Fryeburg Academy Winter Sports Awards Night
FRYEBURG — Tuesday night’s Sports Awards was an opportunity to celebrate Fryeburg Academy winter athletes and serve as a culminating event to the winter season.
“Our attention may switch to recognizing individuals tonight, but our teams are just that, teams,†said FA Athletic Director Sue Thurston. “Each athlete here has had a part into making this season what it was.â€
Senior Skye Dole opened up the evening with her thoughts on being an athlete at Fryeburg Academy. This past fall, Skye received the Head of School Award, recognizing her accomplishments to the Fryeburg Academy athletic program and her commitment to training year round within te programs.
Thurston started the “recognition†portion of the evening festivities by introducing some athletes who have the creed, “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.†They were Special Olympians Reed Wales and Star Lamb, as well as coaches Kathy Dunham and Lee Dyer .
Special Olympians
Aaron Hennessy — silver, two bronze medals in alpine, also a member of the Indoor Track team;
Courtney Ela — a gold and silver medal, and placed fourth in alpine;
Star Young — gold and silver medals in bi-ski;
Ben Charles — two bronze medals;
Reed Wales — two gold medals, and also a member of the Nordic team. Reed met Seth Wescott at the Winter Games at Sugarloaf.
Girls’ Alpine Skiing: Speaker Chelsea Abraham, followed by Coaches Dyer and Clarke.
Boys’ Alpine: Speaker Jesse Liljedahl, followed by Coaches Dyer and Clarke.
Cheering: Speaker Senior Emily Ouellette followed by Coach Tetreault.
Girls’ Nordic Skiing: Speaker Senior Amber Dindorf followed by Coaches Weston and Darling.
Boys’ Nordic Skiing: Speaker Senior Dacota Griffin followed by Coaches Weston and Darling.
Boys’ Basketball: Speaker Jaquan Causer followed by Coach Saunders, Assistants Tryder and Antonucci.
Girls’ Indoor Track: Speaker Bailey Friedman followed by Coach Collins.
Boys’ Indoor Track: Speaker Njemile Phillip followed by Coach Collins.
Wrestling: Speaker Matt Boucher, followed by Coach Thurston.
Ice Cat Ice Hockey: Speaker Freshman Huxley Lovering.
Girls’ Basketball: Speaker Sydney Charles followed by Coach Watson and Assistants Bush and L’Heureux.
Howard Ross Award is given annually to an individual who made a significant contribution to the sport of skiing at Fryeburg Academy. The athletes and coaches have selected Mr. Fred Westerberg as the 2014 selection. Mr. Westerberg has given countless hours to the ski program. He has followed, supported and been involved with Fryeburg skiing for decades. His daughter, Beth, was a former Academy ski team member and part of the 1982 girls’ state championship team. For the last 15 years, he has been the dedicated bus driver for the Academy Nordic team, acting as an honorary coach and always cheering and supporting the team. He has been with the team so long he is recognized and thought of as one of the team’s representatives at races by other coaches and parents. For the last four years, he has taken great joy and pride in watching his grandson, Dacota Griffin, carry on the family’s ski tradition as a member of the Fryeburg Academy Nordic Ski Team. Mr. Westerberg was presented a ski vest and certificate. His name will be permanently displayed on a cup in the trophy case outside Wadsworth Arena.
All Conference Athletes either selected by the league coaches or their finish in the League Championship meet included:
Alex Blake — Basketball, Honorable Mention
Matt Boucher — Wrestling
Patrick Carty — Nordic, HM
Skye Dole — Basketball
Allison Fahey — Winter Cheering
Bailey Friedman — Indoor Track
Harrison Leavitt — Alpine Skiing
Andrew Lyman — Wrestling
Willy Macfawn — Wrestling
Emily Ouellette — Winter Cheering
Hannah Perry — Winter Cheering
Julia Quinn — Basketball, HM
Mary Shea — Alpine Skiing
Forrest Stearns — Indoor Track
Eli Thompson — Indoor Track
All Academic: Seniors with at least a 3.2 grade point average and receiving a varsity letter:
Chelsea Abraham — Alpine Skiing
Blaine Andreoli — Indoor Track
Alex Blake — Basketball
Sullivan Briggs — Skiing
Sydney Charles — Basketball
Amber Dindorf — Nordic Skiing
Skye Dole — Basketball
Juliet Fink — Skiing
Bailey Friedman — Indoor Track
Makayla Frost — Basketball
Austin Gerchman — Nordic Skiing
Dakota Griffin — Nordic Skiing
Eric Hannes — Indoor Track
Tristin Harvie — Indoor track
Tucker Huppe — Indoor Track
Nick Kiesman —Indoor Track
Meredith Lastra — Indoor Track
Liam LeConey — Nordic Skiing
Tyler O’Keefe — Indoor Track
Esther Ortiz — Cheering
Emily Ouellette — Cheering
Jared Schrader — Indoor Track
Sarah Welch — Basketball
Stanford White — Indoor Track
Special Recognition: AD Thurston announced that there were several athletes in attendance whose teammates saw them accomplish some great feats, but no one ever heard about them because they might have been over a smaller part of a bigger accomplishment or not earned an All-Conference mention.
