Editor’s note: The Maine Sunday Telegram is proud to announce its All-State teams for the winter high school sports season. On March 26, we unveil teams for basketball, skiing and wrestling. On April 2, we’ll announce teams for swimming, hockey and indoor track.

Matt McDevitt did more than just dream about a fantastic finish to his high school basketball career.

He put in the work to make it happen.

“Strength has always been an issue, and I worked on that as much as I could,” said the lanky 6-foot-7 forward. “I worked on my shooting. I definitely got in the gym a lot more so my shot would be more consistent. And defense. I don’t want to be good on offense and be a liability on defense, and those were things I really had to work on in the offseason.”

The effort paid off. Greely went 22-0 and won the Class A championship, overpowering Messalonskee 59-43 to capture its first state title since 1998.

“Maturity-wise, Matt grew up a lot in the last year,” said Greely Coach Travis Seaver. “His focus and drive over the last year was pretty impressive. He just wanted to win and was willing to do whatever it took to win.”

McDevitt was the driving force in the state final. He made his first four shots as Greely grabbed complete control and finished with 23 points, including the 1,000th of his career. He also had eight rebounds, three blocks and two assists.

For his improved all-around play and ability to come through when it mattered most, McDevitt is the Maine Sunday Telegram’s Player of the Year.

McDevitt, who was also named Mr. Basketball, got the slight nod over Terion Moss, Portland’s junior point guard and Maine’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

Including the Class A tournament, McDevitt averaged 16.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists while knocking down 43 3-pointers. He also got to the free-throw line more often this season and made 90.1 percent of his free throws.

“He scored when he needed to score, he passed when he needed to pass, and the most impressive thing to me was that he became a great defender,” Seaver said.

In overtime victories at Falmouth and Yarmouth (triple overtime), McDevitt proved his big-play ability. He scored seven overtime points against Falmouth, including the clinching free throws. Against Yarmouth, he scored 33 points and made seven 3-pointers, including a tying 3-pointer at the end of the first overtime.

“Those are the shots that you’re thinking about when you’re a kid playing outside,” McDevitt said. “You’d give yourself the countdown, “3-2-1,” and hope they go in. When those shots translate into high school and actually go in, it feels amazing.”

McDevitt, the son of St. Joseph’s College women’s coach Mike McDevitt, hopes to play collegiately. Still 17 (he turns 18 in August), he would like to attend prep school for a year.

“I definitely think another year to get more mature and stronger will help me out,” he said.

ALL-STATE TEAM

Ruay Bol, South Portland senior forward: The 6-foot-4 Bol was a defensive presence who altered opponents’ game plans. He averaged 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds for the balanced Red Riots, who advanced to the Class AA state final for the second straight season.

Austin Boudreau, Thornton Academy senior guard: One of the best shooters in the state, the 6-3 point guard made 73 3-pointers while shooting 48 percent from behind the arc. Boudreau averaged 16.0 points and 4.7 rebounds, and was second in the SMAA with 5.2 assists per game.

Jack Casale, Cheverus senior forward: Named SMAA Player of the Year after leading the league in scoring with 19.9 points per game, the 6-5 Casale also grabbed 6.6 rebounds per game and shot 83 percent from the line. He will play next season at St. Joseph’s College.

Colin Coyne, Falmouth senior guard: A Mr. Basketball finalist, the 5-10 point guard averaged 18.4 points and 5.1 assists. He was among the top 3-point shooters in the state, making 52, and was a first-team Western Maine Conference Class A pick. He plans to play baseball at Bates.

Jacob Hickey, Winthrop senior guard: A Mr. Basketball finalist, the 6-1 Hickey averaged 23.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.7 steals while leading the Ramblers to a 21-1 season and the Class C South title.

David Keohan, Thornton Academy junior forward: The 6-4 Keohan was a first-team SMAA pick after averaging 16.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals while making 50 percent of his shots for the Class AA South runner-up.

Trevor LaBonte, York senior forward: The 6-6 LaBonte led Class A South in scoring and rebounding, averaging 19.2 points and 9.5 boards, earning the Butler Award as the Western Maine Conference player of the year. A three-sport athlete, LaBonte plans to attend prep school and play baseball, and possibly kick and punt for the football team.

Matt McDevitt, Greely senior forward: The Telegram Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball winner led Greely (22-0) to the Class A state title. The 6-7 McDevitt, who is considering a prep year, averaged 16.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists while making 43 3-pointers and shooting 90.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Alek Medenica, Yarmouth senior forward: The 6-7 Medenica had the ability to dominate games inside and was also effective on the perimeter. He averaged 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds, and also chipped in 3.0 assists in a first-team WMC Class B season.

Terion Moss, Portland junior guard: The poised 5-9 point guard led the Bulldogs to a second straight Class AA title and was named the state’s Gatorade player of the year. Moss averaged 17.6 points, 3.6 assists and an SMAA-best 3.7 steals per game while making 52 percent of his shots, including 42 percent of his 3-pointers.

Jarod Norcross Plourde, Edward Little senior forward: The 6-2 Norcross Plourde led the Red Eddies with 15.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while shooting 46 percent. Also a standout soccer player, he will play baseball at the University of Hartford.

Taylor Schildroth, George Stevens Academy junior guard: The 6-1 point guard averaged 26 points and more than seven assists and seven rebounds, leading GSA to its second straight Class C title. He had a 61-point game with 12 3-pointers.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Joe Russo, Portland: Russo melded a revamped roster into a versatile but undersized lineup that played shutdown defense, improved its outside shooting, was the top seed in the state’s toughest division and won a second straight Class AA title. It was Russo’s fifth state title with Portland. He got his 400th win as the Bulldogs’ coach in the regional final.

Steve Craig can be reached at 791-6413 or:

scraig@pressherald.com

Twitter: SteveCCraig

Emily Esposito of Gorham was the driving force for the state’s best team each of the last two seasons.

When the game was on the line, Emily Esposito wanted the ball. And when she got it, good things usually happened.

Esposito, a senior guard at Gorham, made the big plays when the Rams needed them and ended her high school career with 42 consecutive wins and two Class AA state championships.

“I couldn’t have planned it any better,” said Esposito. “Forty-two-and-oh. Two state championships. Lots of life lessons along the way. I was overwhelmed with joy and happiness (when the Rams defeated Oxford Hills in the Class AA final, 45-31). I went out the best way possible. And I went out with my best friends.”

Esposito also finished her career as the Maine Sunday Telegram’s Player of the Year in girls’ basketball. Bound for Division I Villanova University, Esposito averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 4.0 assists to help the Rams complete back-to-back 21-0 seasons. She finished her career with 1,446 points, 555 rebounds, 277 steals and 247 assists.

And she was always at her best when the Rams needed her most.

Case in point: the Class AA state title game in Augusta. With the Rams leading only 26-24, Esposito scored seven consecutive points late in the third quarter – including a 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining – to give the Rams a nine-point lead heading into the fourth.

“That’s what you expect from a kid going to Villanova,” said Scarborough Coach Mike Giordano. “That’s the kid you lean on in those situations.”

Giordano and other SMAA coaches called Esposito an explosive offensive player, capable of beating opponents by driving to the basket, pulling up for a mid-range jumper or hitting a 3-pointer. She was also a fearless competitor and underrated defender.

