Cheverus Stags

2009-10 Winter Male Athlete of the Year:

INDIANA FAITHFULL, Senior-Basketball

• * Mr. Maine Basketball

• * New England Hall of Fame All-Star

• * SMAA All-Conference, first-team

• * SMAA Senior All-Star

• * Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star

• * Vinall Trophy winner as Western A tournament MVP

• * Christmas tournament MVP

• * Co-captain

Since coming to America as a sophomore, Indiana Faithfull has been front and center in the minds of local basketball fans.

Faithfull led the Stags to a Class A state championship as a sophomore, an undefeated regular season as a junior, then was the most talked about player in the state as a senior.

This winter, Faithfull led the Southern Maine Activities Association in steals, was second in the league in assists, scored clutch hoops and anchored a dominant defense. For the second time in three seasons, he led his team to a state championship and oh by the way, he accomplished all of that while mired in a fishbowl amid a controversy that no teenager should ever have to deal with.

For showing class throughout, for being such a transcendent talent and for capping his storied career in triumph, Indiana Faithfull gets The Forecaster’s nod as Cheverus’ 2009-10 Winter Male Athlete of the Year.

Faithfull is from Sydney, Australia. The son of a world champion-caliber running mother and a father who swam at UCLA, Faithfull took to hoops at the age of 9 and quickly showed great talent. Faithfull’s sister had come to America to play basketball at Santa Clara and he sought to do the same. After spending his freshman year Down Under, Faithfull connected with Cheverus (his Australian coach and Stags coach Bob Brown were familiar with each other) and soon turned heads in Maine with not only his colorful name, but also with his dazzling skills.

As a sophomore, Faithfull was named SMAA Rookie of the Year and led Cheverus to the championship. His junior season, the Stags appeared unstoppable before being upset by Thornton Academy in the semifinals. Faithfull was named first-team all-conference and all-state.

His senior campaign would be a roller-coaster ride.

Faithfull’s late shot gave Cheverus a win over Westbrook and the Stags rolled over all comers, winning their first 12 games in increasingly easy fashion. His season appeared to come to an end in late-January, however, when it was discovered that Faithfull had used up the eight consecutive semesters allowed by the Maine Principals’ Association (his freshman year in Australia consisted of three semesters). Cheverus went 5-1 down the stretch without him as Faithfull stayed with the team and did everything from cheer on his teammates to bring them water.

The Stags went into the tournament as the top seed, but weren’t expected to win it until Faithfull was suddenly reinstated just hours before Cheverus took on Scarborough in the quarterfinals. A lawsuit brought by his family claiming discrimination on his country of origin was upheld and Faithfull suited up. He wasn’t himself in wins over the Red Storm and Windham, but in the regional final versus favored Westbrook, Faithfull came to life, scoring 22 points to lead the Stags to a come-from-behind win. Then, in the state game versus Edward Little, Faithfull had 23 points and Cheverus was champion once again.

Faithfull (who finished his high school career with an average of 11.2 points per game, 239 rebounds, 232 assists and 181 steals) went on to earn all sorts of postseason accolades (most notably Mr. Maine Basketball) and sparkled in the Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star Game, where all his skills were on display.

Through it all, he was hailed for his dignity, class, leadership and ability to persevere.

Faithfull, who also plays for the MBR AAU team, is a basketball aficionado who plays year-round. He wants to play Division I college hoops, but will likely go to a prep school next year.

This season wasn’t an easy one, but in the end, it was triumphant. Local basketball fans were the ultimate winners. One of the great players in recent memory did much to add to his legend. Indiana Faithfull, Cheverus’ 2009-10 Winter Male Athlete of the Year, won’t soon be forgotten.

Coach Bob Brown’s comment: “Indi really is a classy kid. He stepped in and started for me for three years. With him on the floor, we lost four games in three years. He’s a great kid. He’s coachable. The stats don’t show the fact the he played the top of our league leading defense in three consecutive years. Any opposing coach would tell you how much of an intimidating factor he was. His long reach and quickness caused many deflections and resulted in many steals by his teammates. You put the ball in his hands and you win. It’s nice.”

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)

 

2009-10 Winter Female Athlete of the year:

SAUNDRINE LANOUETTE, Senior-Hockey

• * Team MVP

• * All-West Region, first-team all-star

The Cheverus girls’ hockey team set the bar for dominance this winter. Not only did the Stags win every game and capture a first-ever state championship, they lit the lamp with regularity and gave up a mere 11 goals in 22 games.

The latter stat was due largely to a sensational goaltender who capped her career with flair and triumph.

Saundrine Lanouette was a highly regarded goalie even before stopping nearly every puck sent her way this season. Long devoted to her position and her craft, Lanouette and her many senior teammates had known heartbreak the past couple seasons and weren’t about to settle for anything but a championship. They reached their goal in perfect fashion.

For being so technically sound, so clutch and so dominant and for helping a program reach the pinnacle for the first time in such dazzling fashion, Saundrine Lanouette is The Forecaster’s choice as Cheverus’ 2009-10 Winter Female Athlete of the Year.

Lanouette grew up in Falmouth and started playing hockey at a young age. She gravitated to the goalie position and has worked on her craft for years (including training with the Nashville Predators coach at a goalie camp). She came to Cheverus as a freshman and was a key cog on a team that came ever-closer to getting over the hump.

Lanouette, who also played two years of field hockey and one of lacrosse in high school, was almost unbeatable this regular season as the Stags crushed all 18 of their foes.

Lanouette ended up allowing only four goals in 458 minutes in 13 regular season appearances. She saved 162 of the 166 shots she faced (97.6 percent) and had a goals-against-average of 0.39.

She was even stingier in the playoffs, allowing just one goal in three games as Cheverus fought off challenges from York, Falmouth and Lewiston. Against the Wildcats, Lanouette gave up her only goal of the postseason and the Stags faced their first and only deficit of the year before erupting in the second and third periods to win, 7-1. Against the Yachtsmen, Cheverus only led 1-0 in the third period, but Lanouette (18 saves) slammed the door and the offense added a pair of goals to pull away for a 3-0 victory. The state game was the most harrowing. Lewiston, playing on its home ice, and the Stags were scoreless into the third period. Lanouette faced her biggest test and passed it, stopping 18 shots and Cheverus finally came alive and scored three times to clinch the championship.

Lanouette also plays for the Lady Breakers team out of Biddeford, which made it to the Nationals in Michigan. She has some interesting options going forward. One option is playing hockey in college. She’s looking at Hofstra, Ohio State and Quinnipiac. Another is pursuing modeling (she’s already done some test shoots).

She’s been a model citizen and player during her high school career and there’s no doubt that additional great success awaits Saundrine Lanouette, Cheverus’ 2009-10 Winter Female Athlete of the Year, down the road.

Coach J.P. Lavoie’s comment: “Saundrine is an excellent goaltender. She’s very solid and never gets rattled. That’s probably her best attribute. She’s technically sound. She’s always where she’s supposed to be. She has great crease presence and doesn’t allow rebounds. She’s a great kid. Fun to be around. She’s good enough to play at the next level.“

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)

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