“To me, these athletes also deserve to be recognized in front of our community as well,†Thurston said. “I would like to personally thank two students whose individual contributions above their own athletic teams have made the home events here this winter in Wadsworth Arena just a tremendous environment, starting with the voice of the Raiders, Dacota Griffin. If you didn’t get to hear him announce a few of our basketball games, then you really missed a talented announcer. His voice gave the start of every game a true home court advantage! I hope he has started a new tradition of a student announcer during our home contests.â€
Along with Dacota, for the past 2½ seasons, Thurston did not have to look far for a singer of the national anthem at any home basketball, wrestling or football games, or even a few off-site venues where FA officials were asked if a student could sing the national anthem. Thurston’s response: “Do we ever!â€
“Emily Ouellette has stood out within the league as the top anthem singer. Opposing coaches and especially many of the regular officials we have commented on her voice. It gives me the goose bumps every time I hear it,†Thurston said. “Again, I hope we have another student step into this role as well!â€
In Indoor Track and Field, Jared Schrader, Tyler O’Keefe, TJ Rose and Eric Hannes represented the Academy at the New England Track Championships on the 4x800 relay team. They finished 15th overall and were the top Maine team.
In addition, Jared also qualified in the 1000m as an individual and Forrest also qualified in the 600.
“I should note that Maine does not run these distances, so they were at the New Englands running in events that they qualified for based off their times at other distances, so they had their work cut out for them. They both placed in the top half of the participants,†Thurston said.
With the newness of Indoor Track in just its fourth full season comes records being set. This winter Eli Thompson, Forrest Stearns, Jared Schrader, TJ Rose, Njemile Phillip, Joe Coffey-Slattery, Colt Whitten, Tristan Harvie, Bailey Friedman and Anna Lastra all set new school records in their events.
In Ice Hockey, Fryeburg and Lake Region have been a co-op hockey team for the past six years. Due to numbers, this year the MPA allowed the Ice Cats to add Oxford Hills making the Cats the largest co-op team in Maine. The joint three schools have made hockey affordable in all three communities and allowed for a JV team. The Fryeburg contingency was small, but certainly quality in the young men — Huxley Lovering and Bowen Greenleaf.
In Skiing: Three athletes doubled their efforts and participated as Skimeisters, which meant they trained and competed in both alpine and Nordic events. They were: Juliet Fink, Sullivan Briggs and Jesse Liljedahl, until he suffered an injury.
In Basketball: Alex Blake and Skye Dole were chosen to represent Fryeburg Academy in the WMC Senior All Star Game. While Skye was unable to attend, Alex played and contributed double-digit points to his team.Â
“These two have both been selected by their coaches as recipients of the Pinky True Basketball Award, given at graduation to the basketball players who best represents a command of fundamentals, sportsmanship, and enthusiasm,†Thurston announced.
Skye was also one of two athletes nominated for the Bob Butler Award, which is equal to the WMC Player of the Year Award.
Coach Sedge Saunders recorded his 100th career victory, a milestone that represents commitment to a program and to developing young athletes.
In Wrestling: Three Raiders placed first at the Mid-State Championship. They were: Andrew Lyman, Matt Boucher and Willy Macfawn, who won a Class B West Championship. Andrew was also the Class B State runner-up.
At a school assembly last month, the team also presented Head of School Erin Mayo with the Mid-State Conference Good Sportsmanship Award, which is becoming a trademark of the team. The Raiders had nine individuals qualify from the Class B West Regionals for the 14 weight classes in wrestling. Very impressive!
State Champions: Trevor Henschel was the Class B West State Champion in the 182-pound wrestling division! He received a State Champion coat donated by the Alumni Association, represented by Chris Dutton and the Alumni and Development Office represented by Rachel Damon.Â
Three-Star Jackets were presented to: Sage Boivin, Matt Boucher, Jaquan Causer, Abby Davis, Hunter Day, Joey Deremers, Molly Eklund, Esme Hernandez, Ryan Gullikson, Nick Kiesman, Nicholis L’Heureux-Carland, Harrison Leavitt, Willy Macfawn, Milos Mitic, Esther Ortiz, Brianna Perreault, Wayne Smith, Ben Southwick and Jared Stefano.
Team Awards
Wrestling: Raider Award — Hunter Day; Raider Award — Trevor Henschel
Girls’ Indoor Track: MVP — Oriagna Inirio; Coach’s Award — Anna Lustra
Boys’ Indoor Track: MVP — Forrest Stearns; Coaches’ Award — Elijah Thompson
Cheering: Up and Coming Award — Shelby Day
Girls’ Basketball: Raider Award — Julia Quinn; Raider Award — Sarah Welch
Boys’ Basketball: Coach’s Award — Henry Santana; Coach’s Award — Joey DeRemer
Boys’ Nordic Skiing: MVP — Patrick Carty; Most Improved — Austin Gerchman
Girls’ Nordic Skiing: MVP — Amber Dander; Most Improved — Juliet Fink
Boys’ Alpine: MVP — Harrison Leavitt
Girls’ Alpine: MVP — Chelsea Abraham
Special Olympics: Most Resilient Athlete — Courtney Ela
Head of School Award — Emily Ouellette