A triumphant, exciting season in the books
By Michael Hoffer
There were ample highlights for winter sports fans, whatever your pleasure, in 2008-09.
There was hardwood drama aplenty right through the regional finals.
On the ice, Greely’s boys made history, while Falmouth also impressed. The Greely girls also enjoyed a deep playoff run.
On the track, an abundance of local standouts sizzled during the regular season and at the biggest meets.
The pool produced stellar showings from several local athletes and another title for a familiar champion.
On the snow, several locals stood out at the big meets and Yarmouth produced a season for the ages.
Here’s one final look at the season that was.

PLEASE BOX AND RUN WITH STORY
WINTER 2008-09 STATE CHAMPIONS
FALMOUTH GIRLS’ SWIMMING, CLASS B
GREELY BOYS’ HOCKEY, CLASS B
GREELY BOYS’ INDOOR TRACK, CLASS B
YARMOUTH BOYS’ ALPINE SKIING, CLASS B
YARMOUTH GIRLS’ ALPINE SKIING, CLASS B
YARMOUTH BOYS’ COMBINED SKIING, CLASS B
YARMOUTH GIRLS’ COMBINED SKIING, CLASS B
WINTER 2008-09 INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONS
INDOOR TRACK
KRIS FLORIDINO, FALMOUTH, BOYS’ SHOT PUT, CLASS B
TOMMY WINGER, FALMOUTH, BOYS’ LONG JUMP, CLASS B
TOMMY WINGER, FALMOUTH, BOYS’ TRIPLE JUMP, CLASS B
PETER COLESWORTHY, GREELY, BOYS’ 55 HURDLES, CLASS B
NATE MARTIN, GREELY, BOYS’ 200, CLASS B (STATE RECORD)
MARK MCCAULEY, GREELY, BOYS’ 800, CLASS B
HENRY STERLING, NYA, BOYS’ MILE, CLASS B
HENRY STERLING, NYA, BOYS’ TWO-MILE, CLASS B
SWIMMING
KRISTIN JACKSON, FALMOUTH, GIRLS’ 200 IM, CLASS B
KRISTIN JACKSON, FALMOUTH, GIRLS’ 100 BUTTERFLY, CLASS B
ADRIENNE MADDEN, FALMOUTH, GIRLS’ 50 FREE, CLASS B
EVELYN PERRY, FALMOUTH, GIRLS’ DIVING, CLASS B
IAN NICHOLS, NYA, BOYS’ 50 FREE, CLASS B
ALPINE SKIING
CHRIS MOODY, FALMOUTH, BOYS’ SLALOM, CLASS B
LAUREN STACKHOUSE, YARMOUTH, GIRLS’ SLALOM, CLASS B
NORDIC SKIING
CAM WOODWORTH, YARMOUTH, CLASSIC, CLASS B
CAM WOODWORTH, YARMOUTH, FREESTYLE, CLASS B

MICHAEL’S TOP FIVE MOMENTS/STORIES

5. Falmouth girls’ swimming regains crown
After a relay disqualification led to the end of a four-year state title reign at the 2008 Class B meet, the Falmouth girls’ swim team had a single purpose this winter. The Yachtsmen, led by the individual brilliance of senior Kristin Jackson, Adrienne Madden and Evelyn Perry, had a solid regular season, then after finishing second at Southwesterns, put it all together at the state meet, getting two wins from Jackson and one each from Madden and Perry to win their fifth title in six years. The crown proved to be bittersweet as coach/dynasty builder John Keyes announced his retirement in its wake.

4. Excitement on the hardwood
Eight of 10 local basketball teams made playoff runs this winter and every school had an abundance of thrills. The Falmouth boys won their first nine games and wound up going to the regional final where they fell to Cape Elizabeth. Greely’s boys were the No. 1 seed in Western B, but fell victim to the Capers on a buzzer-beater in the semifinals. Yarmouth enjoyed another solid campaign, winning 14 times, and NYA also qualified for the playoffs. On the girls’ side, Greely, a team expected to be a year away from serious contention, instead won 18 games and reached the Western B Final. Falmouth overcame a slow start to win 12 times and make it to the semifinals. NYA got back into the postseason for the first time after a four-year absence. Countless standout individuals sparkled night after night during one of the more memorable seasons in recent history.

3. Track produces champion after champion
At the Class B boys’ state track meet Feb. 16, our five local teams combined to score 204 points. The other 22 teams in the field combined for 277. It was a year which saw local runners, jumpers and throwers excel, but was far from an aberration. The Greely boys took the crown behind individual wins from Peter Colesworthy (55 hurdles), Nate Martin (200) and Mark McCauley (800), and a victory from its 4×800 relay team. Falmouth was second and got wins from Kris Floridino (shot put) and Tommy Winger (long jump, triple jump). NYA’s Henry Sterling was a two-event champion, capturing the mile and two-mile. The girls didn’t produce a state championship team or individual, but there no were shortage of standouts among that group either.

2. Yarmouth skiers have no peer
Yarmouth’s ski program has dominated for decades, but the 2008-09 team might have been the finest to date. The Clippers had no peer in the regular season and were just getting warmed up. At the Western Maine Conference championships, against some of the premier programs in the state, Yarmouth swept the Alpine and Nordic titles, a first for the league. The Clippers then capped their year on a high note at the Class B state meet. Yarmouth’s boys and girls won Alpine titles, came in second to Maranacook in Nordic, and won combined championships. Lauren Stackhouse was an individual champion in the boys’ Alpine giant slalom and Cam Woodworth won the boys’ Nordic classic and freestyle.

1. Greely hockey finishes the job
For years, they fell agonizingly close, but this winter, nothing could stop the Greely boys’ hockey team. The Rangers entered the 2008-09 campaign as the favorite, and didn’t disappoint, dropping just one countable game all season. Greely consistently mopped up the best that Class A and Class B had to offer and wound up 17-1. After an 8-0 drubbing of York in the semifinals, a win which avenged last year’s playoff ouster, Greely got a mighty scare from rival Cape Elizabeth in the regional final, but scored the game’s final five goals to advance, 6-3. Then, on March 7 in Lewiston, the Rangers finally finished the job, getting three goals from freshman standout Brian Hart and a superb team effort in a 5-1 win over Presque Isle. Now that Greely has ascended to the pinnacle, don’t be surprised if the program stays there awhile.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net

 

Senior Kevin Hart was the heart and soul of a Greely hockey team which won its first state championship this winter. (File photos)
Junior Stefano Mancini helped the Falmouth boys’ basketball team reach the regional final.
Danielle Torres was one of a plethora of standout Yarmouth skiers who dominated the landscape this season.