Gorham Coach Laughn Berthiaume said Esposito was a special leader as well. He saw her mature in the four years she started for him.

“I think as she got older, the ability to move on from one play to the next got easier for her,” he said. “When she was young and made a mistake, it was easy for her to second-guess herself. There was none of that this year. She just kept playing.”

She became a role model and a mentor for the young players on the team, not just for her talent but how she played the game. “She was very strong-willed, has a strong personality,” said Berthiaume. “Once she set her mind to something, good things happened for the team.”

Now Esposito is looking forward to her next challenge at Villanova. She took a few weeks off after the season ended, then began working out again.

“I think I’m ready for the next step,” she said. “I’m ready to learn from the best.”

ALL-STATE TEAM

Alisha Aube, Thornton Academy senior forward: A repeat All-State selection, Aube led the Trojans with 17.8 points per game and also averaged 5.1 rebounds. She led the SMAA in 3-point shooting. Aube, who finished her career with over 1,200 points, has committed to play at Division I Butler.

Kolleen Bouchard, Houlton junior forward: A returning All-State selection, the 6-foot-1 Bouchard is one of the state’s top all-around players. In helping Houlton win the Class B North title, she averaged 23.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 3.1 blocked shots and 2.1 assists. She has 1,405 career points.

Katie Butler, Bangor senior center: A finalist for Miss Basketball, the 6-3 Butler helped the Rams advance to the Class AA North semifinals. She averaged 15.1 points, 15.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists 2.8 blocked shots and 2.1 steals. Butler will play at Tufts.

Lauren Chadwick, Gardiner senior point guard: Chadwick led the Tigers in scoring (14.4 points per game) and steals (3.4), and was second in assists (2.5). She finished her career with 975 points. She is undecided on which college she will attend.

Anna DeWolfe, Greely sophomore point guard: A repeat All-State selection, the 5-6 DeWolfe helped Greely reach the Class A South final, leading the Rangers in scoring (23.5 points per game), assists (4.2) and steals (3.4) She also averaged 3.9 rebounds. DeWolfe is being recruited by several Division I schools.

Emily Esposito, Gorham senior guard: A four-time All-State selection, and this year’s Miss Basketball and Telegram Player of the Year, Esposito led Gorham to its second consecutive Class AA title and 42 straight wins. She averaged 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 steals, and finished with 1,446 career points. She will play at Division I Villanova.

Mackenzie Holmes, Gorham sophomore center: The 6-2 Holmes was a dominating inside presence. She averaged 18.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.8 blocked shots in helping Gorham win its second consecutive Class AA state title. Holmes is being recruited by several Division I schools.

Sophie Holmes, Messalonskee senior guard: A finalist for Miss Basketball, Holmes led the Eagles to the Class A state title by averaging 21.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.2 assists. A four-year starter, she finished with 1,389 points and 727 rebounds in her career. She is undecided on which college she’ll attend.

Madeline Suhr, Brunswick senior center: Suhr had an outstanding season in leading the Dragons to their first appearance in the Class A state final. She averaged 14.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.7 steals. Suhr, who finished her career with 813 points, will play at Roanoke (Va.) College.

Tasia Titherington, Deering senior guard: In helping Deering to the Class AA North championship game, Titherington averaged 14.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.4 steals. Undecided about college, she finished her career with 996 points.

Ally Turner, Messalonskee junior point guard: At 5-11, Turner had the ability to play just about anywhere on the court. She averaged 9.8 points, 6.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals for the Class A champion. Turner often guarded the opponent’s best offensive player.

Brie Wajer, Lincoln Academy senior guard: The 5-7 guard sparked Lincoln Academy to the Class B South final for the second consecutive year. She averaged 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 3.4 steals. She finished with 1,019 career points and will play at Division II Wingate (N.C.) University.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Mike Andreasen, Gray-New Gloucester: Andreasen coached a team without any one standout player, but a group that stood out for its balance and defensive intensity. Each player trusted her teammates to step up when needed. Andreasen rotated his players perfectly, developed their skills and made them one of the best teams around, losing only once while earning the school’s first Class B state championship.

Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or:

mlowe@pressherald.com

Twitter: MikeLowePPH

When Jeromey Rancourt was sick the week of the Class A boys’ hockey state championship game, Lewiston Coach Jamie Belleau was nervous.

After all, Rancourt had played a crucial role in helping the Blue Devils get to that stage for the second straight year.

“It would have taken (a catastrophe) to keep him off the ice that game,” Belleau said. “He battled forward. He’s a heck of a player.”

Rancourt came through with a goal and two assists in a 6-2 win over Falmouth – the only team to beat the Blue Devils (20-1) this season. The senior forward capped his career with back-to-back Class A titles and won the Travis Roy Award on March 26.

For his determination on and off the ice, Rancourt is the Maine Sunday Telegram’s Boys’ Hockey Player of the Year.

“It was probably the worst possible time to get sick, but it’s senior year – you can’t get that back,” Rancourt said. “Lewiston is a tough team to play for – it’s lot of responsibility. Everybody on this team has worked hard and sacrificed a lot to get where we are.”

A captain the last two years, Rancourt tied for the team lead in scoring during the regular season with 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) and had a goal and five assists in three playoff games. He also scored the winner in last year’s state championship game, which snapped a 13-year title drought for the program.

“His skill and performance on the ice and his character off it was obviously a huge factor in bringing our team together,” Belleau said. “He takes his role as a leader seriously. He’s always looking out for the players. We became a family.”

It didn’t take long for Belleau to recognize Rancourt’s potential. By his sophomore year, Rancourt was getting a regular shift and was an “All-State caliber player,” said Belleau.

“He was always a very talented skater, always had good hands and a good shot,” Belleau said. “He continued to get stronger and grow. He’s really just an all-around solid player for our program, and he has gained the respect from coaches around the league.”

However, Rancourt wasn’t always so graceful on the ice. In fact, during his first time on skates, he told his dad he wanted to quit.

“He told me I had to stick with it,” Rancourt said. “He taught me a lot while he was here.”

When Rancourt was 7, his father, David, died in an accident the day of Rancourt’s first hockey game. David was a U.S. Army Reserve veteran who completed two tours in Iraq. He had served with the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office for 10 years before suffering a fatal heart attack at age 40 while diving in the Androscoggin River searching for evidence in a criminal case.

Rancourt’s mother, Dawn – who was pregnant with Rancourt’s brother, Brock – broke the news to Jeromey before his Mites debut. He didn’t make it to his game that night, but he was on the ice for the next one.

“She’s my rock. She always told me, ‘You don’t have to be the man of the house,'” Rancourt said. “I never thought I had to be, but I knew I had to grow up a little bit earlier. Things weren’t going to be the same, and I wasn’t going to have that ideal childhood.”

Rancourt turned to hockey as a way to feel connected with father. On his stick are the numbers 1-1-5 – his dad’s license plate with the sheriff’s department. During the national anthem before every game, Rancourt talks to his dad.

“I ask him to look over me,” Rancourt said. “He’s with me every game.”

Rancourt plans to play junior hockey for the next year or two, but isn’t sure where. He just knows he wants to keep playing hockey.

“Once he passed, I wanted to do this for him, to make him proud,” Rancourt said. “I just don’t want that feeling to ever go away. I know it won’t, I know it will always be with me. It’s just one way to feel that I can be with him.”

