Last spring, for the eighth year in a row, Waynflete’s boys’ tennis team captured the Class C state championship. Don’t bet against the Flyers winning a ninth.
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BASEBALL
Coach: Paul Grazia (third year, 12-20 overall record)
2015 record: 4-12 (no postseason)
Top returning players: Chris Bergeron (Senior), Ben Mallon (Senior), Thomas Silk (Senior), Josh Lodish (Junior), Peterson Silk (Junior), Nick Hagler (Sophomore), Max Winson (Sophomore)
Pivotal games: April 25 OOB, May 2 TRAIP, May 6 NYA, May 9 NYA, May 16 @ Traip, May 18 OOB, May 25 TRAIP, May 28 @ NYA
Coach’s comments: “I’m very excited about the upcoming season. We have a young team and also have great upperclassmen leadership. Everyone comes to practice and works hard every day and as a result, we’ve seen steady improvement through the preseason. They’re a talented group of student-athletes and are hungry to improve on last season’s record.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete is ready to battle its way back into contention and get back to the postseason after missing the past two years.
The Flyers have a potentially deep and strong pitching staff, led by Thomas Silk, who was a first-team league all-star in 2015 after hitting a robust .545 with three home runs, 18 runs batted in and 15 stolen bases. Peterson Silk and junior Tyler Cutrone will also see a lot of time on the hill. Bergeron, Hagler, Lodish, Mallon and Winson are other key returners. They’re joined by seniors James Bigbee and Cooper Bramble and sophomores Ava Farrar and Nick Jenkins to round out a promising squad.
Waynflete will be in most games thanks to its arms (the Flyers did lose their opener, 27-0, in five innings, to Sacopee Valley). If the bats are consistent, this team will enjoy success. The Flyers play a lot of games against teams they’ll be battling for playoff spots, so those contests take on extra importance. Don’t be surprised if Waynflete makes a leap up the standings this spring and gets back to the postseason, while it will be capable of giving teams fits.
BOYS’ LACROSSE
Coach: Dan Thomsen (fourth year, 25-16 overall record)
2015 record: 10-4 (Lost, 18-3, to Falmouth in Western B semifinals)
Top returning players: Willy Burdick (Senior), Cooper Chap (Senior), Will Lewis (Senior), Reilly Musgrove (Senior), Will Nelligan (Senior), Hank Duvall (Sophomore)
Pivotal games: April 27 YORK, April 30 THORNTON ACADEMY, May 10 @ Freeport, May 17 NYA, May 27 @ York, June 1 FREEPORT
Coach’s comment: “We have a mix of senior experience and underclassmen who are going to have to step up for us to have a great season.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete has only missed the playoffs twice in the past two decades and last season saw the Flyers post their highest win total since 2005, but once again, the program fell short of closing the gap with perennial power Falmouth and now three-time Class B state champion Cape Elizabeth. It’s been a triumphant year for boys’ sports at the school and this team hopes to build on what soccer and basketball accomplished, with many of the same kids.
Chap was a second-team league all-star in 2015. He scored 19 goals, added 19 assists and collected 113 ground balls. He’ll also take draws. Chap is joined by Burdick (9 goals, 15 assists, 51 GBs) to make up the foundation of a formidable midfield. Up top, look for Duvall (12 goals, 12 assists) and Nelligan (9 goals, 7 assists) to elevate their offensive production this spring. Freshman Miles Lipton could step right in and tickle the twine. The defense features the seasoned Lewis (52 GBs in just eight games last season) and Musgrove. Sophomore Will Armstrong will be in goal.
The Flyers have a schedule that could produce a similar record to last year (they started with an 18-8 loss at Cape Elizabeth Thursday). This team won’t be content just getting to the playoffs, however, they’d like to get back to the semifinals and give a traditional power a contest. If all goes well, this group, especially the accomplished seniors, aren’t going to go out without a fight.
