MALE:

ALEX MILLONES, Senior-Soccer

• Class A South, regional all-star

• SMAA all-star, first-team

• SMAA All-Academic team

• Senior All-Star

• Captain

Millones had a penchant for putting the ball in the right place at the most optimal time, but he was much more than just a skilled player for the Bulldogs. His leadership helped pave the way for another triumphant campaign.

Millones started playing soccer at a young age, joined the Seacoast travel team in middle school and says that soccer has always been his favorite sport.

“I love the sense of playing on a team and working hard for and with my teammates,” said Millones. “Individually, it’s a challenge to get better all the time.”

Millones became a starter in the midfield his freshman year at Portland. By his junior season, he was a captain and a second-team league all-star. This fall, again as a captain, he emerged as a special talent, who saved his best for the biggest games, being a factor all over the field and serving up deadly free kicks.

Millones scored five goals and had seven assists. Highlights included a goal and an assist in a win over Biddeford, a goal and two assists in a victory over Sanford, a goal in a tie versus Marshwood and the lone goal in a regular season-ending victory over eventual Class A champion Falmouth.

In the quarterfinals, Millones scored a goal to help Portland defeated South Portland. He added an assist in the semifinals, but the Bulldogs lost by a goal at Gorham.

“We got better and better,” said Millones. “We played really well at the end. It was a big growth year for me. I was the only senior captain and people looked up to me. My responsibility was to bring the team together.”

Longtime Bulldogs’ coach Rocco Frenzilli said that Millones did that very thing.

“Alex did an excellent job of keeping all our team pieces together and he led through hard work and perseverance,” Frenzilli said. “Players trusted him and responded positively to his direction.  His calm and controlled demeanor manifested itself throughout the year.”

Millones also runs track, belongs to Portland High’s Latin and Spanish clubs and writes for the school newspaper. He plans to attend Haverford College in Pennsylvania next fall, where he’ll continue to play soccer.

Alex Millones, Portland’s Fall Male Athlete of the Year, exemplified the student-athlete ideal and his contributions to one of the state’s most successful programs will long be hailed.

Coach Rocco Frenzilli’s comment: “Alex’s on-field presence speaks volumes to his soccer IQ, but more importantly to his contagious energy on and off the field to be a leader, motivator and decision maker, putting team interests first. With strong character, he epitomizes the student-athlete who represents school, team and self with pure class. He’s incredible. He was gutsy and stayed composed.”

Prior winners:

2018 Zack Elowitch (football)

2017 Quinn Clarke (soccer/football)

2016 Dylan Bolduc (football)

2015 Joe Esposito (football)

2014 Jeremiah Copeland (football)

2013 Justin Zukowski (football)

2012 Tate Gale (football)

2011 Tim Rovnak (soccer)

2010 Fazal Nabi (soccer)

2009 Fazal Nabi (soccer)

2008 Fazal Nabi (soccer)

2007 Matt Methot (cross country)

2006 Chris Treister (football)

2005 Josh Wang (cross country)

2004 Ayalew Taye (cross country)

FEMALE:

LUCY MEDD, Senior-Cross country

•  SMAA All-Academic team

• Captain

Medd led Portland’s girls’ cross country team to its best season in years, not just as a runner, but more importantly, as a veteran presence on a team laden with talented freshmen.

Medd’s fall sport was soccer for many years, but as a junior, she came over to cross country and enjoyed it right away.

“I love the running community,” Medd said. “Everyone’s very down to Earth. I love to work hard and see results.”

As a junior, Medd was 41st at the regional meet, as for the seventh year in a row, the Bulldogs failed to qualify for states.

Everything changed this fall, however, as Portland welcomed freshmen Taylor Austerer, Annabelle Brooks, Tenley Flint and Greta Holmes, who showed up and stole the show, turning the Bulldogs into a competitor.

Medd was right there with them on the course and behind the scenes, she made a huge impact on the newcomers.

“We were like a family,” Medd said. “The new girls were so fast and helped the team a lot. As a captain and a senior, I helped them acclimate to high school.”

“Lucy was instrumental in working with younger runners on pacing and foot speed and before every meet, she huddled up with the team and gave inspirational speeches to pump everyone up for their race,” said Portland coach Sophia Payson-Rand.

At regionals, where Portland finished fifth to qualify for states for the first time since 2011, Medd was 37th with a time of 22 minutes, 25.67 seconds. At the state meet, where the Bulldogs came in 10th, Medd was 55th (22:26.78).

“The season was awesome,” Medd said. “It was very exciting to make it to states.”

Medd, who was part of a Nordic skiing state champion last fall, is gearing up to impress on the trails and she also competes in outdoor track. She’s a peer tutor, a member of Portland High’s Environmental club and student council and writes for the school newspaper.

Her contributions on and off the cross country trails won’t soon be forgotten. Lucy Medd, Portland’s Fall Female Athlete of the Year, led her team, in every sense of the word, to a memorable campaign.

Coach Sophia Payson-Rand’s comment: “As a captain, Lucy got the team together over the summer by organizing captain runs. She was a top scorer for us in all of our regular season meets and then had one of her best times at regionals to help get us to states. She was an awesome teammate who will be greatly missed next season.”

Prior winners:

2018 Grace Stacey (soccer)

2017 Sophia Silva (volleyball)

2016 Taylor Crosby (soccer)

2015 Chessa Hoekstra (soccer)

2014 Madison Bolduc (soccer)

2013 Emma Stehli (soccer)

2012 Leanne Reichert (field hockey)

2011 Raechel Allen (field hockey)

2010 Effie Drew (field hockey)

2009 Sophia Nappi (soccer)

2008 Casey Monaghan (soccer)

2007 Nicole Place (soccer)

2006 Cilla Knox (soccer)

2005 Molly Radis (soccer)

2004 Brianna Shepard (field hockey)

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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