In case you needed validation that Forecaster Country was home to some of the best high school sports athletes in the state, the recent release of all-star lists confirmed it once and for all.
Regardless of the sport, athletes from city schools caught the eye of coaches from their conference and throughout the state.
Here’s a glimpse:
Football
With Cheverus reaching the state final and Portland coming close, it’s not a surprise that the Eastern Class A All-Conference team included a lot of Stags and Bulldogs, along with some Rams from Deering for good measure.
On offense, Cheverus running back Joe Fitzpatrick, wide receiver Noah Stebbins, tight end Zordan Holman, linemen Riley Archer, Pat Ball and Greg Grinnell and placekicker Patrick Mourmouras, Portland quarterback Jordan Talbot, running back Justin Zukowski and lineman Luigi Grimaldi and Deering lineman John Curtis were all honored.
Defensively, Cheverus linebacker Cody O’Brien and defensive back Will Hilton, Portland lineman Jake Fogel and defensive backs Ronald Hargrove and Jayvon Pitts-Young and Deering linebacker Dominick Bernard made the list.
Cheverus’ Sam Cross, Peter Dutton, Grinnell, O’Brien, Patrick O’Hanlon, Jon Ruterbories and Stebbins and Portland’s Fogel, Anthony Green and Zukowski made the All-Academic team.
Cheverus’ Grinnell was named the Eastern A Lineman of the Year.
Portland’s Zukowski was named Player of the Year.
Cheverus’ John Wolfgram and Portland’s Jim Hartman were named Coach of the Year.
Boys’ soccer
All four city boys’ soccer teams made the playoffs and each had all-stars.
In the Southwestern Maine Activities Association, Cheverus goalkeeper Charlie Mull, Deering back Jonathan Bujambi, midfielder Stephen Ochan and goalkeeper Anthony Russo and Portland back Hugues Bakunda, midfielder Ibrahim Dahir and forward Yusuf Yama made the first team.
Cheverus midfielder Mackenzie Hoglund and back Andrei Vile, Deering midfielder David Bujambi and Portland forward Sam Farr were named to the second team.
Deering’s Matt Alvarez, Christian Castaneda and Ben Peterson and Portland’s Oliver Brochu were honorable mention selections.
Portland’s Bakunda was named SMAA Defensive Player of the Year.
Cheverus’ Jamie Biegel, Colin Grove, Mull, Joe Smith, Elijah Yeboah and Isaac Yeboah, Deering’s Gabriel De Oliveira, Zach Duperry, Qutaiba Hassoon, Sam Hornblower, Joe Kiffney, Peterson, Shervin Sabeti and Isaac Santerre and Portland’s Charlie Gauvin, Quentin Ndayishimiye and Chandler Sturgeon all qualified for the SMAA All-Academic team.
In the Western Maine Conference, Waynflete’s Harry Baker-Connick, Henry Cleaves and Joey Schnier made the Class C All-Conference team.
Waynflete’s Jonathan Silin qualified for the All-Academic team.
Western A regional all-stars included Cheverus’ Mull, Deering’s Ochan and Portland’s Dahir and Yama.
Waynflete’s Baker-Connick and Cleaves were named to the Western C regional all-star squad.
Dahir had two goals and Mull played goal in the Senior All-Star Game, a 7-0 win for the West.
Girls’ soccer
On the girls’ side, repeat Class C champion Waynflete placed Isabel Canning, Sofia Canning, Arianna Giguere, Julianna Harwood and Ella Millard on the All-Conference team.
The All-Academic team included Waynflete’s Sofia Canning, Leigh Fernandez, Cat Johnson, Millard and Sophie Raffel.
In the SMAA, Deering defender Alexis Elowitch made the first team.
Deering midfielder Edie Pallozzi and McAuley defender Katherine Lake and forward Ayla Tartre were named to the second team.
Honorable mentions included Cheverus midfielder Maddie Richardson, Deering forward Simone Lauture and Portland forward Kate Johnson.
Deering’s Elowitch was named the SMAA’s Student-Athlete of the Year.
The All-Academic team included Cheverus’ Mary Kate LaFountain and Katie Randall, Deering’s Lee Ann Downs, Sofie Duarte, Elowitch, Casey Girsch, Heather Hodson, Molly Kilbride, Pallozzi, Mony Prak, Hannah Reidman and Cole Spike, McAuley’s Lake and Portland’s Andrea Chim, Kaitlyn Christy, Elizabeth Harris, Monica Reno and Emma Stehli.
The Western A regional all-star team included Deering’s Elowitch and Pallozzi.
Field hockey
Cheverus placed two players, Elyse Caiazzo and MaryKate Slattery, on the SMAA field hockey first team.
Cheverus’ Laura Bither, Deering’s Amanda LeMoult, McAuley’s Akech Allolding and Portland’s Georgia Drew made the second team.
Cheverus’ Libby DesRuisseaux, Deering’s Rylie Turner, McAuley’s Mia Fisher and Portland’s Alysha Alling were named honorable mention all-stars.
The SMAA All-Rookie team included Cheverus’ Abby Ford, Deering’s Katy Cyr, McAuley’s Julia Bailinson and Portland’s Holly Hinchliffe.
Caiazzo was named the co-Faith Littlefield Coach of the Year, along with Massabesic’s Alex Staples.
The All-Academic team included Cheverus’ Bither, Caiazzo, DesRuisseaux, Emma Engelman, Madeleine Fenderson, Elizabeth Ford, Georgia Ford, Alex Logan, Emily Manter, Slattery, Christine Walsh and Meredith Willard, Deering’s Colleen Donlan and LeMoult, McAuley’s Fisher and Sophia Warren and Portland’s Victoria Clayton, Eliana Finberg and Allison Briggs.
In the WMC, Waynflete’s Alexandra Armstrong made the first team.
Teammate Gavriella King, Dana Peirce and Chloe Williams made the second team.
Cheverus’ Caiazzo was named all-stare.
Cross country
Cheverus’ Kiera Murray made the girls’ cross country all-state first-team.
The SMAA all-star team wasn’t available at press time.
No Waynflete runners qualified for the WMC squad.
Waynflete’s Graham Chance, Lydia Fox, Ellie Marston and Emily Wasserman qualified for the WMC All-Academic team.
Golf
Deering’s golf team qualified for states this fall and Will Barlock, along with Chris Billings of Cheverus and Zack Luce of Portland, made the SMAA Northern Division first team.
Deering’s Tyler Butler and Portland’s Ryan Dixon and Mike Fuller made the second team.
Cheverus’ Damian Smith, Deering’s Barlock and Portland’s Dixon, Silas Corman, Travis Godbout, Benjamin Hart and Peter Hill qualified for the SMAA All-Academic team.
Volleyball
Cheverus outside hitter Caroline Pettiti made the SMAA volleyball second team.
Cheverus setter Stephanie McKew made honorable mention.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
Sidebar Elements
McAuley senior Katherine Lake was one of the best players in the SMAA this fall and was named an all-star for her efforts.
Portland senior Justin Zukowski was among the best football players in the state this fall and was named to the Eastern A all-star team.
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