The much heralded winter of 2010-11 gave local sports fans memories galore. As a result, many of the city’s top athletes earned all-star mention.
Here’s a glimpse:
Boys’ basketball
Cheverus, Deering, Portland and Waynflete’s boys’ basketball teams all had solid seasons and each school produced players worthy of all-star mention.
In the Southern Maine Activities Association, Cheverus junior Louie DiStasio and Deering junior Jon Amabile were named to the first team, along with Bonny Eagle’s Dustin Cole, South Portland’s Vukasin Vignjevic, Thornton Academy’s Andrew Shaw and Windham’s Nolan Allen, the league’s most valuable player.
On the second team, Cheverus senior Griffin Brady and Portland junior Mike Herrick joined Biddeford’s Robert Cote, Marshwood’s Matt Crosby and Scarborough’s Zach Bean.
Cheverus sophomore Matt Cimino was a third team selection, joining Cole Libby and Steve Simonds of Bonny Eagle, South Portland’s Tanner Hyland, Thornton Academy’s James Ek and Westbrook’s Trevor Bates.
Cheverus senior Connor O’Neil was an honorable mention and was the winner of the Gary Randall Award.
Deering sophomore Labson Abwoch and Portland freshman Justin Zukowski made the All-Rookie team.
Cheverus’ Brady Peter Gwilym and O’Neil, Deering’s Jackson Frey and Jamie Ross and Portland’s Matt McInnis were Senior All-Star Game participants. McInnis had eight points, Ross six and Frey three to help the “White” team beat the “Black” team, 94-89. Brady had a game high of 18 points in defeat. Gwilym had three points and O’Neil two.
All-Academic team members included Cheverus’ Andrew Bennett, Gwilym and O’Neil and Deering’s Eddie Flaherty.
Cheverus’ Gwilym and O’Neil were All-Academic All-Stars.
O’Neil was one of 10 players named to the Maine McDonald’s All-State Academic team.
Deering’s boys’ team was the winner of the Maine Principals’ Association Western Class A Sportsmanship award.
In the Western Maine Conference, Waynflete senior Joe Veroneau made the Class C boys’ first team. Waynflete senior Alex Hadiaris was a second team selection.
Hadiaris and Veroneau were both named to the WMC All-Academic team and both were named WMC Senior All-Stars. Veroneau had 12 points as his team lost, 118-73.
Girls’ basketball
On the girls’ side, in the SMAA, the first team featured Cheverus junior Morgan Cahill, Deering senior Kayla Burchill, McAuley senior Rebecca Knight and junior Alexa Coulombe and Portland senior Nicolette Kapothanasis. They joined Biddeford’s Keila Grigware, Gorham’s Mia Rapolla, South Portland’s Abby Hasson, Thornton Academy’s Hannah Ebling and Windham’s Meghan Gribbin.
Cheverus senior Britni Mikulanecz and junior Alexandra Palazzi-Leahy, Deering junior Ella Ramonas and McAuley freshman Allie Clement were honorable mentions, along with Bonny Eagle’s Sarah Assante and Alicia Hoyt, Gorham’s Natalie Egbert, Sanford’s Taylor Flood, Lindsay Nolette and Shae Riley, South Portland’s Danielle DiBiase and Danica Gleason, Thornton Academy’s Meghan Agger and Lauren Titus and Westbrook’s Katelyn Benson.
The All-Rookie team included Deering sophomores Marissa MacMillan, Keneisha DiRamio and Chelsea Saucier and McAuley’s Clement.
Cheverus’ Mikulanecz and McAuley’s Coulombe were named to the All-Defensive team.
Cheverus’ Mikulanecz, Deering’s Burchill and Aarika Viola, McAuley’s Knight and Portland’s Kapothanasis were named Senior All-Stars. Knight had a game-high 18 points to help the “Black” team to a 68-57 victory. The “White” team got 15 points from Burchill and three apiece from Mikulanecz and Kapothanasis.
Deering’s Burchill was named the Lisa Blais Manning Player of the Year.
The All-Academic team included Cheverus’ Mikulanecz and Portland’s Kapothanasis, Maura O’Connor, Stephanie Rogers and Rebecca Smith.
Burchill and McAuley’s Knight made the Class A/B West team in the Maine McDonald’s Senior All-Star Game. Deering’s Mike Murphy served as a coach.
Burchill won the Miss Maine Basketball Award. McAuley’s Knight was a finalist.
McAuley won the MPA’s Western A Sportsmanship award.
In the WMC, Waynflete senior Lydia Stegemann and sophomore Martha Veroneau made the Class C first team. Sophomore Rhiannan Jackson was an honorable mention.
Stegemann played in the Senior All-Star Game. She had eight points in an 82-51 loss.
Stegemann and Liz Lewis made the All-Academic team.
Stegemann was a member of the All-State Academic team.
Waynflete’s Brandon Salway coached in the WMC Senior All-Star Game and coached the Class C/D West team in the Maine McDonald’s All-Star Game.
Boys’ hockey
On the ice, the Western A Senior All-Star team included Deering defenseman Taylor Py and Portland forwards Eddie Apon and Bronson Guimond.