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
Coach: Cathie Connors (24th year, 268-53-1 overall record, 12 state championships)
2015 record: 9-5 (Lost, 8-2, to Falmouth in Western B semifinals)
Top returning players: Charlotte Majercik (Senior), Nina Moore (Senior), Christian Rowe (Senior), Meddy Smith (Senior), Isabel Canning (Junior), Ali Pope (Junior), Izzy Burdick (Sophomore), Lydia Giguere (Sophomore)
Pivotal games: April 28 @ Falmouth, April 30 SCARBOROUGH, May 4 KENNEBUNK, May 14 @ Cheverus, May 19 @ Yarmouth, May 26 YORK
Coach’s comment: “We’re young, but it’s coming together. We’re putting the pieces together. It’ll take awhile, but we’ll hope for the best. We have a lot of girls who can score this year. I’m psyched that we have a lot of depth. I have kids who can play anywhere. I’m cautiously optimistic.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: For the first time since the Maine Principals’ Association started sanctioning girls’ lacrosse in 1998, Waynflete is coming off back-to-back seasons where it failed to reach the regional final. You can’t keep the Flyers down for long, however, and it’s quite possible that despite being in a brutally tough region, Waynflete will awaken the echoes in the weeks to come.
The Flyers return Moore, a second-team league all-star a year ago, who will be one of the team’s many scoring threats. She’s joined by Burdick, Canning, Giguere, Rowe, sophomore Laura Baginski and senior Anne Veroneau, who returned to Waynflete this school year after spending her sophomore and junior seasons at Cheverus. Canning, Moore and Veroneau will also take draws, trying to fill the shoes of graduated reigning Spring Female Athlete of the Year Helen Gray-Bauer, who was so skilled in that important role. The offense will be patient and tough to stop since there are so many options. Pope and Smith are top returning defenders. Defense is always the Flyers’ calling card and expect Waynflete’s zone to once again be stingy, as several athletic players will step in to stop the opposition. Majercik is back for her third year in goal. She’s experienced and has made some big saves in big games.
As usual, Waynflete has few easy games (they opened with a dramatic 8-7 overtime win at Cape Elizabeth Thursday on Canning’s goal). The Flyers will play the best teams in state, from Class A and Class B, and will be competitive throughout. While this team lacks the big names of years gone by, there is plenty of promise. Waynflete is at its most dangerous when it doesn’t face high expectations. Connors has groomed champions for a generation and she’s excited about what she has to work with this spring. That should serve as a warning to the rest of the state. Don’t be surprised if the Flyers crash the party come June.
OUTDOOR TRACK
Coach: Ziggy Gillespie (ninth year)
2015 results:
(Boys) Tie-24th @ Class C state meet
(Girls) Tie-28th @ Class C state meet
Top returning athletes:
(Boys) Willson Moore (Junior)
(Girls) Chloe Daikh (Junior), Elizabeth Ralston (Junior), Emily Tabb (Junior)
Coach’s comment: “We only have four runners. Crew does a number on us in the spring.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete has a very small team this spring, just one boy and three girls.
Moore is a very good athlete and will turn heads in the 800 and the mile. He has a chance to finish high at the state meet.
The girls are led by Tabb, a racewalker who will be in the hunt for postseason glory. Daikh runs the 800 and long jumps and should contend in both. Ralston competes in the 800. Look for two, if not all three girls to qualify for the state meet.