ALL-STATE TEAM

Jackson Aldrich, Waterville senior forward: Aldrich led the state with 70 points (29 goals, 41 assists), two more than teammate Justin Wentworth. Both scored a hat trick in the Class B state final to help the Panthers win back-to-back titles.

Robbie Armitage, Falmouth senior forward: Armitage and his twin brother, Reece, were the only seniors on a team that won the Class A South title. The Travis Roy Award finalist had a team-high 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in the regular season.

Joe Bisson, Lewiston junior forward: Bisson led Class A with 24 goals and tied for the team lead with 44 points in the regular season, helping the Blue Devils win a second straight state championship.

Derek Fournier, Bangor senior goalie: Fournier, a Travis Roy Award finalist and returning All-State pick, finished the regular season with a 1.86 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. He helped the Rams reach the Class A North final.

Tanner McClure, Massabesic/Old Orchard Beach/Bonny Eagle senior forward: A team captain for three years, McClure recorded his 100th career point and led Class A players in scoring during the regular season with 53 points (23 goals, 30 assists). He was a semifinalist for the Travis Roy Award.

Eric Murray, Scarborough senior defenseman: An offensive-minded defenseman, Murray led the Red Storm in points during the regular season with 15 (seven goals, eight assists). He is a finalist for the Travis Roy Award.

Cole Ouellette, Lewiston senior defenseman: Ouellette compiled 32 points in the regular season (16 goals, 16 assists) for the two-time Class A champions.

Spencer Pierce, Falmouth junior goalie: Pierce had a .926 save percentage in the regular season – the best among full-time goalies. He was the only goalie to defeat Lewiston, making 48 saves in a 3-2 win over the Blue Devils in January.

Jeromey Rancourt, Lewiston senior forward: The returning All-State pick tied for the team lead with 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) in the regular season – second-most in Class A. He had a goal and five assists in the playoffs to help the Blue Devils repeat as champions.

Andrew Roderigue, Waterville senior defenseman: A returning All-State pick, Roderigue totaled more than 130 points for his career, including 51 (18 goals, 33 assists) in the regular season this winter.

Ricky Ruck, Biddeford senior forward: The Travis Roy Award semifinalist led the Tigers to the Class A South quarterfinals, collecting 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) during the regular season.

Dominic Tocci, Portland/Deering forward: Tocci led the Bulldogs with 25 regular-season points (12 goals, 13 assists), helping them get to the Class A South semifinals. He scored the winning goal with one second left in the quarterfinals.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jamie Belleau, Lewiston: The Blue Devils went into the season as the favorite in Class A and didn’t disappoint, going 20-1 to capture their second straight state title by defeating Falmouth 6-2 in the championship game.

Taylor Vortherms can be contacted at 791-6417 or:

tvortherms@pressherald.com

Twitter: TaylorVortherms

St. Dominic Academy girls’ hockey coach Paul Gosselin knows a talent like Kristina Cornelio doesn’t come around often.

“Every now and then, a coach gets ‘that player.’ ” Gosselin said. “You get this one kid who just takes it to another level. She’s a pure student of the game.”

A sophomore forward, Cornelio had 55 goals and 29 assists to lead the Saints to an undefeated season and their second straight state championship. She stood out among a team of standouts, earning recognition as the Maine Sunday Telegram’s Girls’ Hockey Player of the Year.

“Most (standout) high school kids are lucky to get 100 goals in their career,” Gosselin said, noting that Cornelio has almost 90 in just two years. “A lot of those games, I held her back. It could have been more.”

Cornelio started playing hockey at age 4. She grew up around the sport, watching her brother, Alexander, play for St. Dom’s before he graduated in 2008.

“I wanted to be like him when I was younger,” Cornelio said. “I kind of followed in his footsteps.”

She attended clinics and played on various teams before high school – none more physical than a boys’ checking league in seventh and eighth grade.

“That was definitely a big opportunity for me to play at a higher pace,” Cornelio said. “When I was younger, I knew that I wanted to play in college, so that has been my goal.”

Cornelio’s experience competing against boys is evident in her physical style. And she is strong. Gosselin attributes her improvement from her freshman season to the hours she spent in the gym during the offseason.

“As you get to higher levels, not only do you have to be talented – you have to have strength,” Gosselin said. “She really took that to heart last season, and it paid off. She got exponentially better than the league as a whole.”

St. Dominic (21-0) rolled to the state championship, averaging eight goals a game and defeating Falmouth 10-2 for the title.

Gosselin said Cornelio has “speed and a killer shot” along with “great lateral movement.” But Gosselin said it’s her character off the ice that sets her apart. He recalled a conversation at midseason when players debated getting jackets or sweatshirts if they were to win back-to-back state titles. He said one girl suggested adding “2017” to their jackets from last year.

“Before that sentence was even done, Kristina was saying, ‘Well, yeah, but we have one girl who wasn’t with us last year, so she won’t be able to take pride in it,’ ” Gosselin said. “Right off the bat, she’s thinking of that person instantly.”

That unselfishness translates to her play on the ice. Gosselin points to games where Cornelio had an open net but passed to a teammate who hadn’t yet scored.

Along with her coach and teammates, who she calls her “best friends,” Cornelio has enjoyed the support of her hockey-loving family. Her brother videotapes her games and sends her “good luck” texts.

Next season is still up in the air for Cornelio, who is looking at transferring to a prep school. She tentatively plans to play hockey at the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut.

One thing is for sure: her early success hasn’t gone to her head.

“I know I’m not the best – there are so many girls who are way better than me,” Cornelio said. “I just try each game to be the best on the ice.”

ALL-STATE TEAM

Courtney Brochu, Scarborough sophomore defenseman: A strong skater who can play the body well, Brochu earned first-team All-South honors and had 10 assists and six goals – two of which were game-winners.

Jenna Brooks, Brunswick sophomore forward: A first-team All-North selection, Brooks scored four of Brunswick’s seven playoff goals and totaled 73 points (49 goals, 24 assists) on the season.

Evie Clement, Falmouth senior forward: A strong all-around player and a first-team All-South pick, Clement recorded 24 goals and 19 assists.

Katie Clemmer, Yarmouth/Freeport/Gray-New Gloucester senior, forward: Clemmer, a first-team All-North selection, has great hands, skating skills and an ability to anticipate, making her extremely dangerous with the puck.

Kristina Cornelio, St. Dominic sophomore forward: The first-team All-North pick led the Saints to their second straight state title with 55 goals and 29 assists.

Isabelle Frenette, St. Dominic sophomore defenseman: A quick, reliable defenseman who’s strong on the puck, Frenette finished with 17 goals and 27 assists.

Bekah Guay, Biddeford/Thornton Academy senior goalie: A two-time All-State selection, Guay often faced 40-plus shots but kept her team in a lot of close games.

Avery Lutrzykowski, St. Dominic sophomore forward: A fast skater with great hands, Lutrzykowski contributed 32 goals and 40 assists, including three goals and three assists in the state final. She also excels at killing penalties.

Caroline Proctor, Falmouth senior defenseman: A smart defenseman with great vision, Proctor always seemed to be in position. The first-team All-South pick totaled three goals and 11 assists.

