Waynflete Flyers Spring Athletes of the Year

LIAM ANDERSON, Senior – Lacrosse

File photos

• All-American
* WMC Class C all-star, first-team
* Captain

Courtesy Waynflete School

Highlighting a team full of veteran stars, Anderson played at a premier level, leading the Flyers to another state championship and earning the state’s highest honor in the process.

Anderson, who won three state titles in the fall in soccer, missed out on his freshman lacrosse season due to the pandemic, but made a mark as a defensive standout as a sophomore, then inherited a captain’s role as a junior, when he was named to the All-Conference team.

This spring, Anderson excelled all over the field, forcing 46 turnovers and scooping up 64 ground balls on defense, while scoring 15 goals and adding 14 assists on offense.

Anderson and his teammates won a third straight title and he’s not done. He’ll play lacrosse next year at Davidson College in North Carolina.

Coach Andrew Leach’s comment: “Liam’s an amazing young man, incredible leader and talented player. All the other impressive stats aside, Liam started every game for us since his sophomore season. He’s the definition of consistency. He set the model as an impact player, as a vocal leader and a leader who walked the talk on and off the field. He was always incredibly kind to his younger teammates, always had the backs of his guys on the field and never tried to humiliate his opponents. A true ambassador of this game and this program. We are forever grateful for his work to make us all better.”

Previous winners:

• 2022 Payton Mitchell (baseball)
* 2021 Ben Adey (lacrosse/tennis)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Thorne Kieffer (tennis)
• 2018 Hank Duvall (lacrosse)
• 2017 Brandon Ameglio (tennis)
• 2016 Will Nelligan (lacrosse)
• 2015 Isaac Salas (tennis)
• 2014 Isaac Salas (tennis)
• 2013 Andrew Butler (baseball)
• 2012 Chris Burke (lacrosse)
• 2011 Charlie Laprade (baseball)
• 2010 Brandon Thompson (tennis)
• 2009 Brandon Thompson (tennis)
• 2008 Brandon Thompson (tennis)
• 2007 David Cutler (lacrosse)
• 2006 Ben Whipple (tennis)
• 2005 Reid McMullan (lacrosse)
• 2004 Matt Lacasse (track)

TILSLEY KELLY, Junior – Lacrosse

• WMC all-star

Courtesy Waynflete School

Some players just have a scorer’s mentality and Kelly is unquestionably one of them. She emerged this year as a prolific threat and helped the Flyers overcome a slow start and become one of the best teams in Class C.

Kelly, who also takes part in Nordic skiing, played a key supporting role in Waynflete’s unforgettable title run her freshman season, scoring what proved to be the decisive goal in the state final. As a sophomore, Kelly made the all-star team. This spring, she was the player that opposing defenses tried to slow, but were generally unable to do so.

Kelly scored a mind-boggling 73 goals and added 21 assists, meaning she produced 94 points in 16 games. She also excelled in the draw circle, winning 52 times.

With Waynflete trailing defending state champion North Yarmouth Academy by two goals late in the Class C state quarterfinals, Kelly scored twice to force overtime. She even had a look to play the ultimate hero early in the second overtime, but had her shot saved and the Panthers ended the Flyers’ campaign in agonizing fashion.

That was quickly forgotten, however, as Kelly has one more season to set the tone with the ball on her stick. For Kelly and her teammates, the sky’s the limit.

Coach Cathie Connors’ comment: “Tilsley’s stick skills are amazing. The angles that she scores from are unbelievable. She had so many amazing plays, draw controls and goals this season. No one on our team will forget the two goals she scored within 13 seconds to tie the game up during the quarterfinals against NYA and that she scored six out of our 10 goals. She won countless draws that were game changing in so many big games. She is a phenomenal and exciting player to watch and best of all, she is an overall wonderful, humble, incredibly sweet human being. I am so proud of her. It is a pleasure to be her coach.”

Previous winners:

• 2022 Lucy Hart (tennis)
* 2021 Jesse Connors (lacrosse)
• 2020 No season
• 2019 Emi Boedeker (lacrosse)
• 2018 Izzy Burdick (lacrosse)
• 2017 Abby Pipkin (track)
• 2016 Nina Moore (lacrosse)
• 2015 Helen Gray-Bauer (lacrosse)
• 2014 Emily White (tennis)
• 2013 Sadie Cole (lacrosse)
• 2012 Martha Veroneau (lacrosse)
• 2011 Scout Haffenreffer (lacrosse)
• 2010 Morgan Woodhouse (lacrosse)
• 2009 Christine Ordway (tennis)
• 2008 Laura Armstrong (lacrosse)
• 2007 Christine Ordway (tennis)
• 2006 Christine Ordway (tennis)
• 2005 Gretchen Koch (lacrosse)
• 2004 Lily Hoffman (lacrosse)