The Yarmouth High girls’ soccer program has seen its share of recent coaching changes, but it has enjoyed one important source of consistency in Sara D’Appolonia.
A four-year starter, D’Appolonia helped lead the Clippers (18-0) to back-to-back Class B titles the past two seasons.
She dominated the midfield until her senior year, when she was moved up to striker under a new coach, Chris Coleman.
From there, D’Appolonia scored a school-record 33 goals – bringing her career total to 63 – and contributed 25 assists.
“She’s an all-around player with a desire to win and achieve things in any position that she plays,” Coleman said. “She has certainly proved that she is one of the best players in New England.”
This year, D’Appolonia became the first Yarmouth girls’ soccer player to be named an All-American. She was named the Class B Player of the Year by the Maine Soccer Coaches Association in addition to being an All-New England, All-South and All-Western Maine Conference selection.
Now she can add one more accolade: D’Appolonia is the Maine Sunday Telegram Player of the Year in girls’ soccer.
“I’ve had three different coaches my whole high school career and I think it just stands out how adaptive us girls are at Yarmouth,” D’Appolonia said. “We couldn’t have done it without each other because we’re all super supportive and we all have a passion for the game.”
After D’Appolonia’s sophomore season, Rich Smith ended his 28-year coaching stretch with Yarmouth. This year, Coleman took over the program from Josh Thornton, who coached them to their first state title in 13 years during his only season with the team in 2016. D’Appolonia scored the tiebreaker in Yarmouth’s 3-1 victory over Waterville in the Class B final.
“She’ll do whatever you ask her to do and – as a captain and as a leader – that’s what you need to do,” Coleman said. “The whole senior class was extremely open to new ideas, new strategies and new player goals.”
Coleman said D’Appolonia’s adaptability was on display in Yarmouth’s regional semifinal game against York, when he moved her back to midfield after a scoreless first half. She scored the tie-breaking goal and assisted on the other in the 2-0 win that kept the Clippers’ season alive.
“I asked her to drop back to the midfield and add a little pressure, and desire to win the ball,” Coleman said. “She really powered the team to reach the final.”
D’Appolonia factored into 58 of Yarmouth’s 93 goals. Her dynamic presence was apparent all season, such as in the 12-1 win over Fryeburg Academy on Sept. 7 in which D’Appolonia notched seven goals, or in the 1-0 victory over Cape Elizabeth on Oct. 14, when D’Appolonia scored the only goal in Yarmouth’s closest matchup of the regular season, preserving its undefeated record.
D’Appolonia notched her final goal in the state championship game against Presque Isle. Yarmouth won 9-0 to become the first team in Maine – boys or girls – with more than seven goals in a soccer state final.
“People just put the team before themselves,” D’Appolonia said of her teammates. “We had to have people play positions that they weren’t used to playing this year, and that’s because we wanted to win our second state title.”
D’Appolonia decided to play Division I soccer at Delaware. She will graduate early from Yarmouth in January, then begin training and taking classes at Delaware this spring.
“I visited, saw the team play and just fell in love with it and the campus. I knew it was the place for me,” D’Appolonia said. “I’m excited, a little nervous. I don’t have a huge transition period but I know all the girls and the coaches at Delaware. I’m going to be part of a really great family.”
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM ALL-STATE GIRLS’ SOCCER TEAM
Alex Allain, Hermon senior midfielder: The Penobscot Valley Conference Player of the Year had 25 goals and 14 assists, including two goals in a 2-0 win over MCI in the Class B North semifinals. Allain finished with 105 career goals and 52 assists, and earned All-Region and Maine Soccer Coaches Association All-North honors.
Maeve Arthur, Brunswick senior forward: The KVAC Player of the Year scored 14 goals and had nine assists for the Dragons, and notched a hat trick in a 6-0 win over Lewiston in the Class A North quarterfinals. A natural goal-scorer, Arthur was recognized as a Maine Soccer Coaches Association All-North and first-team All-Conference selection.
Kolleen Bouchard, Houlton senior midfielder: The Class C Player of the Year for both the Maine Soccer Coaches Association and Penobscot Valley Conference recorded 37 goals and nine assists – including the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Madison in the state final. Bouchard is the only player not in Class A or B to receive All-Region honors, and she was also selected to the MSCA All-North and All-Conference teams.
Sara D’Appolonia, Yarmouth senior forward: The Maine Sunday Telegram Player of the Year scored a school-record 33 goals and had 25 assists for the Class B state champions. D’Appolonia became the first Yarmouth girl to win All-America honors. She was also an All-Region, All-South first-team All-WMC selection.
Emma Forgues, Gorham junior midfielder: The Maine Soccer Coaches Association All-South and first-team All-SMAA selection had 14 goals and five assists, pairing nicely with junior forward Hallie Shiers for a dangerous offensive duo. Forgues and Shiers combined to score more than half of Gorham’s 48 goals.
Michaela Jordan, Cheverus senior defender: The SMAA Defensive Player of the Year led a defense that surrendered only 0.53 goals per game, earning her Maine Soccer Coaches Association All-South and first-team All-SMAA honors. She had two goals and two assists as a center back for the Stags, who lost 1-0 to Scarborough in the Class A South semifinals.
Kristina Kelly, Camden Hills sophomore forward: An All-American and All-Region selection, Kelly led the Windjammers to a second straight state title with a team-high 39 goals and 17 assists. She scored in every game and finished her career with 71 goals.
Kassie Krul, Camden Hills junior midfielder: Despite missing four games to injury, Krul had 10 goals and seven assists. The All-Region and Maine Soccer Coaches Association All-North selection scored twice in the state championship game, the second of which gave the Windjammers a 3-0 lead and proved to be crucial in staving off a Scarborough comeback.
Madison Michaud, Presque Isle junior forward: Michaud led the Wildcats to the Class B state final with 34 goals this season for a career total of 86, breaking the school’s season and career records. She boasts speed and an ability to score with both feet, and earned All-Region and first-team All-Penobscot Valley Conference honors.
Molly Murnane, Scarborough junior forward: Murnane was one of the SMAA’s most dangerous players by the end of the season, playing a crucial role in Scarborough’s deep playoff run. She recorded 16 goals and five assists, and scored the winner against Cheverus in the Class A South semifinals before notching a hat trick in a 6-0 win over Kennebunk for the regional title.
Gaby Panagakos, Scarborough senior forward: The SMAA Offensive Player of the Year scored 21 goals and added six assists to lead the Red Storm to the Class A South title. Panagakos is an All-Region pick who earned first team All-Conference honors the last three years. She finished second in career scoring at Scarborough.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Shannon Cavanaugh, Kennebunk: Despite the loss of nine seniors from the previous season, Cavanaugh’s squad finished with the best record in school history while advancing to the regional final for the first time. In their SMAA debut season, the Rams beat defending Class A South champion Gorham and ended the regular season as the No. 2 team in the region.
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