Ellie Schad, Greely senior defenseman: The first-team All-North selection is quick with great lateral movement and a powerful shot, making her a dynamic, offensive defenseman. She had 10 goals and 10 assists.

Courtney Sullivan, Greely junior forward: An elusive player with a deceptively quick shot, Sullivan was a first-team All-North selection and finished the season with 29 goals and 12 assists.

Nica Todd, Greely senior goalie: Todd rarely made mistakes or gave up a bad rebound. The first-team All-North pick recorded seven shutouts.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Paul Gosselin, St. Dominic: The Saints have gone 40-2 over the last two seasons, winning back-to-back state championships. This winter, they capped an undefeated season with a 10-2 win over Falmouth in the state final.

Taylor Vortherms can be contacted at 791-6417 or:

tvortherms@pressherald.com

Twitter: TaylorVortherms

Waynflete Nordic Coach Ben Hamilton tells a story about Willson Moore, whose family has a camp on a lake in northern Ontario.

Moore thought a nearby island would be a great place to exercise, so he swam out and fashioned a pull-up bar. When vacation ended, his parents told him he needed to dismantle the bar.

Moore found a crowbar, tied it to his waist, and started swimming toward the island.

“He was having so much fun,” Hamilton said, “that he decided to swim around the island before taking down the bar. That is quintessential Willson Moore. He thrives on a challenge.”

A senior at Waynflete, Moore won the Class C classical and freestyle titles, dethroning his good friend, Tucker Pierce of Maine Coast Waldorf. A week later, in the Eastern high school championship selection races at Black Mountain, Moore posted the fastest classical time and placed second overall.

Moore is our choice for Maine Sunday Telegram Boys’ Skier of the Year.

“There are two defining features to Willson that make him a fine person and an incredible teammate,” Hamilton said. “One is his work ethic. If we ask him to run a dry-land practice and give him a target of six miles, he’s probably going to run nine. He just loves to work out. Two is his love of competition. He feeds off it, enjoys it, has this infectious enthusiasm on race day.”

Mt. Blue senior Tucker Barber also received strong consideration. Barber swept the Class A individual titles over the same Quarry Road Trails on the same days as Moore – Barber was faster in classical, Moore in freestyle – to go along with the Sassi Memorial classical title.

At the EHSC races last weekend in Vermont, Pierce finished 22nd in classical to Moore’s 23rd and Barber’s 32nd. In freestyle, Barber was 24th, Moore 28th and Pierce 30th.

“I knew there was going to be some really good competition this year,” Moore said. “My goal coming in was to really try and match some of those skiers and be competitive with them.”

Moore, who also runs cross country and track, grew up shuffling through the woods of Freeport on waxless skis with his dad and joined a Bill Koch program at Twin Brook in Cumberland. He was a baseball player through eighth grade and played soccer his freshman year at Freeport High, where he also earned all-state chorus honors.

After transferring to Waynflete, he competed in Science Olympiads and, with his team, advanced to the nationals in Nebraska. He plans to study physics and sustainable engineering at Middlebury, and hopes to compete with the Nordic team.

Throughout the winter, Pierce and Moore went back and forth in Western Maine Conference meets. Pierce won the WMC classical title and Moore won freestyle.

“On any given day at a WMC meet, it’s going to be Willson or Tucker,” Hamilton said. “You would think that competition would create a wedge, a divide, but the opposite has happened. They’re the best of friends.”

ALL-STATE-TEAM

Tucker Barber, Mt. Blue senior: A two-time Class A classical champ, he also won the freestyle title and led the Cougars to a second straight Nordic title. The Sassi Memorial champ placed 24th (skate) and 32nd (classic) at the Eastern high school championships in Vermont.

Nathan Delmar, Maranacook senior: The Class B slalom champion, and runner-up in giant slalom, he was Maine’s top slalom finisher at the Eastern championships in 23rd place. He plans to attend Bates and continue skiing at a club level.

Zach Holman, Maranacook senior: The Class B Nordic classical champion by 44 seconds and runner-up in freestyle, he helped the Black Bears win their second state title in three years. He was fourth in a field of 149 at the Sassi Memorial.

John Lane, Yarmouth senior: The Class B Nordic freestyle champion by nine seconds who also placed fifth in classical, Lane finished third of 149 skiers in the Sassi Memorial.

Devon Lathrop, Cape Elizabeth sophomore: The Class A giant slalom champion for the second straight year and the runner-up in slalom by .37 seconds, he was also the WMC champ in both disciplines.

Axel Lindsay, Greely senior: The Class A slalom state champion, Lindsay placed third in slalom by less than a second. He placed 27th in giant slalom and 31st in slalom at the Eastern championships.

Willson Moore, Waynflete senior: Moore swept the classical and freestyle races in Class C, and was the WMC freestyle champion and classic runner-up. He placed 23rd in classic and 28th in freestyle at the Eastern championships.

Nick Newman, Mountain Valley senior: The Class B giant slalom champion – by a five-second margin – and runner-up in slalom, he placed 20th in giant slalom and 32nd in slalom at the Eastern championships.

Tucker Pierce, Maine Coast Waldorf senior: Despite illness at the Class C state meet, he finished second in freestyle and third in classical. He was 20th overall at the Eastern championships among a field of 109 in the three-event (freestyle, classic, sprint) competition.

Gibson Scott, Falmouth sophomore: Scott was runner-up in Class A giant slalom and third in slalom while skiing conservatively to help Falmouth earn the Alpine team title.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Tip Kimball, Falmouth Alpine: After placing second in the Western Maine Conference, Falmouth put it all together at the state meet to win the Class A Alpine crown for the first time since 2013. After building up a sizable lead in giant slalom, Falmouth did even better in slalom to win by 64 points over runner-up Cape Elizabeth. “We have a very young team and I considered them a long shot,” said Kimball. “All the stars had to align perfectly to make this happen with them, and they did.”

Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or:

Gjordan@pressherald.com

Twitter: GlennJordanPPH

Annesley Black, a sophomore at Cheverus High who lives in Cape Elizabeth, wasn’t sure what to expect from her first season of high school racing in Maine after spending last winter at a ski academy in Vermont.

As it turned out, having no expectations worked well.

“I didn’t like the atmosphere in Vermont,” she said of her winter at the Killington Mountain School. “It was really competitive and intense. It kind of psyched me out.”

Absent such pressure, Black flourished. She won every Maine high school race she entered.

She swept the SMAA slalom and giant slalom titles at Shawnee Peak and also won both events at the Class A state championships at Mt. Abram. She was Maine’s top Shootout qualifier for the Eastern High School Championships, where she led Maine skiers by placing seventh in slalom and 13th in giant slalom at Attitash Mountain in New Hampshire.

She is the Maine Sunday Telegram Girls’ Skier of the Year.

“She just dominated everything this year,” said Cheverus Alpine Coach Georgia Hegner. “She’s an amazing racer, very dedicated. She spent a lot of time on it, as did her brother. The two of them kind of push each other.”

Schuyler Black is a senior, and SMAA champion in slalom and giant slalom. At the Class A state meet, he placed eighth in giant slalom but didn’t finish his second run in slalom. They have a younger brother, Sam, in sixth grade.

Sharing the podium with her older brother at the SMAA championships was Annesley’s season highlight, more so than the state titles.

