2008-09 Winter Male Athlete of the Year:
MIKE CHASE, Senior-Hockey
* Travis Roy Award finalist
* All-State West region, first team
* Senior All-Star

While Mike Chase made all kinds of magic on the ice this season, one of his most endearing moments came in relative obscurity, but spoke volumes about his character. 

Falmouth and Greely share Family Ice Center and often play back-to-back. One Saturday evening, with the Rangers on the ice, Chase, who had changed back into his regular clothes after a Yachtsmen win, didn’t hurry out of the building.

Instead, he made a point of interacting with several kids who clearly hung on his every word. He demonstrated his stickwork and made a bigger impact than he could imagine.

It wasn’t enough for this Falmouth standout to be one of the best players in the state. He was one of the finest citizens as well and is a worthy of being named Falmouth’s 2008-09 Winter Male Athlete of the Year.

The Falmouth native started playing hockey at a young age and was a four-year contributor for the Yachtsmen, always one of the top contenders in Western Class A.

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His legend was well-established entering the 2008-09 campaign, but Chase simply enhanced it time and time again.

He scored twice in the third period of a season-opening come-from-behind win at eventual state champion Waterville. He had three assists versus St. Dom’s, struck twice in a victory over Thornton Academy, had a hat trick and three assists against Cheverus, then had two goals and an assist five nights later, again against the Stags. That effort pushed him into the program’s top spot as all-time leading scorer.

He then had two assists in a second victory over St. Dom’s, a goal and a pair of assists versus Kennebunk.

Despite wearing a bulls-eye every time he took the ice, Chase wound up with 21 goals and 23 assists. He’ll graduate as the Yachtsmen’s leader in points (194).

Chase had two goals and four assists in a quarterfinal round win over South Portland and added two goals and an assist in a semifinal round victory over Kennebunk which sent Falmouth into the Western A Final for the first time.

The Yachtsmen’s run would end when they weren’t able to beat St. Dom’s a third time, falling 3-1.

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Chase got his fill of recognition after the season and was a finalist for the Travis Roy Award, given to the top Class A senior in the state (St. Dom’s’ Richard Paradis wound up winning).

Chase takes part in the Big Buddy Program, lobsters in the summer and was a member of the Northern New England Chicago Showcase team for a second year in a row. He wants to play at the next level. He’s looking at playing junior hockey next year with an eye on competing in college.

The prodigious Falmouth program produces record-breaker after record-breaker, but even if he’s eventually eclipsed, Mike Chase, Falmouth’s 2008-09 Winter Male Athlete of the Year, will have no peer when it comes to being a combination of a top-rate citizen and a standout player.

Coach Scott Rousseau’s Comment: “Mike’s the best player we’ve ever had by far, but no one’s going to remember him for the player he was. They’ll remember the quality human being he is like no other. For a star player to be that inclusive was amazing. I hope my son Jackson grows up to be like Mike Chase.”

2007-08 winner: Tom Winger (Indoor track)
2006-07 winner: James Tolan (Hockey)
2005-06 winner: Bryant Barr (Basketball)
2004-05 winner: Peter Gustavson (Hockey)
2003-04 winner: Brandon Bonsey (Indoor track)
2002-03 winner: Jon Hutchins (Hockey)
2001-02 winner: Garrett Weliever (Basketball)

2008-09 Winter Female Athlete of the Year
KRISTIN JACKSON, Senior-Swimming
* Class B Girls’ Swimmer of the Year
* Class B state champion, 200 IM
* Class B state champion, 100 butterfly
* Class B state meet Swimmer of the Meet
* All-State, first team, 200 free
* All-State, first team, 100 fly
* All-State, first team, medley relay
* All-State, first team, 400 free relay
* Southwesterns Swimmer of the Meet
* All-Conference, first team, 100 free
* All-Conference, first team, 100 breaststroke
* All-Conference, first team, 200 medley relay
* All-Conference, first team, 400 free relay
* All-State, All-Academic team

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The list above is more than sufficient enough to describe Kristin Jackson’s brilliance in the pool.

Just being arguably the premiere swimmer in the state wasn’t what Jackson was all about, however.

She won race after race, earned just about every accolade possible and was once again a multiple state champion. But Jackson was also a patient teacher, a supportive teammate and an athlete who rose to the occasion time and again.

She didn’t just repeat as state champion and Swimmer of the Year. She’s also earning duplicate recognition from The Forecaster. Kristin Jackson is our choice for Falmouth’s 2008-09 Winter Female Athlete of the Year, marking the second straight year she’s been selected.

Jackson grew up in Falmouth and made magic in the pool for four years with a Yachtsmen program that has been without peer in recent seasons.

After winning the 100 fly as a freshman, she had a pair of second place finishes (fly and backstroke) as a sophomore before dominating as a junior, capturing the individual medley and the breaststroke.

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This season, Jackson went undefeated in the regular season, extending her unbeaten streak to two years. She had the fastest time in Class A and B in four different events and holds the Class B top mark in three others. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also a member of three of the fastest relay teams.

She holds the school record in the 200 and 500 free and is the school and state-record holder in the IM.

This posteason, she was at her best, taking Swimmer of the Meet honors for a second straight year after winning the IM and the breaststroke. She also led the Yachtsmen’s 400 relay team to a first place finish as Falmouth was second to eventual Class A champion Cape Elizabeth.

At states, Jackson and the Yachtsmen would not be bested. One year after seeing their four-year run as Class B champions come to an end, they cruised to a first place finish as Jackson was named Swimmer of the Meet after capturing the IM and fly. She was also part of first-place 200 and 400 free relay teams.

She wasn’t a star apart from her team. She worked hard with her teammates and provided plenty of enthusiasm and support. It all added up to an ideal finish to her high school career.

Jackson, who also swims with the Westbrook Seals, has a GPA of 98.02 and will attend Brown next year, where she expects to specialize in the IM, fly and breaststroke. She’s entertaining studying either environmental science or marine biology.

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What can brown do for you? The better question is what Kristin Jackson, Falmouth’s 2008-09 Winter Female Athlete of the Year, can do for Brown? The answer is a great, great deal. This standout still has much greatness on the horizon.

Coach John Keyes’ comment: “Kristin is a true student-athlete. She has been the captain for two years and in that capacity she made it her goal to help every swimmer at one time or another with strokes, turns and starts. Her work ethic and determination has allowed her to be a role model not only to her teammates, but to everyone who has had the pleasure to watch her swim.”

2007-08 winner: Kristin Jackson (Swimming)
2006-07 winner: Alicia Hahn (Swimming)
2005-06 winner: Gina Mancini (Swimming)
2004-05 winner: Emily Sheldon (Swimming)
2003-04 winner: Alison Tozier (Swimming)
2002-03 winner: Gina Mancini (Swimming)
2001-02 winner: Megan White (Diving)

Chase.jpgMike Chase
Jackson.jpgKristin Jackson


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