OFFENSE
Noah Carpenter, Leavitt junior quarterback: A powerful dual-threat quarterback, Carpenter was named the 2022 Varsity Maine Player of the Year after leading Leavitt to an 11-0 season and the Class C title. He rushed for 1,174 yards and 22 touchdowns, averaging 10.9 yards per carry, and completed 119 of 190 passes for 2,006 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also was a force at strong safety, making 77 tackles with two interceptions and a forced fumble.
Caden Crocker, Foxcroft Academy senior utility: Crocker was voted the Class D Player of the Year and was a standout for the state champion Ponies. He primarily lined up as a wide receiver and set a school record with 54 catches for 851 yards and 16 touchdowns. On the ground, Crocker gained 127 yards with four touchdowns, and her returned two punts for touchdowns.
Will Gale, Falmouth senior lineman: The 6-foot-3, 305-pounder played offensive and defensive tackle and was a unanimous all-conference pick in Class B North on both sides of the ball. A dominant run and pass blocker who was agile enough to pull and trap block often, Gale also recorded 73 tackles with seven sacks and one interception that he returned for a touchdown.
Nick Laughlin, Cape Elizabeth senior receiver: A returning Varsity Maine All-State pick, Laughlin impacted games in many ways and from many positions. The Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist had 103 carries for 1,087 yards and 17 touchdowns, caught 57 passes for 852 yards and 10 touchdowns, returned two kicks for touchdowns, and was in on 84.5 tackles with 38 solo stops and four interceptions.
Kyle LePage, Skowhegan senior lineman: LePage was a starter on both sides of the ball for the Class B champions. He was the starting left tackle on offense and a disruptive force at defensive end, where he made 79 tackles with 10.5 sacks.
Beau Mayo, Leavitt senior lineman: A physical blocker at guard, Mayo was a team leader for the Hornets. He was rewarded in the state final when the team ran a gadget play designed to lateral him the ball to him, enabling him to score a touchdown. As a run-stuffing linebacker, he made 66 tackles – six for loss, with two sacks – and four forced fumbles.
Brent Paulin, Thornton Academy senior lineman: Voted the co-winner of the Gerry Raymond Award as the outstanding lineman in Class A, Paulin anchored the offensive line as the center for an offense that averaged 335 yards and 31.5 points. He did not allow a sack. As a defensive lineman, he had 27 solo tackles and 15 assists, with six tackles for loss and three sacks.
Teigan Pelletier, Oxford Hills senior receiver: At 6-foot-6, Pelletier was a strong, athletic receiver who could get down field and make big-play catches in traffic. He finished with 49 catches for 979 yards and 11 touchdowns. “Absolutely unstoppable,” is how Sanford Coach Mike Fallon described Pelletier, who also had 54 tackles and four interceptions on defense.
Holden Shaw, Oxford Hills junior lineman: The 6-4, 245-pound junior played offensive tackle and defensive end, impressing on both sides of the ball, and earning first-team Class A honors on offense, where he led the Vikings in pancake blocks. Also a force as a defensive end, he had 11 tackles for loss with four sacks and two pass deflections.
Eli Soehren, Oxford Hills senior quarterback: A returning pick to the Varsity Maine All-State team, Soehren led the Vikings to the school’s first football championship in its 61-year history. The Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist completed 110 of 167 passes (65.9 percent) for 1,776 yards and 24 touchdowns despite missing part of the season because of an injury. He also rushed for 349 yards and six scores, had a 41.0 punting average and made 17.5 tackles with two interceptions.
Hayden Whitney, Thornton Academy senior running back: A first-team Class A selection, Whitney combined the strength to run inside and the speed to break off long touchdown runs as the primary option in Thornton’s offense. He rushed for 1,605 yards and 16 touchdowns on 191 carries. He also had 12 catches for 154 yards and two scores.
