2012-13 Winter Male Athlete of the Year:

JARED BELL, Senior-Indoor track

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CITATIONS

· All-State

· Class A state champion, shot put

· SMAA All-Star, first-team, shot put

· SMAA All-Academic team

Simply being the best wasn’t enough for Bell for this winter as he decided to change his throwing style, which led to even more triumph.

Bell, who grew up in Scarborough before coming to Portland in middle school, started throwing the shot put as a freshman and the discus as a junior. He was the Class A shot put champion last winter, with a top throw of just under 52 feet.

While Bell came into the season expecting to repeat as the state champion, he hoped to increase his length, so he changed from a standard move to a spin move.

”The spin move takes the footwork from the discus and applies it to the shot put,” said Frank Myatt, Bell’s throws coach. “More can go wrong, but it can lead to more distance.”

Very little Bell does goes wrong, so it was no surprise that more distance is exactly what ensued.

Bell opened the season by easily winning the shot put with a throw of 51 feet, almost eight feet better than his closest pursuer. He threw 53-5 the next time out, then 54-7, then 55-4.

The postseason was more of the same as Bell easily took conference honors with a top throw of 55-2, then repeated as state champion with a throw of 56-00.25, his best of the season.

Bell, who works with former Greely standout and aspiring Olympian Becky O’Brien, capped his season with a third-place finish at New Englands (with a top throw of 55-3).

Bell is a member of student senate, was class vice president his freshman year and is big on exercising and staying healthy. He has played baseball in the past, but will compete exclusively in outdoor track this spring. He will attend Princeton University, where he’ll throw. He may study pre-med.

He has certainly been surgical in his throws, so good in fact that whether he was throwing in a standard motion, or spinning, no one has been able to match Jared Bell in his rise to the top.

Coach Gerry Myatt’s comment: “Jared worked very hard at making himself what he is. He’s not one-dimensional. He was an important part of our relay and scored in the 55 as well. He’s a very sharp guy. He’s equally dedicated to being a scholar.”

Throwing coach Frank Myatt’s comment: “Jared is an exceptionally bright and talented kid. He has all the tools. He has the athleticism, intelligence and work ethic to excel.”

2011-12 winner: Jon Amabile (Basketball)

2010-11 winner: Jon Amabile (Basketball)

2009-10 winner: Eddie Tirabassi (Basketball)

2008-09 winner: E.J. Googins (Swimming)

2007-08 winner: Chris Smith (Wrestling)

2006-07 winner: Brandon Carbone (Basketball)

2005-06 winner: Allen Stein (Wrestling)

2004-05 winner: Kyle Johnson (Swimming)

2003-04 winner: Brian Vail (Indoor track)

2012-13 Winter Female Athlete of the Year:

GENEVIEVE WORTHLEY, Senior-Swimming

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CITATIONS

· Class A state champion, 200 IM

· Class A state champion, 100 breaststroke (state record)

· Female Performer of the Class A state meet

· All-State, first-team, breaststroke

· All-State, first-team, 200 medley relay

· All-State, second-team, IM

· All-State, second-team, 400 free relay

· All-Conference, first-team, breaststroke

· All-Conference, first-team, medley relay

· All-Conference, first-team, 200 freestyle relay

· All-Conference, second-team, IM

Worthley was once again one of the elite female swimmers in Class A and earned our honor for the second year in a row.

Worthley became a standout a young age. She came by the sport naturally as both parents swam and she quickly made a mark at the high school level. She won the Class A breaststroke as a freshman and never relinquished it. She added the 200 individual medley crown as a sophomore and repeated in both events as a junior.

This winter, Worthley was clearly one of the state’s premier swimmers from start to finish and was at her best again in the biggest meets.

Worthley took the IM and breaststroke at Southwesterns, then won the breaststroke for a fourth straight time at the state meet, oh by the way lowering her own state record time to 1 minute, 3.72 seconds, while adding a third consecutive IM title (2:05.46) and helping Deering’s 400 freestyle relay team to a championship for good measure. For her efforts, Worthley was named Performer of the Meet for the second year in a row and made the all-conference and all-state teams in multiple events.

“I’m very satisfied with my high school career,” said Worthley. “I love winning and the feeling of success after a good meet.”

Worthley also swims with the Westbrook Seals club team and hones her craft year-round.

She is looking at Eastern Michigan or Western Kentucky as college options. She plans to swim, hopes to qualify for the NCAAs as a freshman and may study art or biology.

It’s quite likely she’ll make an immediate splash at the next level. Genevieve Worthley has demonstrated an uncanny ability to dominate all comers and isn’t done yet.

Coach Angie Marcotte’s comment: “Genevieve is self-motivated. Once she has set her goals, she will do everything within her power to achieve them. She is an extremely hard-working, focused athlete and student. She is also devoted to her team and is talented at balancing their needs with her own. She leads by example and has been an integral part of the successes the team has experienced these last four years. She has an infectious enthusiasm and energy that never wanes. Even on Genevieve’s worst days, she is amazing and inspiring and a joy to coach. She really is going to be missed by many in the Maine swimming community”

2011-12 winner: Genevieve Worthley (Swimming)

2010-11 winner: Kayla Burchill (Basketball)

2009-10 winner: Claire Ramonas (Basketball)

2008-09 winner: Diana Manduca (Basketball)

2007-08 winner: Diana Manduca (Basketball)

2006-07 winner: Nicole Garland (Basketball)

2005-06 winner: Emily Sweatt (Swimming)

2004-05 winner: Rebecca Schack (Indoor Track)

2003-04 winner: Megan Urban (Basketball)

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

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