“That was great because he works really hard,” she said. “I was glad to see it pay off. I was really proud of him.”

Annesley (it’s a family name) grew up chasing Schuyler down the slopes and followed him into the Shawnee Peak racing program. She started running gates at 6 or 7.

An honor student, Black spends her summers hiking, mountain biking and working out. Although she plays soccer and lacrosse, zipping down the side of a mountain with challenging twists and turns holds a special place in her heart.

“There’s a feeling I get in skiing that I don’t get in any other sport,” she said. “You have to master a lot of aspects. You have to be physically strong, technically sound and mentally prepared. It’s really satisfying when you put all that work in and you get a good run.”

Black was one of three girls from Cheverus on the Alpine team, which also includes two girls from Thornton Academy. There are a half-dozen boys. She also does weekend racing in the Gould Competition Program at Sunday River.

“The fact that she skis so much and practices so much is a huge part of it,” Hegner said of Black’s success. “Raw talent is another part. She’s just a very athletic person in general.”

She’s also very social, with friends from schools throughout the state. The only place there’s not a lot of chatter, Hegner said, is at the top of the race course, where Black tends to be quiet and introspective.

“She likes to get into her own head space,” Hegner said. “Occasionally, she needs to be reminded to be confident, but she doesn’t need a lot of talking to her.”

ALL-STATE TEAM

Allison Acritelli, Spruce Mountain junior: The Class B slalom state champion by two seconds, she also placed sixth in giant slalom to help the Phoenix win the school’s first Alpine state title. She placed 67th in giant slalom at the Eastern high school championships.

Victoria Beliveau, Edward Little senior: She made up for a disappointing state meet (eighth in Class A slalom, 30th in giant slalom) with an eighth-place slalom finish in the Eastern championships, where she was 30th in giant slalom.

Annesley Black, Cheverus sophomore: Black capped an unbeaten season in Maine with Class A titles in slalom and giant slalom. She placed seventh in slalom and 13th in giant slalom at the Eastern championships.

Meghan Charles, Mt. Blue junior: Charles placed third in Class A in both freestyle and classical to help the Cougars win the Nordic team title. She was 24th in freestyle and 27th in classical at the Eastern championships.

Shelby Cowin, Greenville junior: The two-time Class B giant slalom champion – with a four-second margin of victory this year – also had the fastest second run in slalom but did not finish her first run.

Grace Cowles, Yarmouth senior: The Class B freestyle champ and classical runner-up, she was also WMC champion in both events. She was eighth in the sprint, 16th in classical and 19th in freestyle at the Eastern championships.

Brooke Juneau, Fryeburg Academy sophomore: The Class A runner-up in giant slalom, Juneau also placed fourth in slalom. At the Eastern championships, she was 19th in giant slalom and 24th in slalom.

Laura Parent, Maranacook junior: The Class B classical state champion by 28 seconds and runner-up in freestyle, she helped the Black Bears end Yarmouth’s six-year Nordic reign. Parent was also the KVAC classical champion and runner-up at the Sassi Memorial.

Julia Ramsey, Mt. Blue senior: The Class A freestyle and classical state champion, she led the Cougars to the Nordic team title. She also won the Sassi Memorial, and placed 19th in sprint, 23rd in freestyle and 35th in classical at the Eastern championships.

Olivia Skillings, Maine Coast Waldorf junior: The Class C freestyle and classical champion, Skillings helped Maine Coast to its seventh straight Nordic team crown. She placed 10th in sprint, 12th in classical and 20th in freestyle at the Eastern championships.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Steve DeAngelis, Maranacook Nordic: Maranacook packed the top eight in classic and top 12 in freestyle to beat six-time defending champ Yarmouth by eight points. “It was nice to be a little better than them this year,” said DeAngelis.

Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or:

Gjordan@pressherald.com

Twitter: GlennJordanPPH

Bradley Beaulieu had two major goals in mind when he entered his senior season of wrestling at Marshwood High: regain the Class A team title and win his first New England championship.

“I had accomplished a lot as an individual, and last year, not winning that team title really stuck with me,” Beaulieu said. “I didn’t want to come home from this year’s states with a second place or a third place.”

Wrestling at 138 pounds, Beaulieu won it all this year.

He won the Lowell Invitational, New England’s largest tournament. He won his fourth Class A title in his fourth weight class. Marshwood, which had its four-year title streak snapped by Skowhegan in 2016, stormed back with a revamped lineup this season. The Hawks dominated the Class A tournament, scoring 184 points to beat runner-up and archrival Noble by 103.5 points.

Then, Beaulieu capped his 53-0 season with a New England championship, winning the one regional title that had eluded him after placing sixth, second and third in his previous three tries.

“It was one of his things on his bucket list, one of the few that he hadn’t accomplished,” said Coach Matt Rix.

With his New England title, Beaulieu raised his career record to 243-14, giving him the most wins in Maine high school history.

Add in his leadership for a team that had eight wrestlers place for the first time at the state championships, and Beaulieu is the Maine Sunday Telegram Wrestler of the Year.

“Something that makes me happy as a leader is that we all came together as a team,” Beaulieu said.

With few in-state wrestlers capable of testing Beaulieu, the Marshwood coaching staff helped him avoid fixating on the New England championship.

“They reminded me to enjoy the entire season. Senior year, it was my last of everything – my last regional, my last states, my last all-states – as a Marshwood Hawk. So there was always something to keep me going, and when New Englands came around I was ready to go.”

Beaulieu tops a senior class that included four other 200-win wrestlers, including New England 106-pound champion Cody Craig of Skowhegan and New England 170-pound runner-up Robert Hetherman of Mt. Ararat.

Beaulieu, who trains year-round, will wrestle for Old Dominion University.

Rix said it wasn’t unusual for Beaulieu to go straight from a Marshwood practice to Smitty’s Wrestling Barn, 37 miles away in Kingston, New Hampshire, to get in an extra workout.

“I’m not sure what keeps him going. I think he just loves the sport, the competition, the scrambles,” Rix said. “He doesn’t get flustered. He’s very good at not putting himself in a bad position. He’s very aware of where his hips are. He’s got phenomenal hips. He has a good sense of feeling what’s going to happen.”

ALL-STATE TEAM

Cody Craig, Skowhegan senior, 106: Craig, a four-time All-State choice, capped his brilliant career with a 63-0 season and a New England championship. A four-time state champion and the first person to win four New England qualifier tournaments, Craig was 221-5 in his career, with all five losses at the New England championships.

Leo Amabile, Massabesic senior, 113: Amabile won his first Class A title and also won the New England qualifier. He finished the season with a 43-2 record, with both losses coming at the New England championships, and was 140-22 in his career.

Alex Fogarty, Oceanside sophomore, 120: In a topsy-turvy weight class, Fogarty won the Class B North regional and the New England qualifier (against Devon Vigue of Winslow, who beat him in the Class B state meet). The 106-pound champ as a freshman, Fogarty went 41-8, including a 2-2 record at the New England championships.

Caleb Austin, Mountain Valley senior, 126: One of the five seniors to cross the 200-win plateau this season, Austin is a repeat All-State pick. He won his second Class B title and the New England qualifier before going 2-2 at the New England championships. Austin was 50-3 this season and 207-11 in his career.

