2012-13 Winter Male Athlete of the Year:

TREBOR LAWTON, Senior-Swimming

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CITATIONS

* Class A Swimmer of the Year

* Class A state champion, 100 backstroke

* Class A state champion, 100 butterfly

* All-State, backstroke

* All-State, butterfly

* All-State, 200 medley relay

* All-State, 200 freestyle relay

* All-Conference, backstroke

* All-Conference, butterfly

* All-Conference, medley relay

* All-Conference, freestyle relay

* School record holder, 50 freestyle

* School record holder, backstroke

* School record holder, butterfly

* Southwesterns champion, backstroke

* Southwesterns champion, butterfly

* Southwesterns Male Performer of the Meet

* Academic All-American

* Team captain

Lawton gets the nod for the second year in a row after a dazzling individual season which played a huge role in helping the Cheverus boys win a Class A state title for the first time.

Lawton, a Gorham resident, started swimming at age 4. He swam with the Stags a freshman, finishing second in the state in the 100 butterfly, before going on to a fifth-place finish in the fly at New Englands. After competing with the Coastal Maine Aquatics club team exclusively as a sophomore, Lawton was unstoppable as a junior, setting a new state record in winning the Class A 100 backstroke, taking the 200 individual medley as well, then winning both events at the New England championship meet.

The bar was set pretty high coming into his senior year, but Lawton capped his high school career in grand style, winning the fly and the backstroke, helping two relay teams to second place finishes and reveling with his teammates when they reached the top of the podium for the first time.

Lawton broke three individual school records, including displacing Olympic champion Ian Crocker in the 50 free (the backstroke and fly were the others).

Being as fast as he could be was part of what drove Lawton to be the best.

“I like to improve my personal times,” he said. “I’d be happy coming in last if I have a top time.”

Lawton also swims with the Westbrook Seals club team, is a member of the Homefront Club at Cheverus and plans to continue his career next year at Connecticut College, where he’ll study business or biology.

His place in the Cheverus record books and school lore is safe. Trebor Lawton was much more than an individual talent. His greatness lifted the program to the pinnacle.

Coach Kevin Haley’s comment: “Trebor has been a great asset to our program. He has been the most humble young man I have ever coached and been around. One would not know of all his accolades or accomplishments. He leads quietly and lets the swimming do the talking. He has meant a great deal to the program. He brought forth great morals and character. He came to practice everyday and worked very hard. He inspired kids around him to work just as hard.”

2011-12 winner: Trebor Lawton (Swimming)

2010-11 winner: Jack Terwilliger (Indoor track)

2009-10 winner: Indiana Faithfull (Basketball)

2008-09 winner: Zander Markellos (Skiing)

2007-08 winner: Matt Libby (Swimming)

2006-07 winner: Matt Libby (Swimming)

2005-06 winner: Alex Arthur (Hockey)

2004-05 winner: Adam Horgan (Hockey)

2003-04 winner: Kevin Marchesi (Hockey)

2012-13 Winter Female Athlete of the year:

BROOKE FLAHERTY, Senior-Basketball

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CITATIONS

* Lisa Blais Manning Award winner (SMAA Student-Athlete of the Year)

* SMAA All-Star, first-team

* SMAA All-Academic team

* SMAA Senior All-Star

* Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star

* Team captain

Flaherty came up big time and time again this winter as her talent, determination, ability to embrace the big moments and leadership helped the Stags rid themselves of the “can’t win the big one” moniker and enjoy the finest season in program history.

Flaherty evolved as a player who at a young age was more concerned with how she looked on the floor (“I used to be really bad and only cared if my uniform matched my headband”) to one who became serious about basketball in middle school.

She became so good so quickly that she found a role as a starter as a freshman at Cheverus (she was named to the All-Rookie team that winter) and never looked back. Flaherty started all four seasons, was a captain her junior and senior years and after finishing third in the league in rebounds (9.8) and averaging 10 points per game as a junior, left no doubt that she was an elite talent this past season.

Flaherty, who was also a four-year member of the Cheverus field hockey team, which made a dramatic run to the state final her sophomore season and to the regional championship game this past fall, had many highlights on the basketball court from December right through the very end of February.

Flaherty, a 5-11 forward/center, had 14 points in a win over Westbrook, 16 points and six rebounds against Marshwood and 14 points in a victory over Sanford, but her shining moment came the night of Jan. 8 at Scarborough. Flaherty scored consecutive hoops late in the second overtime to tie the game and force a third, where she drained a free throw which was ultimately the difference in a palpitating 58-57 victory. Flaherty had a season-high 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds, blocked two shots and had a pair of steals in that exhilarating performance. She had 17 points in a close loss to Deering and closed the regular season with a 13-point, 10-rebound performance against Portland.

For the regular season, Flaherty was seventh in the league with 11.3 points per game, sixth in rebounds (8.0) and fifth in foul shooting (80 percent).

Entering the postseason, Cheverus had never won a quarterfinal round game and had endured a series of agonizing losses in that round. Late in a tight contest with Sanford, the Stags were in danger of falling again, but Flaherty (who scored just five points) forced a critical late turnover and her team held on to advance to the Cumberland County Civic Center for the first time. There, in the semifinals against Deering, Cheverus won again, as Flaherty had seven points, including two clutch late foul shots. The run ended against eventual champion McAuley in the regional final, but the Stags fought hard to the bitter end, as Flaherty bowed out with a game-high 16 points.

Postseason accolades followed in abundance, highlighted by the Lisa Blais Manning award as the league’s Student-Athlete of the Year.

“I really like being part of a team and working to make the common goal happen,” said Flaherty. “We had high aspirations for the season and we reached them. We had great team chemistry. The seniors all knew each other so well.”

Flaherty is a member of Key Club, National Honor Society, Homefront Club, Review Board and Home Team. She’s a high honor roll student and hopes to play basketball and study physical therapy in college. She’s still deciding on her best option.

Cheverus’ best option this winter was to get the ball to Brooke Flaherty in the clutch. She had a magical season and will be greatly missed.

Coach Richie Ashley’s comment: “Brooke’s a special player. She’s extremely unselfish. She made shots and got rebounds. She made plays when she had to. Brooke started every single game for all four years, the first girl ever at Cheverus to have done this. She is a consummate teammate and a true believer in our motto, believing more about the name on the front of the jersey than the name on the back. I think many people will not realize how crucial Brooke was to this team in so many ways but I definitely do. It will be difficult to replace a player and a person of her caliber, however, I believe she has taught the underclassmen what it means to be a Cheverian and to be part of a family. It has been a pleasure to coach Brooke and one day when this program does win a state championship, it will be due to Brooke and this group of seniors.”

2011-12 winner: Fiona Hendry (Indoor track)

2010-11 winner: Caroline Summa (Indoor track)

2009-10 winner: Saundrine Lanouette (Hockey)

2008-09 winner: Caroline Summa (Indoor track)

2007-08 winner: Jessica Groth (Indoor track)

2006-07 winner: Jessica Groth (Indoor track)

2005-06 winner: Caitlin Barber (Alpine skiing)

2004-05 winner: Jill Horan (Swimming)

2003-04 winner: Alana Van Loenen (Indoor track)

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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