The SMAA All-Academic team included Cheverus’ Josh Courtois and Nic Lops and Deering’s Rebecca Silver.
Girls’ hockey
The girls’ hockey All-West all-star first team boasted Cheverus senior goalie Taylor Witham, Cheverus junior defenseman Sarah LaQuerre, Cheverus sophomore forward Katie Roy and Portland junior forward Raechel Allen.
Cheverus senior forward Emily Sawchuck and senior defenseman Anna McDonough, Portland sophomore defenseman Drew Barry and senior forward McKinzie Parker and Waynflete/Cape Elizabeth junior forward Roz Gray-Bauer were named to the second team.
Portland senior defenseman Abbi Scrutchfield was an honorable mention selection.
Waynflete’s Mark-Kate Meagher and Lindsey Sinicki qualified for the All-Academic team.
The SMAA All-Academic team included Cheverus’ Deirdre Lambert, Paige Lucas, Anna McDonough, Michaela Morris and Alexandra Swallow and Portland’s Effie Drew, Mackinleigh Isherwood, Juel Odulio and Abby Scrutchfield.
Portland won the West region Sportsmanship award.
Indoor track
The SMAA boys’ all-star first team included Deering’s Renaldo Lowry (senior 200), Carleton Allen (senior hurdles) James Ociti (junior 400) and Jared Bell (junior shot put) and Cheverus’ Jack Terwilliger (mile and 2-mile) and Portland’s Imadhi Zagon (senior 40).
The second team featured Deering’s Tony Sen (senior hurdles), Sam Balzano (300), Lowry (senior 40) and Zagon (senior 200, high jump and long jump).
Third teamers included Cheverus’ Jackson McMann (junior 40), Jimmy Campbell (junior 400), Deering’s Balzano (senior 200), Luga Luka (senior 800) and John Hardy (600).
On the girls’ side, the SMAA first team boasted Cheverus’ Caroline Summa (high jump) and Deering’s Edie Pallozzi (junior 800 and mile).
The second team included Portland’s Mary Nyembo (senior 40).
The third team featured Deering’s Alexis Elowitch (junior shot put) and Veronica Mitchell (600, high jump and senior hurdles) and Portland’s Nyembo (senior 200).
Swimming
The Southern Maine Swim League All-Conference team had strong city representation.
On the boys’ side, qualifiers included Deering’s Eric Delmonte (200 medley relay, 100 breaststroke and 500 freestyle) and Waynflete’s Luke Jeton (500 free).
The All-Academic team included Cheverus’ Steven Ambrose, Austin Hayes, Patrick Jerome, William Maxwell and Kane Molleo and Portland’s Will Dykes, Simon Carroll, Jeffrey Peisner and Peter Tomascak.
Girls’ qualifiers were Cheverus’ Tessa Lindsley (50 free, 100 free and 200 and 400 free relays) and Samantha Savaun (100 breaststroke), Deering’s Genevieve Worthely (200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke and 200 free and 200 medley relays) and Emma Pontius (100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 200 free and 200 medley relays) and Waynflete’s Colby Harvey (100 fly, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay), Amelia Deady (200 and 400 free relays) and Ellen Silk (500 free and 400 free relay)
The All-Academic team included Cheverus’ Erin Bucci, Elaine Cilley, Molly Cloutier, Katherine Morsehead, Magdalena Niedermeyer and Danielle Tourigny, Deering’s Caitlin Very, Rachel Madjerac, Elise Wilcox and Jennefer Lynch and McAuley’s Priya Ahluwalia and Aoife Ryle.
The All-State team also featured familiar names.
Deering’s Delmonte qualified for the boys’ second team in the 500 free and 200 medley relay and the third team in the 100 breaststroke.
On the girls’ side, Cheverus’ Lindsley (200 free relay), Deering’s Worthely (breaststroke and 200 medley relay) and Waynflete’s Harvey (butterfly) made the first team.
Lindsley (400 free relay), Worthely (200 IM) and Harvey (medley relay) were second teamers.
McAuley’s Libby Gajewski (200 free) made the third team.
Cheverus (Class A) and McAuley (Class B) won Sportsmanship awards.
Skiing
The SMAA ski all-star team included Cheverus’ Katie Drake and Portland’s Carter Williams.
The WMC Nordic All-Academic team featured Waynflete’s Matt Butler, Stuart Hewitt, Emma Longcope, Eli Sobel, Max Sobel and Chris Spaulding.
Wrestling
The SMAA all-star team included Cheverus’ Iain Whitis at 112-pounds and Portland’s Evan Michalski at 135.
Cheering
The SMAA cheering first team included Deering’s Maria Villarreal.
Portland’s Hong-Vy Phan and Alyssa Nielsen made the second team.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter @foresports
Sidebar Elements
Cheverus junior Morgan Cahill was named one of the top girls’ basketball players in the Southern Maine Activities Association this winter.
Portland junior Mike Herrick was a second-team SMAA all-star.
Deering’s Emma Pontius was a Southern Maine Swim League all-star.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
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