Samson Sirois, Skowhegan junior, 132: Sirois did not lose to a Maine wrestler in a 48-4 season and beat four-time state champ Danny Buteau of Oak Hill 6-5, at the New England qualifier. The Class A champ placed fourth at the New England championships and is 148-9 in his career.

Bradley Beaulieu, Marshwood senior, 138: A four-time state champion and three-time All-State selection, Beaulieu went 53-0 and won the New England championship. He was instrumental in leading Marshwood to the Class A title. Beaulieu, who will compete at Old Dominion University, posted a career record of 243-14.

Austin Shorey, Noble senior, 145: A three-time All-State choice, Shorey moved up from 120 pounds and won his second Class A title before placing sixth at the New England championships. Shorey went 61-7 this season and finished with a career mark of 225-31.

Peyton Cole, Ellsworth junior, 152: Cole, a three-time All-State pick, won his third state title and his second New England qualifier, then placed fourth at the New Englands. He finished 46-2 this season and is 117-16 in his career.

Sam Anderson, Sanford junior, 160: After wrestling at 182 as a sophomore, Anderson was a force this winter, winning outstanding wrestler honors at the Noble Invitational, and then taking the Class A and New England qualifier titles in a 41-5 season. He has a career mark of 112-38.

Robert Hetherman, Mt. Ararat/Brunswick senior, 170: Hetherman got his 200th career win in the Class A final, then beat Trent Goodman of Ellsworth in the New England qualifier before finishing second at the New England championships. He went 54-1 this season and was 206-18 with 126 pins in his career.

Ryan Fredette, Winslow junior, 182: After an unbeaten season in Maine that included Class B and New England qualifier titles, Fredette was one of the four Mainers to reach the final at the New England championships. His loss in the final left him with a 50-1 record.

Nolan Potter, Wells junior, 195: The Class B and New England qualifier champion was another who did not lose in Maine with a 50-2 record this season, including a 2-2 mark at the New England championships. He is 116-33 in his career.

Matthew Carroll, Massabesic senior, 220: Carroll won the Class A title and New England qualifier, and went 40-4 to finish his career with a 110-17 record.

David Gross, Bucksport freshman, 285: Gross backed up his Class B championship by beating Class A winner Zebulon Leavitt of Cheverus in the New England qualifier final. Gross went 39-4 this season.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Matt Rix, Marshwood: The Hawks won their fifth Class A title in six years because Rix developed quality wrestlers across all weight classes. Marshwood returned only three wrestlers who placed in the top four at the 2016 Class A state meet. This season the Hawks had 11 top-four finishers and won the title by more than 100 points.

Steve Craig can be reached at 791-6413 or:

scraig@pressherald.com

Twitter: SteveCCraig

Sam Rusak remembers in seventh grade when his track and field coach showed him the top decathlon age-group results in the country, and Rusak saw that his own results weren’t far behind.

Since then, Rusak has been methodically learning and improving in each of the decathlon’s 10 events. Judging from his results, all his hard work is paying off.

Rusak, now a Scarborough High senior, capped another outstanding indoor season by finishing fourth in the pentathlon at the New Balance national championships. That followed his stellar performance at the Class A state meet, where Rusak won all three of his events for the second straight year, including a state-record mark of 16 feet, 3 inches in the pole vault.

And for the second year in a row, Rusak is the Maine Sunday Telegram’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.

Over the last 13 months, Rusak is 10 for 10 at state championship meets across a wide range of events – winning six indoor and four outdoor titles. And he’s demonstrated his all-around proficiency by earning All-America honors in the decathlon (placing fourth at nationals last June) and pentathlon.

Rusak proudly says he’s learned all the decathlon events without the help of a personal trainer or coach, relying instead of the guidance of his high school coaches. He estimates that he works out for about four hours most days.

“During the season, I focus on the events I’ll compete in for the team,” Rusak said. “It doesn’t mean I don’t work on my other events, but I focus on the ones the team needs. Then, after states, I start training for my (other) events. That’s when I worked on the 1,000 (meters).”

In addition to his pole vault victory at the state meet, Rusak successfully defended his titles in the 200 (22.99) and high jump (6-0). He won those same events outdoors last June, along with the 110 hurdles.

At the indoor nationals, Rusak got off to a slow start, finishing 11th out of 14 competitors in the 60 hurdles (8.95). He improved in the long jump, finishing eighth with a personal-best mark of 20-61/4.

“He came up pretty clutch with a big PR that got him back on track. That was his first jump over 20 feet,” said Scarborough Coach Derek Veilleux.

Then Rusak surprised even himself in the shot put with a personal-best throw of 44-31/4, good enough for second place.

After taking fifth in the high jump (5-111/2), Rusak was fourth overall going into the 1,000 and knew he needed to stay within 1.5 seconds of Pittsburgh’s Noah Swaby to keep his overall position. Swaby, the top seed in the 1,000, won the final event, but Rusak finished right behind him in 2:43.27, for an overall total of 3,576 points.

Rusak, who will attend the University of Connecticut on a track scholarship, said all the work has been fun, and that’s the secret to his success.

“I remember when I jumped my height in the high jump as a sophomore. I always thought it would be cool to jump over your height,” said Rusak, who is 6-1. “Then when I jumped 6-3 and 6-5, my dad got a photo of me standing under the bar looking up at it.”

ALL-STATE TEAM

Ben Batoosingh, Scarborough senior: Won the 400 (52.44) and placed third in the 200 (23.29) at the Class A state meet. Also ran a leg on their winning 800 relay (1:33.81).

Tanner Burton, Messalonskee junior: Won the 55-meter hurdles at the Class A state meet (7.73) and finished third (7.76) at New Englands.

Paul Casavant, Hampden Academy senior: Won the 2-mile by 27 seconds at the Class A meet in a state-leading time of 9:28.24.

Jarett Flaker, Scarborough freshman: Placed first in the 55 (6.68) and second in the 200 (22.99) in Class A. Ran a state-leading time of 6.61 in the 55 earlier in the season.

Zachariah Hoyle, Messalonskee junior: Won the 800 at the Class A meet in a state-leading time of 1:56.74.

Jason Montano, Thornton Academy sophomore: Took second at the Class A meet in the shot put (51-10) and finished fourth at New Englands (50-91/2).

Luke Laverdiere, Yarmouth junior: Won the mile (4:24.35) and 2-mile (9:49.73) at the Class B state meet, and finished fifth in the mile at New Englands (4:19.04).

Austin Lufkin, Brewer senior: Won the Class A shot put with a state-record throw of 61-2, and also won the event at New Englands (61-91/2).

Michaiah Robinson, Washington Academy senior: Won the 200 (22.83) and 400 (50.83) at the Class B meet, recording state-leading times in both events.

Sam Rusak, Scarborough senior: Set a state record of 16-3 in the pole vault and also won the 200 (22.99) and high jump (6-0) in Class A.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Derek Veilleux, Scarborough: Led the Red Storm to their seventh state title in nine years as Scarborough piled up 102.25 points – more than twice as many as runner-up Westbrook.

Deirdre Fleming can be reached at 791-6452 or:

dfleming@pressherald.com

Twitter: FlemingPph

Tia Tardy has competed for three schools as one of the state’s top distance runners – Mattanawcook Academy as a freshman and sophomore, Orono as a junior, and Mt. Desert Island as a senior.

