MALE:

ANDREW KLEIN, Senior-Golf

• Class A individual state champion
• Co-captain

Klein rose to the occasion when the stakes were highest, not only leading his team to an elusive championship, but finishing as the individual king of Class A in the process.

Klein made the varsity team as a freshman, was a league all-star as a sophomore (shooting an 82 at states) and as a junior, made the all-conference team, shooting a 79 at the team state match to help Greely finish runner-up, then shooting a 77 to place seventh individually.

This fall, Klein and his teammates eyed the top spot and wouldn’t be denied.

“This fall, and most importantly this summer, I played and practiced with my friends every day, which helped me to prepare for the season and stay competitive whenever I went and played golf,” Klein said.

Klein consistently shot in the high-30s, low-40s during the regular season and he rose to the occasion at states, shooting a five-over-par 77 to win the individual title by two strokes and helping the Rangers win the team championship by 14 strokes.

“I think if I didn’t have competitive matches with my friends, we wouldn’t have all five of our players placing top 10 in the state and I would not have been as competitive to win as an individual, so I think that’s what kept not only me, but also my team, in contention for the state championship this year,” said Klein, who is a product of the Val Halla Junior Golf Program and works at the course during the summer.

Klein is still in the college decision-making process and hopes to continue playing golf, even if it’s at the club level.

Andrew Klein, Greely’s Fall Male Athlete of the Year, won’t soon be forgotten for his role in leading the Rangers to the pinnacle and for proving that when the pressure was on, there was no one better.

Coach Brian Bickford’s comment: “Andrew is a leader and is well respected by his peers. Andrew has a way of being able to think clearly under pressure and typically outperforms his opponents when it matters most. One of his great traits is his sense of humor. A dry, quick wit keeps the team focused and on point. A team can’t replace Andrew, his scores and his leadership. We hope Andrew will play next year as he strives to attend one of the service academies. Wherever Andrew goes, his clubs will be by his side.”

Prior winners:

2019 Aidan Melville (soccer)

2018 Joey Cassella (football)

2017 Quinn Molloy (soccer)

2016 Paul Buchanan (football)

2015 Sam Peck (football)

2014 Aidan Roberts (golf)

2013 Matt Crowley (soccer)

2012 Svenn Jacobsen (football)

2011 Stefan Sandreuter (cross country)

2010 Jon Higgins (football)

2009 Logan Price (cross country)

2008 Steven Chase (soccer)

2007 James LePage (cross country)

2006 Oliver Blum (soccer)

2005 Greg Frost (soccer)

2004 Casey Diehl (cross country)

2003 Will Robinson (golf)

2002 Ben True (cross country)

2001 Ben True (cross country)

FEMALE:

HANNAH PERFETTI, Senior—Field hockey

• WMC All-Academic

Perfetti’s leadership and motivational skills were paramount during a challenging season of transition and she not only helped the Rangers be competitive on the field, but also set the stage for the program’s future success.

Perfetti joined the Greely varsity as a freshman, joining a team that already featured her older sister, Maddy. She was a second-team all-star as a junior and as part of a large and close senior class, helped the Rangers prepare for their delayed season while welcoming a new coach, Burgess LePage.

“We have a strong group of seniors, girls that I have grown up playing with,” Perfetti said. “Ever since middle school, we have been talking about our senior season together, and while the restrictions to our schedule this year were disappointing, we pulled together and made the best of it.”

Greely won its first two games, then was competitive the rest of the way against a schedule that included traditional rivals and some Class A schools as well.

“I think our season was one of our strongest yet,” Perfetti said. “We bonded as a team very, very well.  I think our collective leadership as seniors was very strong and with the help Coach LePage and (assistant coach Don) Legere, a brand new coaching staff, I think we created an atmosphere of friendship and teamwork during a particularly hard time in all of our lives.

“Since we weren’t playing our normal schedule and the idea of a postseason wasn’t really on the table, it gave me a chance to step back and evaluate my position as a teammate. I have spent a lot of my high school career as someone who can be relied on the field as a player and for a long time, I considered that my first and foremost role. This year, obviously, was different. I spent a lot of time talking with the girls about COVID-19 safety, staying hopeful during a dark and stressful time, and what it means to be a strong woman who makes her own way.”

Perfetti plans to play field hockey at Colby College in Waterville next year.

Hannah Perfetti, Greely’s Fall Female Athlete of the Year, stepped into a unique role this season and played it perfectly, helping the Rangers make the most of a challenging time.

Coach Burgess LePage’s comment: “Coming in as my first year as coach, I was nervous about stepping into a new program. As soon as I met Hannah, however, I knew everything was going to be fine. Hannah is a natural leader who takes the role of a captain very seriously. When needed, she will be the ‘bad cop’ and keep the team in line, a quality that was incredibly important during a national pandemic. Hannah spearheaded the team’s efforts to follow every COVID-19 rule and guideline no matter how difficult or unnatural it was. She knew that if we wanted to have a season to bring us closer together, we needed to stay six feet apart. Throughout the season, Hannah would share words of inspiration to her teammates about what it means to be a strong woman in society and in sports. She exemplifies what it means to be a strong woman with her poise, her drive and her tenacity. On the field, Hannah plays with her full heart and demands the best of those around her.”

Prior winners:

2019 Marin Provencher (cross country)

2018 Rachel Smith (golf)

2017 Sydney Meredith-Pickett (field hockey)

2016 Kayley Cimino (volleyball)

2015 Izzy Hutnak (soccer)

2014 Katherine Leggat-Barr (cross country)

2013 Kirstin Sandreuter (cross country)

2012 Haleigh Roach (volleyball)

2011 Maggie Bradley (volleyball)

2010 Kirstin Sandreuter (cross country)

2009 Erin Cadigan (volleyball)

2008 Hillary Cederna (volleyball)

2007 Mackenzie Ross (field hockey)

2006 Aly Robinson (soccer)

2005 Amanda Gray (volleyball)

2004 Rachelle Doucette (soccer)

2003 Hayly Ross (field hockey)

2002 Kim Alexander (soccer)

2001 Amanda Chase (field hockey)

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

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