Madden, junior Brooklyn Goodman and sophomore Eve-Marie Leclerc will all get an opportunity to see time in goal.
NYA welcomes a challenging schedule and believes it can beat anyone it faces, including rivals such as Austin Prep, Governor’s Academy, Kimball Union Academy, Northfield-Mount Herman School, Phillips Exeter and Pomfret School. The sky is the limit for this group and triumph will be the theme in the weeks to come.
INDOOR TRACK (co-op with Maine Coast Waldorf)
Coach: Chris Mazzurco (26th year)
2022-23 results:
(Boys) no score @ Class B state meet
(Girls) no score @ Class B state meet
Top returners:
(Girls) Ruby Harrison (Senior), Charlotte Schatz (Senior), Asher Urbanek (Senior)
Coach’s comment: “We do not have many returning athletes from last season and so are looking to steadily build through the season while trying to round out coverage in most of the events.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: NYA/MCW has limited numbers but some promising athletes to watch this winter.
The boys will be led by senior Nate Barmby (sprints and middle distance) and sophomore Jackson Bartick (jumps).
The girls’ team features Harrison (jumps), Schatz (shot put) and Urbanek (shot put) as returners. Junior Olivia Hamilton (shot put) and freshman Poppy Griffin (sprints and hurdles) are newcomers of note.
NORDIC SKIING (co-op with Maine Coast Waldorf)
Coach: Jason Donahue (first year)
2022-23 results:
(Boys) 6th @ Class C state meet
(Girls) 7th @ Class C state meet
Top returners:
(Boys) Noah Reischmann (Junior)
(Girls) Lydia Sharp (Senior), Greta Tod (Junior)
Coach’s comment: “The team will be focused on developing our strength and endurance, improving technique and racing performance and concentrating on team cohesion with an enthusiastic and supportive attitude. Since neither MCWS or NYA has enough skiers for a team score this year, we will be intent upon individuals’ skill development and athletic improvement throughout the season and, overall, want the team to have an enjoyable experience on snow.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: The small NYA/MCW team has some promise as a few individuals are capable of doing big things as the season progresses.
Sharp returns on the girls’ side. She placed 14th in the classic and 24th in the freestyle at last year’s state meet. Tod is another veteran who will make an impact.
Reischman leads the way on the boys’ team. He’s a veteran who is hoping to move up the standings.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. For game updates and links to game stories, follow him on Threads: @foresports2023
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