Throughout her journey, Tardy has maintained her focus and hasn’t stopped improving.

Tardy added two more individual titles at the Class B indoor track championships – giving her seven indoor titles overall – and took second in another event to score 28 of her team’s 53 points, leading the Trojans to a second-place finish. She went on to place second in the mile at the New England championships, with one of the fastest times in Maine schoolgirl history.

Now a four-time member of the Maine Sunday Telegram All-State team for indoor track, Tardy is our choice as Girls’ Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.

Tardy was busy as usual at the Class B state meet, running all three distance events. She won the mile in 5 minutes, 4.95 seconds – nine seconds faster than her closest challenger – and also placed first in the 800 (2:18.58) for the third year in a row. In the 2-mile, she was second (11:43.69), behind Yarmouth’s Abby Hamilton.

Two weeks later, Tardy placed second in the mile at the New England championships in 4:57.18 – a time that qualified her for the emerging-elite division at the New Balance Indoor Nationals. She won that event on March 10 with a time of 4:58.83.

Tardy is one of only three Maine high school girls to break five minutes in the mile, according to Scarborough Coach Derek Veilleux, the Maine editor of Milesplit.com.

And Tardy has done so three times, with a personal best of 4:55.23 last year.

According to MDI Coach Brad Witham, Tardy was focused on winning the mile at New Englands rather than trying to break five minutes.

“She ran incredibly fast and incredibly tactical,” Witham said. “It went out a little slow. She went to the front with a surge. That’s what I love to see, especially for a distance runner. She’s not just running to win, but running for the challenge, elbow to elbow and tactical. She had two final amazing races.”

At nationals, Tardy ran for the win again. While her victory in the emerging elite race didn’t earn her All-American status (which is reserved for the championship race), Witham said she dominated the race.

No matter how many events she was running at a meet or where she was in the pack, Tardy never lost focus, according to her coach. And she has fit in well at her latest school.

“She identified well with everyone and really was receptive to being a part of it all here at MDI,” Witham said. “She’s a great supporter of Maine and a great ambassador of the distance runners here.”

ALL-STATE TEAM

Nyagoa Bayak, Westbrook sophomore: Won the high jump (5-6) and triple jump (37-03/4) at the Class A state meet, and finished fifth at New Englands in the high jump (5-3).

Olivia Damboise, Old Town junior: Won the Class B triple jump (35-01/4) and pole vault (9-9) and finished second in the long jump (16-71/2).

Emma Gallant, Cheverus freshman: Took first at the Class A state meet in the 200 (26.48) and 400 (58.86) – both in state-leading times – and was third in the 55 (7.48).

Abby Hamilton, Yarmouth senior: Won the 2-mile at the Class B state meet by 22 seconds (11:21.24) and previously ran a state-leading time of 11:11.18.

Emily Labbe, Scarborough freshman: Won the 55 (7.47) and finished second in the 200 (26.98) and 55 hurdles (8.79) at the Class A state meet, scoring 26 points to lift the Red Storm to the title.

Daija Misler, Hampden Academy senior: Won the shot put at the Class A state meet (40-9) and previously threw a state-leading mark of 41-1.

Juliana Selser, South Portland junior: Won the 800 at the Class A meet in a state-record time (2:16.82), and took fourth at New Englands in the 1,000 (2:53.72). Recorded a state-best time for the season in the 800 at the national championships (2:14.30).

Rihan Smallwood, Bangor senior: Successfully defended her Class A title in the pole vault (11-4) and moved up to third on the state’s all-time list.

Tia Tardy, Mt. Desert Island senior: Won the Class B mile (5:04.95) and 800 (2:18.58) and finished second in the 2-mile (11:43.69). Placed second in the mile at New Englands (4:57.18).

Emma White, Cheverus sophomore: Finished second at the Class A state meet in the long jump (17-21/4) and triple jump (36-51/2) and was third in the long jump at New Englands (18-0).

COACH OF THE YEAR

John Folan, Greely: Led his team to its first Class B state title since 2008, even though the Rangers didn’t produce an individual champion.

Deirdre Fleming can be reached at 791-6452 or:

dfleming@pressherald.com

Twitter: FlemingPph

Before his last high school practice as a junior, Shane Moore took a long, hard look at the Cheverus High record board. He picked out a few marks he thought might be within reach – no matter that one of them had stood for a quarter century and another was set by a future Olympic gold medalist.

Throughout his summer and fall training, “those records were always my goals,” Moore said.

And so, when his senior season finally began in early December, Moore wasted no time. On opening night, he took down three of those records.

He swam the 50-yard freestyle in 21.16 seconds. He won the 100 breast stroke in 58.15. On the opening leg of the 400 free relay, he turned in a time of 47.11.

The guys who held the previous marks: Trebor Lawton, Brian Agro and Ian Crocker.

Moore never let up. He led Cheverus to a fifth straight Class A state championship, was named performer of the meet, and set Southwesterns records in the 200 individual medley and 100 breast stroke. He ranked first in the state in four individual events and was among the top 10 in the other four.

He is our choice as Maine Sunday Telegram Boys’ Swimmer of the Year.

“As good as he is in the water,” Cheverus Coach Kevin Haley said, “he’s a better human being. He is that kid who is extremely humble and kind. With any kind of praise, he always deflects it onto his team, on his mom and dad, on the coaching staff. It was everybody else but him.”

In that Southwestern meet, Moore lowered the breast stroke record, set by Deering’s Eric Delmonte three years earlier, to 58.68 and the IM record, set by Scarborough’s Jerry Gravel in 2013, to 1:56.31. He also broke the IM school record of 1:56.47 set by Robert Ley in 1991.

“Bringing all those guys down in one year, that’s an amazing feat,” Haley said. “We’re not going to see a kid like this in a while.”

Moore, who lives in Biddeford, started out as a basketball player. At age 9, he gave swimming a try with the Manta Ray Swim Team at the Biddeford YMCA. He stayed with them through junior high and, after his freshman year in high school, joined the Portland Porpoises.

He also dabbled in lacrosse and soccer, “but not for very long,” he said. “That was all before I started to focus on swimming and started to practice twice a day,” as a high school sophomore.

Cheverus won the Class A title by a whisker his freshman year and rather handily when he was a sophomore and junior. This winter, Moore was the only Cheverus swimmer to place among the top four in an individual race, but the Stags came up with enough depth to hold off Bangor and Brunswick.

“I don’t want to say it was unexpected, but last year we were a little more confident we were going to come away with it. The freshmen really pulled through,” said Moore, whose time of 21.28 in the 50 free broke the meet record set by Brunswick’s Nate Samson, the 2015 and 2016 Swimmer of the Year.

Moore was accepted early decision to Bates College and plans to continue his swimming career in Lewiston. He lauds Haley and Porpoise Coach Matt Baxter for his progress.

“They’ve both been instrumental in my success as an athlete,” Moore said. “Without those two guys, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you.”

ALL-STATE TEAM

Tucker Banger, Morse senior: Banger won the Class B 50-yard freestyle in 21.84 seconds and placed fourth in the 100 free. He also anchored the 200 medley and 200 free relays to help the Shipbuilders place third overall.