BOYS’ TENNIS
Coach: Jeff Madore (10th year, eight state championships)
2015 record: 15-1 (Defeated George Stevens Academy, 4-1, to win eighth straight Class C state championship)
Top returning players: Rowan May (Senior), Peter Michalakes (Senior), Brandon Ameglio (Junior), John Van Dyke (Junior), Jacob Greene (Sophomore)
Pivotal matches: April 27 YARMOUTH, April 29 NYA, May 6 @ Falmouth, May 13 @ Cape Elizabeth, May 23 @ NYA, May 24 @ Yarmouth
Coach’s comment: “We have only five returning players from last year. We’re a new look unit with six players graduated from last year’s team, but its an enthusiastic group who hope to make it into the Class C tournament again this season. All we need is some dry weather and warmer temperatures.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete’s sensational run of dominance doesn’t get the attention or appreciation it deserves. Every senior who graduated since 2011 has known nothing but state titles. It appears that the Flyers might be mortal this spring, but anyone overlooking this squad will be disappointed and frustrated by season’s end.
Reigning Spring Male Athlete of the Year and state singles champion Isaac Salas has graduated, but there is ample talent in reserve. Ameglio was a WMC first-team all-star in 2015 and will hold one of the singles spots, along with Greene (a second-team all-star last spring as a doubles player) and Michalakes. May and Van Dyke will fill doubles spots. Newcomers to watch include sophomores Owen Hoffsten, Shuhao Liu and Nick Wagg and freshmen Thorne Kiefer, Cooper Sherman and Max Soley. As is so often the case with this program, don’t be surprised in the least if several of the untested players step right in and make an immediate impact.
Waynflete faces a challenging schedule and the win-loss record might not be as glowing as the past few years, but this program measures itself on what happens in June. Until someone knocks them off, the Flyers are the favorites in Class C. As far as Waynflete is concerned, eight isn’t enough and nine would be just fine.
GIRLS’ TENNIS
Coach: Linda Cohen (10th year, four state championships)
2015 record: 7-8 (Lost, 4-1, to eventual champion North Yarmouth Academy in Western C Final)
Top returning players: Liv Troiano (Senior), Sidara Cash Sortwell (Junior), Lexi Epstein (Junior), Randall Seder (Junior)
Pivotal matches: April 27 @ Yarmouth, April 29 @ NYA, May 6 FALMOUTH, May 10 @ Greely, May 13 CAPE ELIZABETH, May 23 NYA
Coach’s comment: “I had only one graduating player and with everyone else back, we have a solid foundation. The team is small, but enthusiastic. If everyone gets and remains healthy, we should be in good shape to have a competitive season. That’s what we’re striving for.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Waynflete’s four-year run atop Class C came to an end last spring, but not before another deep tournament run. It’s likely that was a one-year hiccup, as there are reasons to believe that the Flyers can return to the pinnacle in June.
Epstein, a captain, was a first-team WMC all-star in 2005 and will play singles, along with Troiano. The hope is that junior Chase Warner, battling her way back from injury, will figure into the mix as well. The doubles teams feature Cash Sortwell and Seder and sophomores Hana Delaney and Molly McNutt. Freshmen Lily Fanburg and Chloe Fisher will also be in the hunt for spots.
Waynflete will have its hands full during the regular season against a challenging league slate, but the Flyers know what it takes to save their best tennis for the postseason. NYA is primed to make a repeat run and it appears only one team stands in their way. Waynflete looks forward to that challenge and could very well bring home more hardware come June.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
Sophomore Laura Baginski scored twice in Waynflete’s season-opening win at Cape Elizabeth and could become a breakout star this spring as the Flyers chase another championship.
Izzy Burdick impressed as a freshman and is will be the focal point of the opposition again in 2016.
Junior Isabel Canning has already played the hero this spring, scoring the overtime game-winner in the opener at Cape Elizabeth.
Senior Christian Rowe will be a top scoring threat for the Flyers in the weeks to come.
Senior Charlotte Majercik returns for a third year in goal for the Flyers.
Senior Nina Moore is seasoned and talented and will play a key role on a potentially strong Waynflete girls’ lacrosse squad.
Cooper Chap was an all-star last season after scoring 19 goals. He looks to lead Waynflete’s boys’ lacrosse team back to the playoffs.
Junior Emily Tabb will be one of the better racewalkers in the conference this season.
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