Ed. Note: This article will appear in our April 10 print edition.

Male:

JONATHAN DUNNETT, Senior-Swimming

• Class B state champion, 200 individual medley

• Class B state champion, 100 butterfly

• Class B Swimmer of the Meet

• Southwesterns champion, 100 fly

• All-state, IM

• All-state, butterfly

• All-state, medley relay

• All-state, 400 freestyle relay

• All-conference, IM

• All-conference, butterfly

• All-conference, medley relay

• All-conference, 400 free relay

Dunnett set his mind to become the best swimmer he could be and that proved to be the very best in the state.

Dunnett starting swimming at the age of four and after both swimming and playing baseball as a freshman and sophomore, he chose to focus on swimming only going forward and that helped him reach the top of the heap.

Dunnett, who was part of state champion medley and 400 free relays a freshman, was second in both the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley as a sophomore and was second in the IM, third in the fly and part of a 400 free relay champion as a junior, bowed out in style as a senior.

After a solid regular season, Dunnett won the fly and was part of a champion medley relay team at Southwesterns, then reached the top of the podium at states for the first time, capturing both the IM (in 1 minute, 57.14 seconds, breaking a school record which had stood since 1980) and the fly (52.30 seconds, breaking his own mark). If that wasn’t enough, Dunnett was part of state champion medley and 400 free relays as Greely won the state title for the fifth year in a row.

“I came in more confident as a senior,” Dunnett said. “I’m bigger than most kids and that makes a difference. My goal is always to improve.”

Dunnett, who also swims with the Westbrook Seals club team, will swim and study computer science at Wheaton College in Massachusetts.

His excellence figures to continue at the next level. Jonathan Dunnett, Greely’s Winter Male Athlete of the Year, was the latest in the long line of program standouts and he made it happen with his resolve and determination.

Coach Rob Hale’s comment:“Two years ago, Jonathan decided to focus on swimming. He had goals and dreams about taking his swimming to next level. His work ethic is second to none. He raises the bar in practice every day. Jonathan’s weakness is that he has no ego. It’s not a bad weakness. To him, swimming is not about winning and beating someone. The clock is the enemy. He is very respectful of his swimming peers and their accomplishments. There is more to come in the pool for Jonathan.”

Previous winners:

2012-13: Nick Vogel (Wrestling)

2011-12: Dan Spencer (Swimming)

2010-11: Dan Spencer (Swimming)

2009-10: Mark McCauley (Track)

2008-09: Kevin Hart (Hockey)

2007-08: Nathan Mecray (Swimming)

2006-07: Nathan Mecray (Swimming)

2005-06: Drew Bowden (Hockey)

2004-05: Ben Knowles (Skiing)

2003-04: Kerry Burke (Track)

2002-03: John Loren (Track)

2001-02: Tim Apuzzo (Basketball)

Female:

ELYSE DINAN, Senior—Alpine skiing

• Class A champion, slalom

• Class A champion, giant slalom

• WMC champion, slalom

• WMC Alpine all-star

• NENSA qualifier

• Captain

A champion skier on a transcendent team, Dinan evolved into a top-notch talent and bowed out in fine fashion this winter.

Dinan started skiing at the age of two. She began racing in fifth grade and really hit her stride as a middle schooler. She joined the Rangers as they embarked on a stretch which saw them run roughshod over the opposition for the better part of four years.

As a freshman, Dinan became a household name by winning the skimeister and helping Greely win an Alpine championship by placing second in the giant slalom and ninth in the slalom. While the Rangers fell short of a title her sophomore season, Dinan came in third in the GS. She did fall in the slalom and used that a learning experience.

“That fall me taught me a lot about the mental and psychological aspect of skiing,” Dinan said.

As a junior, Dinan was runner-up in the GS and third in the slalom and helped Greely back to the top spot. That set the stage for a dominant senior campaign.

The Rangers raced to the Western Maine Conference title as Dinan won the slalom in 1 minute, 34.99 seconds and was also runner-up in the GS (1:43.36). After coming oh-so-close to winning an individual Alpine state title her first three seasons, she didn’t just capture one event, but won them both. Dinan was tops in the slalom (1:32.93) and in the GS (1:36.9).

“I like icier courses and it was more that way at states,” Dinan said. “Winning was a big goal. I knew I had the potential and put it together this time. I’m very competitive with myself. I want to improve and keep getting better.”

Dinan wasn’t just a captain on the ski team, she also captained the soccer team (which she helped reach the regional final with her stellar play in goal) and will be the captain this spring for softball (she plays third base for a team which got to the Class B state game a year ago).

Off the field, pitch and slopes, Dinan plays saxophone in the Jazz Band and is a member of student government. She’s weighing her college options, but hopes to ski and plans to study pre-med.

Don’t be surprised if she makes an immediate impact at the college level as well. For four winters, Elyse Dinan, Greely’s Winter Female Athlete of the Year, was a transcendent talent on skis.

Coach Mark Ouellette’s comment: “Elyse changed her philosophy and mental toughness through the years exactly when the academic geniuses’ say we go through growth and development. She really came into her own. She came in as a talented kid and left as a young woman with hardware to boot.”

Previous winners:

2012-13: Sarah Easterling (Swimming)

2011-12: Emma Seymour (Hockey)

2010-11: Sarah Easterling (Swimming)

2009-10: Sarah Easterling (Swimming)

2008-09: Sara Schad (Swimming)

2007-08: Becky O’Brien (Track)

2006-07: Dani Cyr (Hockey)

2005-06: Becky O’Brien (Track)

2004-05: Rebecca Furey (Track)

2003-04: Steph Ginn (Basketball)

2002-03: Abby Chapman (Track)

2001-02: Mandy Bowden (Skiing)

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

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Jonathan Dunnett

Elyse Dinan