Nick Gould, Old Town senior: Gould won the 100 backstroke (53.07) and 100 butterfly (52.85) to lead Old Town to the Class B state title. His winning times were the fastest in the state for each event, regardless of class.

Nathaniel Hayward, Wells senior: Hayward won the Class B diving title for the second year in a row, and his score of 355.50 was the highest of either state meet. He plans to continue his career at George Washington University.

Camden Holmes, Ellsworth sophomore: Named performer of the meet in Class B after winning state titles in the 100 free (48.27) and 200 free (1:49.76), Holmes also swam on two relays.

Shane Moore, Cheverus senior: Moore set a Class A meet record in the 50 free (21.28) and won his second straight 100 free title (46.64). He also swam on the winning 200 free relay as the Stags extended their championship streak to five years.

Connor Perron, Falmouth senior: Perron won the Class A 500 freestyle in 4:46.94 (the fastest time in the state by more than nine seconds) and the 200 free in 1:47.05. He plans to swim for Providence College.

Carson Prouty, Bangor freshman: The Class A champion in the 100 backstroke, his time of 53.11 was the second-fastest in the state this winter. He was also runner-up in the 200 free (1:47.70).

Colby Prouty, Bangor junior: Prouty defended his Class A titles in the 100 breast stroke (57.74) and 200 individual medley (1:58.42), and swam on the winning 200 medley relay and runner-up 400 free relay.

Eli Steward, Thornton Academy junior: Steward won the Class A 100 butterfly (53.65) with the state’s second-best time, and also placed second in the 500 free and anchored the runner-up 200 free relay and the winning 400 free relay.

Liam Sullivan, Mt. Desert Island sophomore: Sullivan broke a 26-year-old meet record in the Class B 100 breast stroke, with a time of 58.47, to win for the second year in a row. He also defended his 200 individual medley title (1:57.41) and led off the winning 400 free relay.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Dave Ploch, Old Town: The Coyotes ended a 14-year title drought by holding off defending champ Ellsworth and Morse to win the Class B state championship and cap an unbeaten season, the school’s first since 1997. Ploch, in his 24th season, attributed the title to “a lot of seniors and excellent, hard-working kids.” Old Town lost a senior swimmer, Aaron Ricker, to cancer in late January after a seven-year battle. In his honor, the Coyotes wore AR on the sleeves of their dark green T-shirts while poolside at the state meet.

Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or:

Gjordan@pressherald.com

Twitter: GlennJordanPPH

She made college visits made to Princeton, Yale and the University of Virginia, so it’s clear Caitlin Tycz is serious about her academics, as well as her swimming.

But as fine as those institutions are, Tycz’s mind drifted to another university that has stellar academics and a historic outdoor pool.

“USC has been a dream school for me since I can remember,” said Tycz, a Brunswick High senior who will enroll at the University of Southern California on a swimming scholarship.

The Trojans’ outdoor pool was the site of the 1984 Summer Olympics. And it’s a pool where Tycz has practiced her strokes.

“I went to swim camps there my freshman and sophomore years,” Tycz said. “I enjoyed all those other schools, and I wasn’t sure (going to USC) was going to happen. It’s so competitive.”

The Trojans are perennially one of the top teams in the country and draw swimmers not only from across the country, but also from other countries. This year’s roster had no swimmers from the northeast, but USC will get a Mainer – the best this state has to offer. For the second straight year, Tycz is the Maine Sunday Telegram Girls’ Swimmer of the Year.

At the Class A state meet at Bowdoin College, Tycz won the 200-yard freestyle in a state-record time of 1:50.35. Her winning time of 53.67 in the 100 butterfly was a pool record, and just shy of her own state record of 53.32. Tycz also took part in the winning 200 free relay. She was named performer of the meet, just as she was in 2016.

Her butterfly time qualified Tycz for All-America status for the fourth straight year.

“She’s the first female swimmer in Maine to do that,” said Brunswick Coach Dave Bright, who has been researching the subject.

Bright said Tycz is also under consideration for All-America in the 100 and 200 freestyle.

Of the eight individual swimming events, Tycz had the state’s best time this year in four of them and was second best in three others. Along with the butterfly and the 200 free, she posted the best times in the 200 individual medley (2:05.29) and 100 free (51.27).

She had second-best times in the 50 free (24.09), 500 free (5:02.05) and 100 backstroke (57.18).

Tycz had a new responsibility this season as a senior captain of a young team.

“Last year, we had a really strong team, but we lost a lot of seniors,” said Tycz, whose team won back-to-back state titles in 2015-16. “We had to rebuild. At states, everyone swam well, but Cony swam tremendous.”

Brunswick placed second to Cony, as Tycz collected the runners-up trophy.

“She took her role as team captain very seriously,” Bright said. “She spent time helping out the newer kids, as well as getting her own work in. She was great.”

And she’s not bad in the classroom, maintaining a 4.0 GPA and finishing sixth in her class.

At USC, she will major in chemistry.

ALL-STATE TEAM

Lydia DaCorte, Mt. Desert Island senior: A previous 500 free and 100 butterfly champion in Class B, DaCorte added the 200 individual medley title (2:08.67) to her collection. She placed second in the butterfly (57.89). DaCorte will swim for Wheaton College.

Emily Ecker, Cape Elizabeth freshman: Ecker broke the 500 free state record (4:56.15), also won the 200 free (1:52.15) and was part of a record-setting 400 free relay (3:32.67), helping the Capers win the Class B title.

Cecilia Guadalupi, Cony freshman: The only individual double winner for the Class A champions, Guadalupi took first in the 200 individual relay (2:11.87) and 100 breast stroke (1:08.68) and also swam on the winning medley and 400 free relays.

Olivia Harper, Morse freshman: Harper emerged with a state record in the 100 backstroke (56.25) and a fourth-place finish in the 100 butterfly (59.84), and helped the 200 free relay team set a state record (1:37.62).

Abby Longstaff, Cheverus senior: Longstaff defended her Class A titles in the 50 free (24.47) and 100 backstroke (58.02), leading the Stags to a third-place finish. She will swim for American University.

Ana Neff-Jendrasko, Maine Girls’ Academy senior: She won the Class B 100 breast stroke (1:08.02) and placed second in the 200 individual medley (2:09.01). Neff-Jendrasko will swim for Florida Atlantic University.

Emma Patterson, Kennebunk junior: Patterson defended her Class B diving championship with a total of 344.55 points, giving her a seven-point margin.

Olivia Tighe, Cape Elizabeth sophomore: The Class B performer of the meet, she won back-to-back events – the butterfly (57.30) and 100 free (51.76) – and also helped set state records in the medley and 400 free relays.

Ann Tolan, Morse senior: Tolan led the Shipbuilders to second place in Class B, defending her 50 free title (23.70), taking second in the 100 free (51.90) and anchoring the record-setting 200 free relay. She will swim for Penn State.

Caitlin Tycz, Brunswick senior: A two-time Class A performer of the meet and Telegram Swimmer of the Year, Tycz set the 200 free record (1:50.35), won the 100 fly (53.67) and swam on the winning 200 free relay. She will swim for the University of Southern California.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jon Millett, Cony: A former swimmer at Cony and Cheverus and the University of Maine, Millett has directed the Rams’ program since 1996. He molded a talented group, as the Rams finished first or second in every swimming event in Class A and won their first state championship.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: KevinThomasPPH