MALE:

CONNOR AUBE, Senior-Football

• Fitzpatrick Trophy nominee

• Campbell Conference Class B all-star, first-team

Aube cemented his status as one of the state’s finest players by putting the Yachtsmen on his back and leading them to the regional final for the first time, dazzling with his play on offense, defense and special teams.

Aube grew up in Falmouth and started football in the third grade. He quickly became an aficionado of the sport.

“I like the team aspect of football,” Aube said. “I love the rush of the game. It’s a violent sport, but it’s also finesse. I’m very competitive. I like to win.”

Aube joined the Falmouth varsity as a freshman and by his sophomore year, became one of the top runners in the Campbell Conference, helping the Yachtsmen improve from one victory to five and make the playoffs. As a junior, Aube was a first-team all-star and led Falmouth to eight victories and a trip to the semifinals, where it lost to York.

This fall, Aube did it all and as a result, the Yachtsmen set a new benchmark for program success.

Aube rushed for 1,059 yards and 17 touchdowns on 150 carries, caught 25 passes for 409 yards and three TDs and even threw six times, completing two attempts for 35 yards. Those numbers were impressive enough, but Aube also starred on defense with a whopping 83 tackles and made his presence felt on special teams too, returning 13 punts for 298 yards and a score and eight kickoffs for 166 yards and another TD, giving him 22 total touchdowns for the year.

Highlights included 163 yards and three scores against Mt. Ararat, 13 tackles versus Biddeford, 85 rushing yards, a 55-yard punt return and two touchdowns in an epic come-from-behind overtime win at Marshwood, 13 tackles against Greely and in the playoffs, 150 rushing yards and 100 more receiving yards to go with four touchdowns in a quarterfinal round victory over Morse, 132 yards and two TDs in a semifinal round win over Westbrook and 57 yards and 11 tackles in the regional final loss to Marshwood.

Pretty impressive stuff.

“This year was fun,” Aube said. “We really turned it around from freshman year. It was great playing with all the other seniors. I’ll miss football.”

After the season, Aube was honored at the conference level and in the minds of many, is on the short list of top contenders for the prestigious Fitzpatrick Trophy, given to the state’s finest senior.

Aube has committed to playing baseball at the University of Tennessee at Martin and can look forward to one final season playing centerfield in a Yachtsmen uniform.

Connor Aube, Falmouth’s Fall Male Athlete of the Year, will then take his show to the next level. Does anyone doubt that he’ll excel?

Coach John Fitzsimmons’ comment: “Connor’s the consummate great athlete, both on offense and defense. What Connor meant to the team was epitomized in the Marshwood overtime win, when he carried the team and refused to quit. We asked him if he wanted to take a break and his answer was, ‘Absolutely not. I’m finishing this.’ He’s the one you get every 10 years. He’ll be very tough to replace.”

Prior winners:

2014 Bryce Murdick (cross country)

2013 Joe Lesniak (golf)

2012 J.P. White (soccer)

2011 Andrew Murry (soccer)

2010 Tim Follo (cross country)

2009 Gabe Hoffman-Johnson (soccer)

2008 Gabe Hoffman-Johnson (soccer)

2007 Jack Wyman (golf)

2006 Nick Ford (football)

2005 Adam Packard (golf)

2004 Connor Hollowell (soccer)

2003 Jimmy Velas (soccer)

2002 Brandon Bonsey (cross country)

2001 Brian Giggey (golf)

FEMALE:

SYDNEY BELL, Junior-Field hockey

• All-State

• WMC all-star, Division I first-team

• Captain

Bell burst on to the stage as an unstoppable dynamo as a freshman and sophomore, but this season, she became a team leader and made everyone around her better as Falmouth made another run to the playoffs.

Bell grew up in Falmouth playing soccer, but switched to field hockey in middle school and it wasn’t long until she was a player to watch. Bell had her moments as a freshman, was a first-team league all-star as a sophomore and this year, taking the lessons she learned from 2014 Fall Female Athlete of the year, Elle Fitzgerald, now playing at Colby College, she led the Yachtsmen to a memorable season.

Bell finished with eight goals and five assists, but what couldn’t be quantified was her tenacity, willingness to be the focal point of the defense to alleviate pressure on her teammates and her burning desire to win.

Highlights included a goal and two assists in a season-opening win at Cape Elizabeth, a goal in a victory over rival Greely and the winning tally in double overtime against North Yarmouth Academy.

Falmouth won double digit games for the third year in a row and extended its postseason streak to 19 seasons. The Yachtsmen survived Bonny Eagle in a penalty corner thriller in the preliminary round, then dropped a one-goal heartbreaker at defending champion Scarborough in the quarterfinals.

“It was disappointing to end like we did, but the season was a lot of fun,” said Bell.

While Bell is leaning toward playing lacrosse in college, she is very fond of field hockey as well.

“Field hockey is definitely a team sport, you have to have connections with your teammates,” Bell said. “Every teammate I’ve had has been very supportive. My parents push me to be a better player and my coaches have been there to tell me what to do.”

Bell also participates in the Big Buddies program with the elementary school and is part of the Environmental Action Committee. This spring, she hopes to lead Falmouth to a lacrosse championship for the first time before coming back in the fall to do the same with the field hockey program.

Sydney Bell, Falmouth’s Fall Female Athlete of the Year, keeps setting the bar higher and higher. The best news for the Yachtsmen is that she isn’t done yet.

Coach Robin Haley’s comment: “Sydney was the leader of our team and a great all-around player. She was involved with every aspect of the game on both ends of the field. She created numerous scoring opportunities through her midfield play and on penalty corners. She’s a tremendous athlete with an amazing competitive spirit and a play-to-the-end attitude. She’s great under pressure and plays with a lot of poise. She really improved on her 1-on-1 skills and it paid off in many situations this season. As competitive as she is, she made it fun for everyone and often encouraged and recognized others for their efforts. She’s team-first.”

Prior winners:

2014 Elle Fitzgerald (field hockey)

2013 Riley Burfeind (volleyball)

2012 Cassie Darrow (soccer)

2011 Caitlin Bucksbaum (soccer)

2010 Kate Sparks (volleyball)

2009 Emma Wilberg (volleyball)

2008 Nicole Foley (field hockey)

2007 Maddie Grygiel (cross country)

2006 Emily Bowden (field hockey)

2005 Riley Haddock (field hockey)

2004 Riley Haddock (field hockey)

2003 Hannah Millick (field hockey)

2002 Ali Hollowell (field hockey)

2001 Whitney Huse (soccer)

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

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