Male:

BRYCE KUHN, Senior-Lacrosse

* All-American

* Maine Lacrosse Coaches’ Association All-State

* WMC All-Star, second-team, attack

* WMC All-Academic team

* Senior All-Star

* Falmouth Offensive Player of the Year

* Captain 

Kuhn, one of the few remaining links to Falmouth’s 2012 championship team, erupted this spring to have a transcendent senior year, one which earned him due recognition as one of the state’s finest players.

Kuhn came to Falmouth from Washington, D.C. in the third grade and started playing lacrosse in middle school. It quickly became his favorite sport. Kuhn also played golf for Falmouth and enjoys skiing, but the lacrosse field is where he did his finest work in high school. He was a role player at attack when the Yachtsmen won the 2012 Class B title and played a progressively bigger role as a sophomore and junior as Falmouth reached the regional final, only to lose to Cape Elizabeth. This spring, Kuhn displayed a prolific scoring touch.

Kuhn announced he was in for a big year when he erupted for six goals and added seven assists in a win over Freeport in the opener. Kuhn scored four times in a win at Scarborough, produced six goals in a victory at Fryeburg Academy, had five goals in a home win over Cheverus, scored four times with two assists in a victory at Greely, had a career-high eight goals in a home win over Kennebunk, then had six goals, including the winner, in a stunning upset win at Cape Elizabeth in the regular season finale. Kuhn then scored five more times in a semifinal round playoff win over Waynflete before the Yachtsmen were eliminated again at Cape Elizabeth in the regional final.

Kuhn finished the year with 57 goals and 18 assists, a new program scoring record.

“I’m really proud of the season,” Kuhn said. “It was a lot of fun. We had a lot of great kids on the team.”

Kuhn credited a former Yachtsmen legend and Falmouth coaches Mike LeBel, Kyle Baker and John Fay for his development into a player that wasn’t just named all-conference, but all-state and All-American as well.

“I got (former Falmouth All-American Dan Hanley’s) gear growing up,” Kuhn said. “Playing with guys like Cam Bell, Mitch Tapley and Willy Sipperly freshman year set a standard for excellence. The coaches have been great. I’m not the fastest or strongest kid, but I have other advantages like a quick release and I work hard.”

Kuhn, who was also an honor roll student, student mentor, teaching assistant and student representative in high school, plans to attend Colgate University in Hamilton, New York where he may try to walk-on to the lacrosse team.

He’s certainly capable of playing at the next level. Bryce Kuhn, Falmouth’s Spring Male Athlete of the Year, saved his best for last and led a young team a long way.

Coach Mike LeBel’s comment: “Bryce  led by example and was vocal when the situation required him to step forward and get the team back on track. I relied on Bryce to make decisions on the field and to provide appropriate feedback so we could find solutions to what we had difficulty with. His approach to the game didn’t change in four years. He got it. Not many do. He was a perfect captain.”

Previous winners:

2014 Brendan McCarthy (tennis)

2013 Thomas Fortier (baseball)

2012 Thomas Fortier (baseball)

2011 Matt MacDowell (baseball)

2010 Dan Hanley (lacrosse)

2009 Tommy Winger (track)

2008 Ethan Shaw (track)

2007 Ethan Shaw (track)

2006 Chris Morrison (tennis)

2005 Antonio Floridino (track)

2004 Aaron Paradis (baseball)

2003 Antonio Floridino (track)

2002 Matt Dissell (track)

Female:

OLIVIA LEAVITT- Senior-Tennis

* State singles champion

* Stadden Award winner

* WMC All-Star, first-team, singles

* Captain

Leavitt entered her senior season facing huge expectations, but she met every one and graduates as one of the finest and most accomplished girls’ tennis players the state has ever seen.

Leavitt played third singles behind standouts Annie Criscione and Analise Kump her freshman season, but was the lone ninth grader on the team. That year, she reached the semifinals of the state singles tournament. By her sophomore year, she had no peer. Leavitt won the singles tournament and helped Falmouth win state titles as a sophomore and a junior (she was also named Spring Female Athlete of the Year each season) and coming into this spring, all expectations were that she (and the Yachtsmen) would repeat. 

Leavitt, nicknamed “Viking” by assistant coach Bill Goodspeed due to her Norweigan background and penchant for saying, “Viking Up!,” went 12-0 in the regular season, never losing a set. She got pushed by Bethany Hammond of St. Dom’s in the final of the singles tournament, but survived to make it three in a row, then won four more playoff matches to lead Falmouth to its eighth straight team crown, helping the Yachtsmen stretch their mind-boggling match win streak to 125. 

Leavitt finished her high school career with a record of 47-1 (69-2 if you count the singles tournament). Leavitt retired due to injury with the 2013 state match already won and lost to Silverman as a freshman in the singles tournament. She beat everyone else, almost always with ease.

Following the season, Leavitt was given the Stadden Award, which goes to the senior athlete who exhibits outstanding sportsmanship throughout their high school career.

Leavitt’s legend is still growing, as she’ll take her game to Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. She’s been accepted into the school’s International BA/MBA program.

The Yachtsmen will keep producing top-notch talent and winning titles, but there will never be another Olivia Leavitt, Falmouth’s three-time Spring Female Athlete of the Year. Leavitt defined excellence and calm under pressure. Local tennis fans were lucky they got to see her shine.

Coach Sandra Stone’s comment: “Olivia came to me as a talented freshman. She’s a committed and motivated leader, supportive of her teammates, eager to build team bonding and a good role model to developing players with her skill and tenacity. She’s so very intense and passionate about tennis. She trains so hard to get what she’s achieved. She’ll be missed.”

Previous winners:

2014 Olivia Leavitt (tennis)

2013 Olivia Leavitt (tennis)

2012 Jenna Serunian (track)

2011 Kelsey Freedman (softball)

2010 Analise Kump (tennis)

2009 Annie Criscione (tennis)

2008 Hallsey Leighton (tennis)

2007 Carly Applebaum (track)

2006 Kristen Meahl (tennis)

2005 Eileen Brandes (softball)

2004 Kristen Meahl (tennis)

2003 Beth Rubenstein (track)

2002 Beth Rubenstein (track)

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

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