DEFENSE
Dayton Calder, Leavitt senior defensive back: Calder was Leavitt’s shutdown cornerback who consistently played his best in the biggest games, making 35 tackles with two interceptions and five deflected passes. He was also was a prime weapon on offense, rushing for 637 yards and nine touchdowns and catching 27 passes for 451 yards and six TDs.
Kennedy Charles, Portland senior defensive back: A defensive back who manned up against opponents’ top threat, the Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist made 68 tackles with one interception. In the fifth game of the season, he moved from wide receiver to quarterback – a position he had never played – and led the Bulldogs to the Class B South title. He rushed for 1,809 yards, had 171 receiving yards and threw for 590 yards, accounting for 25 total touchdowns.
Brett Coburn, Leavitt senior lineman: A top tight end (33 catches, 588 yards, nine TDs), Coburn was a relentless and disruptive force on defense, getting in on 63 tackles as a defensive tackle with 18 tackles for loss, including 12 sacks, making him one of the top two-way performers in the state.
Parker Higgins, Lawrence senior linebacker: One of the top running backs in the state over the past two seasons, Higgins was also dominant at linebacker, where he made 119 tackles in 10 games, with five forced fumbles and an interception. He rushed for 1,874 yards and 24 touchdowns and had 13 catches for 155 yards and another five scores.
Jaelen Jackson, South Portland senior defensive back: The leader of a team that reached the Class B South final, Jackson was in on 101 tackles – 45 of them solo stops – and intercepted three passes. As the Red Riots’ quarterback, he rushed for 1,422 yards and 16 touchdowns and completed 86 of 185 passes for 1,222 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Spencer LaBrecque, Yarmouth senior lineman: The lone eight-man football player selected for the All-State team, the 6-foot-1, 270-pounder had five sacks in the Large School state championship win and finished the year with 68 tackles, seven sacks, four forced fumbles and three blocked punts. A punishing blocker, he led the way for Mike McGonagle’s 2,566 rushing yards while running for 767 yards and 20 touchdowns himself.
Zach Louvat, Oxford Hills senior lineman: The co-Gerry Raymond Award winner as the top lineman in Class A, the two-way lineman registered 41.5 tackles as a defensive end with 14 tackles for loss, six sacks and five pass deflections, and recovered the game-clinching fumble in the state championship game. He has committed to play at Bates College.
Lincoln Merrill, Oxford Hills senior defensive back: One of the best all-around players in the state who is drawing interest from NCAA Football Championship Subdivision schools, the 6-4, 215-pounder could cover in pass defense and run to the ball, making 48 tackles with two interceptions. At tight end, he had 29 catches for 467 yards and seven touchdowns.
Jacob Morris, Kennebunk senior lineman: Kennebunk Coach Joe Rafferty called his 6-4, 240-pound tight end/defensive end “truly one of the best I’ve ever coached and maybe the best at either spot.” On defense, he made 55 tackles despite being double-teamed or opponents running to the other side of the field, with nine quarterback sacks, 18 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles and five pass breakups. A strong blocker, he also had 14 catches for 264 yards and four touchdowns.
Nick Riker, Bonny Eagle senior linebacker: A first-team Class A linebacker for a second straight season, Riker racked up 125 tackles, with a pair of sacks and three fumble recoveries. He was also Bonny Eagle’s left tackle on offense.
Adam Savage, Skowhegan senior defensive back: It’s arguable that no one had a greater postseason impact than Savage. In the Class B state championship game, he was all over the field, making tackles and intercepting a pass to seal Skowhegan’s first title since 1978. As the quarterback, he came back from an early season injury to complete 90 of 134 passes for 1,311 yards and 10 touchdowns. He gained 672 of his 911 rushing yards (10 TDs) in the playoffs.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Mark Soehren, Oxford Hills: The Vikings completed a mission that started in 2012 when Soehren took over the program. A year after losing in the Class A championship game, Oxford Hills returned and won its first football title in the school’s 61-year history. During its 11-0 season, Oxford Hills beat defending Class A champion Thornton Academy twice, and every opponent the Vikings played had a winning record in the regular season.
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